GE Aerospace in Greenville, S.C., is manufacturing an updated high-pressure turbine blade that will extend the durability of CFM56-5B and CFM56-7B commercial aircraft engines, according to CFM International. The engine builders reported that the new design incorporates insights drawn from “millions of hours of engine field data.”
CFM International is a manufacturer of commercial aircraft engines jointly owned by GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines, and supported individually by their respective operations.
The Greenville plant produces high-pressure turbine blades for commercial and military aircraft engines – including complex machining and non-destructive testing. The plant ships an average of 1,000 parts per day.
CFM56 high-bypass turbofan aircraft engines are installed in Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 Classic and 737 Next Generation aircraft, among others.
CFM56 engines are assembled by both joint-venture partners, with GE Aerospace producing the high-pressure compressors, combustors, and high-pressure turbines; and Safran manufacturing fans, gearboxes, exhaust, and low-pressure turbines.
The redesigned HPT blades have thicker walls, “optimized dovetail loading,” and tightened manufacturing tolerances, according to the CFM. It said that the new blades will maintain the fuel burn benefit achieved with CFM56 Tech Insertion blade configurations launched in 2007.
“These upgraded CFM56-5B/-7B HPT blades are designed to keep our customers flying with OEM parts they know and trust,” stated Jacey Welsh, CFM EVP – CFM56 at GE Aerospace. “Many of our customers are transitioning their narrow-body fleets and the new CFM56 HPT blade can help them to extend time on-wing to optimize cost of ownership and enhance the residual value of their engines. We are also providing attractive upgrade options to customers operating older CFM56 configurations.”
