Industria de Turbo Propulsores, S. A. (ITP), and Rolls-Royce Plc, have signed a contract under which ITP will manufacture the High Pressure / Intermediate Pressure (HP/IP) structure for the 84k variant of the Trent XWB engine, which will power the Airbus A350-800/900. This contract will generate sales over 46 million euros.
Ignacio Mataix, Chief Executive Officer of ITP, said, “the signing of this agreement represents a new step in our partnership with Rolls-Royce in a product that fits very well with ITP´s capabilities, not only leveraging our experience in hot structures but also making use of vertical integration of the ITP group, with significant contributions from ITA and from PCB also."
The HP/IP structure
The High Pressure / Intermediate Pressure (HP/IP) structure is a fundamental component of the engine. Power is transferred from turbines to compressors through shafts and spline systems, with bearings providing axial and radial positioning of the rotating components. Each of the three shafts on a Rolls-Royce engine rotate at a different speed (and in the last Trent engines even in different directions) and this requires having separate structural support to allow them rotate independently. The HP/IP structure provides rear support to the High & Intermediate Turbine shafts, transmitting the resulting loads from the bearings cavity to the HP/IP casing through 11-off struts across the internal passages of the IP NGVs.
These support structures, or bearing housings, also allow the engine airflow to pass through and are hosts to many secondary systems: bearing chambers, internal air system... Hence they are large, complex, strong, weight-efficient castings or fabrications. They are among the most challenging components to manufacture/assemble in an engine, and certainly at the top of ITP’s Portfolio.
Manufacturing challenge
The agreement covers the manufacturing, assembly & supply of the component. During the next months, ITP will focus on the development of the manufacturing process, which includes technologies like EDM Fast Hole process, Bore Welding, Grinding operations, Electron-Beam Welding, etc, with the objective of having the first component by June 2014.
This significant amount of sub-components with their own requirements, processes and technologies, together with the synergy with other fabricated structures will allow optimizing the facility lay-out for this complex product family, enhancing the efficiency of the Line, and thus achieving excellent targets relative to Performance, Value Stream, Lead Time and Operating Costs.
For more information visit www.itp.es.
