At the A. Lyulka Design Bureau (a branch of ODK-UMPO, part of Rostec's United Engine Corporation), in cooperation with the Moscow Aviation Institute, work has begun on the practical development of laser shock hardening technology for aircraft engines.
The technology is based on the impact of a powerful plasma shockwave created by a laser beam. It changes the properties of the surface layer of the part, forming high compressive stresses at the blade edge.
Compressor blades operate under maximum loads and vibrations. The main danger for them is encountering foreign objects: stones or birds. This leads to microcracks and dents, which become the main cause of premature repairs. Laser hardening reduces the rate of microcrack development inside the part, dramatically increasing the wear resistance and fatigue strength of the edges.
Anton Tereshko, Head of the Strength Management Department at the A. Lyulka Design Bureau, explained that the hardening technology can increase the service life of gas turbine engine compressor working blades, improving their resource indicators. This, in turn, will extend the service life and increase the reliability of the engine as a whole. The implementation of the technology will yield three main results: increased resource, reliability, and safety of aircraft engines. The work is being carried out as part of the import substitution program and the creation of competitive domestic aviation equipment.
Read more on the topic:
- AI Replaces Controllers in PD-8 Engine Assembly: Blade Defects Detected with Accuracy up to 40 Microns
- ODK-Saturn engineers changed the design of aircraft engine combustion chambers
- New technologies for processing heat-resistant alloys for aviation are being created in Russia