Titanium Europe takes place from 5–7 March in Hamburg, Germany.
In particular, Nikolay Lopatin, Commetprom, will discuss studies of microstructure and creep resistance in aero engine parts manufactured from powder-metallurgy alloys using near-net shape techniques. Although powder's cost is high and the required spraying and sintering is laborious, the technique shows promise versus the high waste and machining cost of traditional wrought processing.
Robert Guntlin, Access, will track the progress toward commercially viable large-scale serial production of TiAl LPT blades for aero and automotive engines. Manufacturing technologies such as melting, shaping and machining have been examined, and his firm has pursued near net shape casting--though none has been successfully industrialised.
The impact of the gamma TiAl LPT blades in the GEnx engine will be addressed by Volker Gunther from GfE Metalle und Materialien GmbH. He notes that TiAl alloys exhibit well-balanced material properties, but also that conventional technologies to produce casting or forging feedstock aren't applicable.
Wilfried Smarsly, MTU Aero Engines, will discuss the status of TiAl in aero engines. He observes that the alloys have now found uses in autos and aircraft, driven by the need to improve fuel efficiency and lower emissions and costs. He will report the effects of various processing methods (ingot, powder, casting, forging) on microstructure and the advances in thermo-mechanical processing and heat treatment technologies used to improve it.
