United Engine Corporation Mastered Cobalt-Alloy Production

Rubric: Russia, Industry, Future

The Rybinsk-based NPO Saturn (PJSC, member of UEC) makes components for gas-turbine engines from a new cobalt alloy using additive technologies. The new alloy has been already mastered and applied in the new Saturn-made turbines. On Tuesday, April 25, the company commissioned the Russia’s first assembling and testing system for marine gas turbine engines and aggregates.

The new alloy is adapted for making components by selective laser melting of metal-particle composition. It features improved heat and salt corrosion resistance, and higher operation temperature. Research of properties and development of optimal technologies of cobalt alloy layer-wise synthesis have been held at NPO Saturn for over two years, the company’s representative told Mil.Today. It is being certificated now. Besides, the company produces components for gas-turbine engines made of composite materials based on polymers and ceramics.

Vladimir Putin inspecting new cobalt-alloyed components

The Additive Technology Center (ATC) is specialized in production of components, models and aggregates of gas-turbine engines for air and land applications by layer-wise synthesis techniques. "The associated technologies are presented as well: heat treatment, laser welding and perforation, metallurgical laboratory, computer tomography, electronic microscopy, non-contact optical digitalizing laboratory and reverse engineering", said the company representatives. The ATC accomplishes the following tasks: improvement of stability in parameters of gas-turbine engine elements; obtaining of unique-topology structures; reducing of production cycle and cost of gas-turbine engine components; using of materials which traditional fabrication is either impossible or extremely expensive.

NPO Saturn (PJSC) has developed the processing chain of selective melting production – beginning from development of 3D model and ending with a functional component. The innovative designing principles are integrated as well, considering new technologies, including intellectual optimization of components topology providing required strength and taking into account directions of affecting loads and considerable reducing of weights, so called "bionical design". The center actively attends projects connected with development and obtaining of Russian-made metal-particle compositions. In 2015-2016, over a thousand of different components of gas-turbine engines made by selective laser melting techniques from cobalt and titanium alloys, as well as stainless steel, had successfully passed bench trials at the engines.