Parker Aerospace, a division of Parker Hannifin, has been chosen by Safran Oil Systems to work on the new CFM International Leap aircraft engine. The Leap engine is 50-50 joint venture between GE Aviation and Safran Aircraft Engines, of France.
Parker says its new innovative manufacturing and robotic welding methods will provide “improved manufacturing speed and quality” in the production of the stainless steel oil reservoirs.
Parker Aerospace says it plans to use “innovative robotic welding techniques to make oil reservoirs for the new CFM International Leap aircraft engine.”
Parker says this manufacturing process, coupled with the use of “a new state-of-the-art, five-axis horizontal milling machine,” provides a significant improvement in tank quality and throughput.
Richard Mossey, business development manager for Parker Aerospace’s gas turbine fuel systems division, says: “Parker Aerospace is one of the leaders in the industry in welding aerospace oil vessels in both aluminum and stainless steel. Using robotic welding techniques improves weld times by as much as 50-80 percent from a manual weld. The robotic weld process demonstrates welds at a yield rate of approximately 95 percent compared to a typical yield of approximately 80 percent using other methods.”
Higher-quality welds mean engine producers get a better product and higher throughput on the manufacturing line.
The Parker Naples site was the sole-source supplier of tanks for the CFM56, which is said to be “the best-selling product line in commercial aviation history.”
This robotic welding is already being utilized for the oil reservoirs supplied by Parker Aerospace on two different engine types.