GKN Aerospace is to expand its factory in Newington, Connecticut, adding a new additive fabrication capability to build parts for Pratt & Whitney PW1500G and PW1900G engines.
UK-headquartered GKN already makes the fan case mount ring (FCMR) for those powerplants via additive production methods at its site in Trollhattan, Sweden.
Output at the Swedish facility is around 30 units per month, with those parts shipped to Newington for finishing.
But the expansion of the US plant will support the full volume of FCMR production in one place, GKN says, although it will also continue manufacturing the component in Trollhattan.
GKN has been slowly shifting to additive production of the FCMR since first qualifying the additively made component in 2023.
It expects to produce all FMCRs for the two engines to via the additive process by the end of this year.
“As well as ramping up our production for the FCMR, it will also enable us to expand our additive fabrication offering to other customers in the USA,” says Sebastien Aknouche, senior vice-president material solutions, GKN Aerospace.
Respectively powering Airbus A220 and Embraer 190-/195-E2 jets, the PW1500G and PW1900G are dwarfed in volume terms by the PW1100G for the A320neo family.
Asked if consideration was also being given to make the FCMR for the PW1100G through additive fabrication, GKN declines to address specifics.
But it says the business is “actively evaluating additive fabrication for components on other engines and with other customers as part of our broader strategy to scale up additive production.”
GKN says the additive production process reduces material consumption, shortens production lead times, and strengthens supply chains.
