Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC
Dow-United Technologies Composites Products is to develop jet-engine fan blades for General Electric, using an improved carbonfibre material.
The blades will be produced using Dow-UT's advanced resin transfer moulding (AdvRTM) process, but employing the company's new Uni-Hybrid composite. Dow-UT says the new material is more like a unidirectional tape and offers a 28% increase in structural performance, unlike the carbonfibre fabric normally used for RTM components.
Under a 12-month contract with GE, Dow-UT will co-ordinate the design and fabrication of the tooling needed for production of development composite fan blades.
Under another contract, this time with Boeing, Dow-UT will use its AdvRTM process to produce carbonfibre aft boom fairings for the Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22. The components will replace titanium fairings and reduce weight by 47% (11kg) and cost by 55%. Each contoured fairing, 4m (11ft) long by about 0.3m wide, will be produced in a single piece.
Windsor, Connecticut-based Dow-UT already produces composite wing spars and other components for the F-22, making use of the AdvRTM process.
Source: Flight International
