chrOMaLLOY histOrYBack in 1951, as Chromalloy American Corporation, the company’s original core of scientists developed some of the fi rst diff usion coatings for nozzle guide vanes found on the fi rst generation of commercial jet engines. That original company is now 4,000 people strong with operations in 15 countries worldwide, and a depth of intellectual property and proprietary processes typically found only in the OEM world. Chromalloy’s customers now include major engine OEMs, nearly every major airline in the world, the US military, and operators of aero-derivative and industrial gas turbine engines worldwide.

To its customers, Chromalloy represents choice. In a complex engine component aftermarket, where OEMs consistently discourage competition, Chromalloy represents a safe, technologically proven and regulatory approved alternative to the escalating cost of original OEM components. Customers count on Chromalloy to reduce scrap rates through complex, high technology repairs, reduce new components costs through replacements versus new OEM components, and to inject healthy competition into an environment that without Chromalloy would provide almost no alternatives for the high cost parts found in the hot gas path of a gas turbine engine.

As the company prepares to celebrate its 60th year of successful operation, it can boast a portfolio of accomplishments unique

For nearly 60 years, Chromalloy has distinguished itself as a leading independent supplier of advanced protective coatings, high-technology repairs and replacement components for gas turbine engines. What makes Chromalloy truly unique is its wealth of PhDs, engineers, and metallurgists. From the beginning, these Chromalloy professionals have focused their research and development eff orts on engine components found in the engine gas path, where temperatures in excess of 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit demand the highest level of technological sophistication. Today Chromalloy is a global technology company with a rich history of partnering with customers to deliver innovative solutions that reduce the operating expense and extend the life of gas turbine engines.

Chromalloy: Leading innovation in turbine parts and services

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With respect to Chromalloy’s casting capability, it starts with a brand new, purpose built $27m, 115,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility in Tampa, Florida. This new facility is equipped with the professional expertise and equipment necessar y to design, develop and cast directionally solidifi ed, equiax and single crystal High Pressure Turbine (HPT) and Low Pressure Turbine (LPT) blades and vanes, as well as their complex cores. Chromalloy’s advanced tooling, machining, and coating capabilities round out the value chain and effectively support the company’s product line. Having complete control of the processes, intellectual property, expertise and equipment empowers Chromalloy with the unique ability to meet specific customer needs in a timely and cost-effective manner. While many companies have some of these capabilities, outside of the OEMs none have them all, making Chromalloy a truly unique enterprise.

chrOMaLLOY prODucts anD serVicesWhile Chromalloy’s scientists, engineers and technicians have the ability to coat, repair or produce just about any component from a gas turbine engine, they focus primarily on the compressor flowing downstream to the high-pressure and low-pressure turbine section.

repairsAs a provider of advanced repairs, Chromalloy off ers both OEM-approved and Designated Engineering Representative (DER) repairs for virtually any turbine engine model. Repairs to HPT blades and nozzle guide vanes are among the most complex repairs to any turbine engine due to the engine’s cooling system requirements, its high operating temperature and extreme operating environments. Chromalloy uses a two-step approach to deliver the most technologically advanced solutions in a flexible, cost-effective manner. The Chromalloy solution: Repair instead of replace, and replace non-repairable parts with PMA parts.

When repairs are indicated for commercial and military engines, Chromalloy provides standard repairs, source demonstrated repairs and advanced source-demonstrated repairs such as airfoil replacement.

“Our gas turbine repairs provide the military with fl ight safety, cost-eff ective parts and services, and a robust and agile supply chain,” says Andrew Farrant, Chromalloy’s vice president of marketing and corporate communications. “We supply repairs on virtually every part in every commercial and industrial turbine and auxiliary power unit. We also provide several unique repairs, including patented blade tip welding, airfoil replacement repairs and turbine case fl ange replacements.”

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within the gas turbine marketplace. Chromalloy has successfully deployed over a half-million new and repaired parts and components into the worldwide fleet of commercial and military aircraft. These components have logged hundreds of millions of hours of safe fl ight time, and have for decades kept millions of passengers and crew safe and on task every day.

chrOMaLLOY’s VaLue chainThe key to Chromalloy’s ability to thrive in an environment typically reserved for engine OEMs is its remarkable value chain. As an independent company, Chromalloy has the unique ability to control every element and process behind its product offering, including engineering, casting, machining, repair, tooling and coatings. Chromalloy’s expertise includes design, test, air flow, and structural engineering, and includes 13 Designated Engineering Representatives each appointed by the FAA to review, evaluate and approve technical data.

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Chromalloy’s technologies and advanced repairs and coatings off er the operator the ability to repair HPT blades during the first, second or third shop visit based on the status and wear of the blade. While many operators scrap all HPT blades at the fi rst shop visit, repairs can save substantial material costs over the life of the turbine.

Repairs to High Pressure Turbine (HPT) blades and nozzle guide vanes are among the most advanced used throughout the engine. Because they operate in a high-temperature environment that requires cooling systems, HPT blades and vanes are complex parts. Blades and vanes have

internal cooling channels and holes drilled with lasers to aff ect a fl ow of cooling air. They also use temperature-resistant materials and coatings to limit the erosion, oxidation and sulphidation of blades and vanes due to high temperatures. Care is required when repairing HPT blades, and there is a limit to the number of times that a full blade repair can be carried out. While a light repair, which can be performed several times, involves blade inspection and repair of cracks, a full repair involves complete stripping of the thermal barrier coating from the blade, and a recoating with new protective material. Stripping the thermal barrier

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Power is something that Chromalloy puts back in the hands of our customers. As the world’s leading independent provider of regulatory approved, gas-path coatings, repairs and replacement parts, we are a trusted alternative for our customers and healthy competition for the OEMs. It’s the power of choice—the power to reduce your costs and extend the life of your gas turbine engines—and it’s only from Chromalloy.

Power = Choice

Power Learn more at chromalloy.com/icon

Coatings / Repairs / Parts

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coating reduces the thickness of the blade wall. Therefore, a full repair can only be performed once. Typically a light or rejuvenation repair will be made at the first shop visit, while a full repair will be made at the second shop visit. Another rejuvenation repair will usually be made on the blades at the third shop visit before blades are scrapped at the fourth shop visit.

cOatinGsFor six decades Chromalloy has pioneered the use of protective coatings for turbine engine components from cone to tail. Engine output, effi ciency and reliability have increased in recent years due to advancements in turbine and component design, materials and the coatings incorporated into the critical parts and designs ¬of today’s turbines. The use of coatings can increase the time between required overhaul and maintenance, resulting in significant cost savings to the gas turbine operator. Use of thermal barrier coatings has also allowed the operating temperatures of a turbine’s HPT vanes and to increase signifi cantly, minimizing the deleterious eff ects on the parent material.

“Chromalloy continues to partner with customers around the world to develop advanced coatings, from aluminide and platinum aluminides to low-pressure plasma spray overlay and electron beam physical vapor deposition coatings,” says Farrant.

The company’s proprietary and patented coatings are also available for manufacturing and repair of industrial gas turbine components. Available Chromalloy coatings include pack and vapor aluminides, platinum aluminides, CBN-based blade tip coatings, LPPS applied metallic coatings, EBPVD applied coatings, as well as lower conductivity thermal barrier coatings, polyester enhanced abradable seal coatings and other unique coating combinations.

Sustained investment in research and development has also led the company to develop electron beam physical vapor deposited ceramic coatings, low pressure and air plasma sprayed coatings, precious metal/diffusion aluminide coatings, and vision-guided interactive laser welding and drilling for advanced turbine engine components. Today Chromalloy is the world’s largest provider of low-pressure plasma spray overlay and Electron Beam Physical Vapor Deposition (EBPVD) coatings.

With joint ventures and strategic partnerships in both the commercial aircraft and industrial turbine engine sectors — with engine OEMs and their customers — Chromalloy continues to provide coatings for new production, turbine engine overhaul repairs, component repairs and services for commercial and military aircraft.

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neW partsMore than 300,000, FAA-approved, Chromalloy-engineered PMA and airfoil replacement parts are currently in use by military and commercial air carriers throughout the world. The components are engineered to meet or exceed the performance, reliability and durability specifi cations of OEM parts, while being offered at a lower cost. Chromalloy was the first manufacturer to provide non-OEM fl ight hardware, including PMA parts for the high-pressure turbine section of an engine.

“We design and manufacture high pressure turbine, low pressure turbine, and high pressure component parts for several gas turbine engines, and we provide PMA and alternative parts for high-cost, high-scrap components on all but the newest turbines,” says Farrant.

The company works with advanced tools, including vision-guided interactive laser welding and drilling to precisely craft even the most sophisticated turbine components. Among its strategic partnerships and joint ventures is BELAC LLC, the Chromalloy joint venture formed with major global airlines to supply PMA parts for turbine engines that power commercial aircraft.

BELAC was founded in 1998 to provide the airlines with high-quality, readily available, lower-

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cost alternatives to OEM HPT blades. These particular components represent an airline’s greatest opportunity for cost savings — and they are also the most complex to manufacture. In 2002 BELAC became the fi rst company in aviation history to receive PMA approval of a HPT blade. BELAC not only helps airlines around the world reduce operating expenses and improve effi ciency. The joint venture also stands as a symbol of Chromalloy’s commitment to partnership and shared success. With more than 32,000 HPT engine blades in operation today, BELAC provides the world’s commercial air carriers with proven replacement parts that reduce their operating expenses and improve effi ciency.

“At a time when the airlines are seeking to identify all potential maintenance cost savings while ensuring safety, reliability and top engine performance, BELAC blades are providing airlines around the world with an alternative equipment source,” says Farrant. “Operators examine the cost of a single replacement HPT blade, then multiply that over the entire engine and over a fl eet. The savings can put millions of dollars back into a maintenance operation.”

keY MarketsChromalloy serves major airlines worldwide, providing full spectrum engine support through coatings, parts repair and replacement, overhaul services, PMA parts and full engine management. “Our unique capabilities have earned us the trust of airlines and the military,” says Farrant.

The company’s early work for the US military started during the Vietnam War, when Chromalloy’s proprietary coatings were used to provide corrosion protection to turbine engine compressor airfoils. The company also provided repairs and specialty coatings on the F100 family of engines. Today Chromalloy has more than $1bn in military contracts and supports more than 24 engine models that power military aircraft, sea vessels and tanks.

Applying commercial best practices to military engines, the aftermarket service company contributes to performance restoration on legacy power systems.

“Our goal is to significantly enhance engine performance for the military customer while simultaneously reducing operating costs,” says Farrant.

Military customers take advantage of the company’s investments over the years in commercial repairs and new part production. Chromalloy uses commercial best practices that provide savings to warfi ghter sustainment costs through increased engine time-on-wing and reduced fuel consumption. Its application of commercial best practices allows the company to serve military operators with component repairs that, according to Farrant, reduce by at least 35 per cent the cost of buying new parts. “Translated over a fl eet,” he says, “that adds up to critical savings to the bottom line.”

As part of its aero-derivative and industrial gas turbine segment, Chromalloy brings the same best practices from the aerospace industry to providing parts, repairs and coatings for marine engines including cruise ships. The company also has contracts around the world with offshore platform operators, and utility and power turbine operators.

MeetinG future neeDsIn addition to its new casting facility in Tampa, Chromalloy continues to make signifi cant investments in operations and facilities, including a recent multi-million dollar investment in conventional and electron discharge machining, and additional low pressure plasma spray and air plasma spray coating equipment. Chromalloy recently expanded its large operations in Bangkok, Thailand — a site originally established by the company in 1991. In 2009 the company doubled capacity at the repair and manufacturing facility to better serve operators in the rapidly growing region.

“These investments and expanding capabilities around the globe provide Chromalloy with the unique ability to off er one-stop service in the repair and production process,” says Farrant. “We continue to grow in an ever-changing industry to better meet the needs of our customers.” n

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