High-tech made by MTU

MTU Aero Engines is Germany’s leading enginemanufacturer and a firmly established player inthe international aviation industry. The company,whose roots reach back to the dawn of poweredaviation, designs, develops, manufactures, mar-kets and supports commercial and military air-craft engines as well as stationary industrial gasturbines. MTU has its headquarters in Munich.

Its predecessor companies provided the enginesfor the first powered airplanes as early as thebeginning of the 20th century. Today, the com-pany has carved out leading positions in essen-tial engine technologies: the high-pressure com-pressors, low-pressure turbines, turbine centerframes, manufacturing and repair technologiesmade by MTU are among the finest in the globalmarketplace. In the field of engine maintenanceand repair, the MTU Maintenance Network is aleading provider and operates locations acrossthe globe.

The company—Germany’s number one

MTU collaborates with all the world’s major en-gine manufacturers and has roles in importantnational and international technology programs.With its partners from industry and science, for decades MTU has been developing advancedtechnologies to make engines even cleaner, quieter, and more fuel-efficient.

With its broad and well-balanced portfolio, MTUis represented in all thrust and power categories.Featuring most prominently in the commercialproduct range is the PurePower® PW1000GGeared Turbofan™ (GTF) engine. This game-changing propulsion system is being developedand built jointly by Pratt & Whitney and MTU. Itmarks the debut of an entirely new family ofengines that stand out for their especially highefficiency and low noise levels. The GTF repre-sents a major leap forward in jet engine technol-ogy, and it is catching on with customers: Airbusoffers this system for the A320neo and Irkut

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for the MS-21; Bombardier has selected it asthe exclusive engine to power its new C Series;Mitsubishi will equip its MRJ with the GTF; andEmbraer has picked it for its new E-Jets.

Other showpieces in MTU’s commercial engineportfolio are the V2500 for the Airbus A320 fam-ily, the PW2000 for the Boeing 757 and C-17,the CF6-80 for the Boeing 747 and Airbus A310and A330, the GP7000 for the Airbus A380, the GEnx for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and747-8, and the GE9X, the exclusive engine forthe Boeing 777X. Designed for business jets,the PW800 is also a member of the PurePower®

family and is based on the same innovative coreengine.

In the military arena, MTU is Germany’s leadindustrial partner for practically all engines flownby the German Armed Forces. The companyoffers the full range of system integration serv-

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ices, from providing basic technologies, throughdeveloping and manufacturing engines andengine components, to delivering maintenanceand comprehensive support services. Amongthe company’s major military engine programsare the TP400-D6 engine for the new A400Mmilitary airlifter, the EJ200 for the EurofighterTyphoon, the RB199 for the Tornado, and theMTR390 for the French-German Tiger attackescort helicopter. The company also has stakesin GE’s F414, F110 and T408 military engines.

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High-tech made by MTU

engine architecture, the GTF engine features areduction gearbox between the fan and the low-pressure shaft together with the low-pressurecompressor and actuating low-pressure turbine.The gearbox allows the fan with its large diameterto rotate more slowly, leaving the low-pressurecompressor and turbine to rotate much faster.This helps achieve lower fan pressure ratios, andhence higher bypass ratios, and lets all com-ponents achieve their optimum speeds. Conse-quently, the Geared Turbofan™ has very highoverall efficiency, reducing fuel consumption andcarbon dioxide emissions by 16 percent eachand decreasing the noise footprint by 75 percent.A further advantage is that its fewer compressorand turbine stages make for lighter engines andlower maintenance costs.

MTU produces the high-speed low-pressure tur-bine, a key component of the GTF. As Germany’sleading engine manufacturer, it is the only oneto have mastered this technology, for which itwon two German innovation awards. MTU alsoprovides the first four stages of a novel eight-stage high-pressure compressor, developed to-gether with Pratt & Whitney. The entire com-pressor is built on the innovative blisk principle:blisks, or blade integrated disks, are high-techcomponents where disk and blades are manu-factured as a single part. This configurationdelivers greater strength and better aerodynamicproperties at less weight. MTU’s share in theGTF varies depending on the version of the en-gine, but can be as much as 18 percent.

MTU contributes key technologiesto the Geared Turbofan™.

More fuel-efficient, cleaner and quieter thanks tothe Geared Turbofan™—the A320neo from Airbus.

Driving the future: TheGeared Turbofan™

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The growing mobility needs of billions of people,plus the limited supply of raw materials and wors-ening ecological problems, leave little doubt thatnew engine solutions must go beyond existingconcepts. Current projections assume that airtraffic will keep growing at a rate of around fivepercent a year. To mitigate the impact on theenvironment, therefore, tomorrow’s aircraft mustbe even cleaner, quieter and more fuel-efficient.

The Advisory Council for Aviation Research andInnovation in Europe (ACARE) has defined ambi-tious targets for air traffic and published themin its Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda(SRIA). This strategic roadmap includes theACARE 2020 and Flightpath 2050 goals. By theyear 2050, the industry aims to reduce fuel con-sumption and CO2 emissions by 75 percent,NOX emissions by 90 percent and noise levelsby 65 percent, using values from the year 2000as a baseline.

Solutions have already been found to addressthe ambitious challenges of tomorrow. With theGeared Turbofan™ engine, Pratt & Whitney andMTU are building the commercial propulsionsystem of the future. Based on an entirely new

Claire technology agenda

Technology development

In its Clean Air Engine (Claire) technology agenda,MTU lays out its goals as well as the options fora commercial engine that will achieve the SRIAenvironmental goals by the year 2050: burn 40percent less fuel, emit 40 percent less carbondioxide and cut the noise level by 65 percent.MTU plans to achieve these SRIA goals in threestages.

15 percent, 25 percent, 40 percent less carbondioxide—these are the staged goals of Claire. Thefirst stage aimed to use a Geared Turbofan™ toreduce fuel consumption and hence CO2 emis-sions by as much as 15 percent and drasticallyshrink the noise footprint by 2015. However,these goals have in fact been surpassed: fuelconsumption and CO2 emissions have shrunk by16 percent each, and the noise footprint is 75percent smaller. Conceptual studies for the nextstage show that further improvements are pos-sible on the basis of the GTF en-gine configura-tion. For instance, it would be possible to achievestill lower fan pressure ratios by 2030, whichwould further increase the by-pass ratio—fromcurrently 12:1 to as much as 20:1. Moreover, thecore engine’s thermal efficiency could be furtherimproved by increasing the pressure and tem-perature ratios. The idea is to improve the over-all pressure ratio from today’s value, just about50:1, while dramatically reducing the amount ofcooling air needed. MTU has outlined how it plansto achieve these goals in its Leading TechnologyRoadmap.

The third and final stage of Claire calls for ground-breaking engine concepts, which may well go

MTU’s innovative strength is impressive: everyyear, it files more than 400 patent applications inGermany and abroad and makes 200 inventiondisclosure reports. Through its committed, dedi-cated research and development work, MTUsecures its technological edge and commercialsuccess over the long term. It strives to success-fully position new products and services on themarket, and to do so with shorter and shorterlead times. The pace is constantly accelerating,not least due to increasing digitalization andconnectivity. MTU uses a technology radar tofind new technological possibilities early on. Atthe same time, it analyzes future markets, guide-lines of government aviation strategies and socialtrends, and uses the results to derive initial draftsfor future engine concepts. Then the MTU tech-nology process starts in earnest: various depart-ments draw up specific technological conceptsand the best ideas are chosen systematically. All

beyond today’s gas turbine technology. MTU isworking with universities and research institu-tions to develop studies for this phase, scheduledto start in 2050. Among the options under revieware the use of highly efficient heat engines withextremely high pressures or the integration ofrecuperative elements to improve the thermody-namic cycle. Other conceivable concepts includeshielded propellers or fans distributed aroundthe fuselage, or technological solutions such asalternative fuels or moves towards turboelectricflight. MTU is already working on all these ideas;their implementation will be based on pilot con-cepts.

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Claire 1Geared Turbofan™

Claire 2Ultra High Bypass Ratio Engine

Claire 3Integrated UltraEfficient Engine

2015

2030

2050

Geared Turbofan™BPR ~12

Gas turbine OPR ~ 50

Geared Turbofan™BPR 15 - 20

Integrated enginelow specific thrust

Gas turbine OPR up to 70

Highly efficientpropulsion system

CO2 emission Noise emission

Claire (Clean Air Engine}

Entry intoservice

Coreengine

Propulsiongenerator

-15%-40%

-25%-50%

-40%-65%

0% -20% -40% -60%

MTU 4.0

Work 4.0Simulations save time and re- sources in development and manu- facturing. The virtual engine and the digital twin are two examples of groundbreaking changes.

MRO 4.0Digital technologies are revo- lutionizing engine maintenance: tomorrow’s MRO requirements can be read from today’s data.

Production 4.0The future belongs to the digital factory. With intelligent machine control and additive manufacturing techniques, the future is well under- way at MTU.

Technology 4.0The fourth industrial revolutionaffects almost the entire workforce.In a variety of ways, MTU supportsits employees during the transitionto the digital age.

Virtual engine simulations are used to make engines more eco- efficient and bring them to market faster.

Virtual engine

Simulations make it possible to achieve considerable savings in the development and testing of new materials and manu- facturing techniques.

ICM²E—Material & manu- facturing simulationA product’s digital counterpart

pools together all important infor- mation and is fed by data from the real world. This enables efficient optimization.

Digital twin

New markets, new business models, new technologies: the fourth industrial revolution opens up new opportunities across all sectorsof the economy. MTU has been a technological leader in the aviation sector for decades.Because the company embraced the opportunities and challenges of digital

technologies from an early stage, digitalizationis now a living, breathing practice in all business units. Step by step, the company is being transformed into MTU 4.0, Germany’s leading engine manufacturer in the digital age.

individual projects form the MTU Leading Tech-nology Roadmap, which runs through the year2030. Developments that will extend past thatpoint are defined in what the company calls pilotconcepts.

At present, MTU’s technology portfolio has 150individual projects in progress. The high degreeof networking with industrial partners and theresearch community, as well as sustained fund-ing from the public sector at the national andEuropean levels—for example, the German govern-ment’s aeronautics research program (LuFo) orthe EU’s Clean Sky initiative—are key pillars forthe successful development of new technologies.

Digitalization, too, is playing a bigger and biggerrole. At MTU, digitalization is not a vague futureconcept; it is already a living, breathing prac-

tice—in all business units from development andproduction to maintenance. The goal is to be ableto digitally represent, simulate, and intelligentlyconnect all value-adding processes. In this way,MTU intends to leverage the benefits of theIndustry 4.0 approach so as to organize the entirecompany in a still more consistent and productiveway, in addition to positioning it more flexibly.

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Centers of competence

Thermal spray coatings play a key role in im-proving an engine’s efficiency and service life.

Densely packed: MTU brush seals reduce leakages by as much as 90 percent.

MTU Aero Engines has established itself at theapex of essential engine technologies: its high-pressure compressors, low-pressure turbinesand turbine center frames are among the finestto be found in the global marketplace. The com-pany’s other core competencies include high-techmanufacturing and maintenance techniques. Inaddition, the German engine manufacturer canboast of unique testing expertise and systemscompetence.

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Efficient compressorsAward-winning turbinesMTU’s high-pressure compressors are among the

best to be found in the market. For more than30 years, the company has been developing,manufacturing, repairing and overhauling thiscomponent, which is the centerpiece of an air-craft engine. Today’s compressors are built onthe blisk principle, where disk and blades aremanufactured as a single part. This design offersclear advantages: greater tensile strength, lowerweight, greater geometrical accuracy on the bladeto enhance the aerodynamic characteristics, noblade roots or disk slots to suffer wear and tear,and no assembly costs. Current flagship productsbeing developed by MTU’s engineers are the com-pressors of the EJ200 powering the EurofighterTyphoon and of the TP400-D6 for the new A400Mmilitary airlifter.

The high-pressure compressor developed in part-nership with Pratt & Whitney is one of the corecomponents of the new Geared Turbofan™ (GTF)engine family targeted at regional and businessjets and short- to medium-haul airliners. To pro-tect high-value components, such as compressorblisks, against erosion by sand and dirt particles,MTU has developed an advanced multilayer coat-

MTU is the world leader when it comes to manu-facturing low-pressure turbines that operate atmaximum efficiency. Its technological breadth is enormous, ranging from conventional modelsfor business jet engines and power turbines forheavy-lift helicopters all the way to large con-ventional low-pressure turbines for turbofan en-gines powering medium- to long-haul airliners.MTU’s masterpiece is the high-speed low-pres-sure turbine, a key component of the GTF, and aone-of-a-kind technology.

For any new concept, the overall goal is to find adesign that strikes the ideal balance of efficiency,weight, noise, costs and service life. To reducethe manufacturing costs, MTU is exploring lesscomplex, novel constructions and looking atnew lightweight materials for use at elevatedtemperatures, as this can reduce the engine’sweight by as much as 10 percent. A case in pointare titanium aluminum rotor blades, which weighonly half as much as blades made of conven-tional nickel alloys. To keep the noise that thelow-pressure turbine contributes to overall engine

ing, dubbed ERCoat. Brush seals here permittechnical solutions that would not be possiblewith conventional labyrinth seals.

Another trend is the growing role that activesystems will play in compressors. These are as-semblies that respond to variations in operatingconditions. And further improvements in aero-dynamic design coupled with smaller part sizeshelp lower fuel consumption. Constructions pro-duced in a single piece and novel materials arekey to significant weight reduction.

MTU continues to systematically refine and optimize its components: Rig 456 is a realistic model of the high-speed low-pressure turbine for the Geared Turbofan™. It is used for testing new technologies.

MTU scores points in the upper thrust category: it develops and manufactures turbine centerframes for long-haul engines such as the GE9X, the exclusive engine of the Boeing 777X.

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Turbine center framesFor engines in the upper thrust category, MTUmanufactures turbine center frames. It developsand builds this highly engineered component forlong-haul aircraft engines: the GP7000 for theAirbus A380, GEnx for the Boeing 787 Dream-liner and Boeing 747-8, and GE9X, the exclusive

engine for the Boeing 777X. A central enginemodule, the TCF fulfills an important function: itroutes the flow of hot gases exiting the high-pres-sure turbine toward the low-pressure turbine. Inoperation, it is exposed to extreme stresses—highmechanical loads, plus high temperatures. Thematerial and design must satisfy the highest ofstandards; this in turn requires manufacturingtechnology at its best. MTU’s production shopsin Munich fully meet these demands.

noise low, MTU is investigating noise abatementmeasures such as 3D contouring of turbine air-foils.

Engines are high-tech products that call for inno-vative manufacturing techniques. MTU pursuesthe full spectrum of activities, ranging fromprocess development, new test and measuringmethods to automation and factory planning.Among the most important high-tech processesthat MTU uses are laser caving to produce cool-ing air holes in high-pressure turbine airfoils, as well as adaptive milling, friction welding andprecise electrochemical machining (PECM) tomanufacture blisks. MTU is one of the world’sleading manufacturers of these components; inMunich, it operates one of the most advanced,pioneering production facilities for building com-pressor rotors this way.

Additive manufacturing processes are gaining inimportance. One of these is selective laser melt-ing, which helps produce complex componentsalmost without the need for conventional tooling.Further advantages afforded by additive pro-cesses are markedly greater freedom of design,shorter production times, faster innovation cycles,lighter components with added functionality andlower development costs. MTU is already usingsuch processes in the manufacture of productionparts for the GTF engine to power the A320neo.

Manufacturing MaintenanceIn the field of commercial engine and industrialgas turbine maintenance, MTU has establisheditself as one of the world’s largest service pro-viders. All activities have been pooled under theroof of MTU Maintenance. MTU is renownedacross the globe for its high-tech repairs. Of themore than 15,000 different techniques, mostare patented and marketed under the tradename MTUPlus repairs. When developing newrepair techniques, MTU can draw on the uniqueexpertise it has gained from development andproduction in numerous engine programs.

MTU Maintenance uses the “Engine Trend Moni-toring System,” designed to capture essentialoperating data, such as pressure, temperatureand vibrations, through the onboard computer.The system then radios or emails it to a ground-based network for continuous comparison withideal engine data. When deviations are noted,appropriate corrective action can be taken intime to prevent major consequential damage andcostly repairs.

Testing and instrumentationMTU covers all aspects of validation and certifi-cation services for engine testing, whether mili-tary or commercial, checking materials, compo-nents, and fully assembled engines. The companypossesses unique, world-class expertise that itapplies in designing and setting up the tests,carrying them out, and then evaluating the data.When performing the various tests, MTU has itsown high-tech test rigs, or it can also use testfacilities at partner institutions. The companyemploys the latest in measuring technology. Itdevelops and runs its own tough test programs,and also creates the innovative instrumentationthese require. In addition, MTU supports engineintegration and flight testing of prototypes inclose cooperation with partners and airframemanufacturers.

The rise in digitalization is a key trend in testing.Optimized computer models mean that more andmore procedures can be simulated, which cutsdown on expensive and time-consuming tests.

Top-notch MRO: high-tech laser techniques facilitate precise drilling andwelding.

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Systems expertiseEngine control and monitoring systems are play-ing an increasingly important role in modern en-gines in a bid to operate aircraft in a safer, moreefficient way. MTU has more than 30 years’ ex-perience in developing military engines. Thecompany’s product portfolio includes the com-plete control and monitoring system, electronicand hydraulic subsystems and equipment, plusthe associated software. Its expertise runs thegamut from equipment, software and systemdevelopment to system validation, productionsupport and maintenance.

Advantages can be gained on commercial en-gines, too, by replacing mechanical and hydrauliccomponents with electric ones, as these areefficient, flexible to install, and smarter. The MoreElectric Engine of the future will come with a widevariety of sensors, electric motors and controlelements, posing new challenges for powermanagement, control engineering and enginemonitoring.

To retain control systems expertise over the longterm, MTU and Safran Electronics & Defenseestablished the AES (Aerospace EmbeddedSolutions GmbH) joint venture, which pools thecompetence of both companies. AES offers thefull range of services, from design and testing to

MTU developed not only the PECM process for the manufacture of nickel blisks, but themachines as well—currently in operation in Munich.

MTU is one of the world’s leading blisk manufacturers. Titanium blisks are made in the blisk center of excellence in Munich, the world’s most modern productionfacility of its kind. It features a high degree of automation as well as an intelligent control and logistics system.

certification of safety-critical software and elec-tronics. MTU will continue to draw up the speci-fications for the control and monitoring systemsand to produce and repair the electronic equip-ment.

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Additive manufacturing

Progress in engine construction essentially de-pends on whether manufacturers succeed in im-proving the key physical parameters of propulsionefficiency and thermal efficiency, as well asweight and reliability. MTU’s development effortsare targeted at optimizing all these parameters.Every innovation optimizes fuel consumption, pol-lution and noise emissions, as well as productionand maintenance costs. The MTU Leading Tech-nology Roadmap charts the company’s plannedcourse through 2030 and clearly defines itsgoals: MTU will refine and optimize its high-pres-sure compressor, high-speed low-pressure tur-bine, and turbine center frame. Key technologiesrequired by these plans are new, lightweight high-temperature materials, additive manufacturingtechniques, and virtual design and production.The Roadmap contains some 150 defined tech-nology projects.

MTU is already using selective laser melting inindustrial-scale manufacture of borescope eye-pieces for the PW1100G-JM, the Geared Turbo-fan™ engine for the Airbus A320neo. It plans togradually expand the range of components it pro-duces using these methods: first on the agendaare seal support systems, which are installed inhigh-pressure compressors, to be followed by, forexample, bearing housings, brackets and struts.MTU also intends to enhance its processes bybroadening online checks and improving surfacequality.

High-temperature materials

Virtual design and manufacturing

Any new materials for the next generation ofengines have to be lightweight and heat-resistant.Specifically, they are expected to enable weightreduction of up to 10 percent and to withstand

MTU Aero Engines has been working on newtechnologies for decades, thus actively helpingshape the future of aviation. It has always set thepace of technological progress. The company’sresearch and development work is carried out in cooperation with key players in the sector—industry and research partners—and as part oftechnology funding programs. These activitiesare based on the MTU Technology Roadmap,which plots the course ahead.

Leading TechnologyRoadmap

Research and development

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Addititve manufacturing simulation

In additive manufacturing techniques, simulations can be used to test the homogeneity of the elementsin a component’s metal.

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higher temperatures than their predecessors—several hundred degrees. MTU seeks out only thebest metals plus entirely new classes of material.It focuses on intermetallics and ceramic com-posites for manufacturing turbine blades, disksand housings. And the company’s experiencefrom the industrialization of titanium aluminidehas provided a solid basis for successful devel-opment of a new material, right up through large-scale production. One tool is becoming moreand more important in this context: simulation.

MTU is going 4.0: The company plans to expanddigitalization in the areas of development, mate-rials engineering, manufacturing and mainte-nance. Its long-term goal is to connect the varioussteps of the entire value chain, from productdevelopment to manufacturing to maintenance,and map them virtually as well. This makes thedevelopment and manufacture of increasinglycomplex products faster and more efficient.ICM2E (Integrated Computational Materials &Manufacturing Engineering) is the use of simula-tion techniques in materials development andproduction, thereby eliminating the need for time-and cost-intensive testing. “Lifecycle engineering”

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Additive manufacturing on an industrial scale: MTU makes borescope eyepieces for the high-speed low-pressure turbine used in theGeared Turbofan™ for the A320neo.

• High OPR/small CS design & make• Improved integrated aero design• Active/passive features

• Improved aero/acoustic design• Integrated variable expansion systems• Environmental protection coatings

• Higher temperature airfoils & disks• Light weight rear stages airfoils• CMC structures

• Laser/EBM manufacturing & repair• Online process quality control• Surface treatments

• ICM2E (process & material simulation)• Digital Factory „Fabrik 4.0“• Life cycle engeneering

IntegratedCompression-System

MTU’s Leading Technology Roadmap

Optimal High SpeedLPT & TCF

High Temp., Light WeightLPT Materials

AdditiveManufacturing

Virtual Design &Production

MTU’s Leading Technology Roadmap charts the company’splanned course through 2030: the focus is on optimizinghigh-pressure compressors, high-speed low-pressure tur-bines and turbine center frames. Key technologies arenew materials, additive manufacturing techniques, andvirtual design and production.

Enab

ler

Prod

ucts

describes the push to spread digitalizationthroughout the engineering processes (keywords:Virtual Engine/4.0 product development). Thisproduces a digital twin of each physical compo-nent, into which flows all the data from along theentire value chain: from production to mainte-nance and repair. Technologies for intelligentlyconnecting production processes and for engi-neering come under the heading of the digitalfactory. Here the focus is on simulating produc-tion processes and tool developments, as wellas all value streams.

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MTU possesses unique testing expertisefor components as well as whole en-gines. In Munich, MTU operates severaltest rigs for entire engines (photo, left)and components. Rig 268 aids in refiningthe GTF high-pressure compressor(photo, top).

Technology funding programs

Clean SkyWith more than 600 partners, Clean Sky 1 wasthe largest aviation technology research initiativeever undertaken by the European Union. It en-compassed six Integrated Technology Demon-strators (ITDs) and one Technology Evaluator.Within the SAGE (Sustainable and Green Engine)ITD of Clean Sky, five engine demonstrators indifferent thrust classes and for different marketsegments were built and tested. One of the sub-projects, SAGE 4, was led by MTU. In cooperationwith partners, the company further developedGeared Turbofan™ technology, particularly thepioneering compressor and turbine technologies.The project was launched in 2008 and will runthrough 2017. The follow-on research project isClean Sky 2, which started in 2014, and will bea key technology funding program for MTU until2020. MTU has expanded its role and is involvedas one of 16 lead companies (OEMs). All par-ticipants are working on two demonstrators as they develop and test technologies for the nextgeneration of Geared Turbofan™ engines; asbefore, MTU is concentrating on the compressorand turbine components.

German aviation research programMTU is one of the leading industrial partners onthe German aviation research program (LuFo)launched by the German federal government.The company cooperates with universities andresearch institutes, focusing on the developmentof new high-pressure compressor and low-pres-sure turbine technologies to further improveefficiencies. LuFo funds have already played amajor role in the development of MTU’s success-ful GTF technologies and also the optimizationof blisk manufacturing techniques.

ENOVALThe MTU-led ENOVAL (ENgine mOdule VALida-tors) project was launched in 2013 and will runfor four years. A total of 35 European partnersfrom industry, research and academia are devel-oping new technologies for low-pressure compo-nents for medium-sized, large and very large tur-bofans, with the aim of reducing CO2 emissionsby up to five percent and cutting noise levels

LEMCOTECUnder the LEMCOTEC project, 35 Europeanpartners have been exploring options to increasethe overall pressure ratio to further enhance the thermal efficiency of future engines. MTU’s workshare involved the design, construction andtesting of a new high-pressure compressor withan unprecedented pressure ratio that featureslighter high-temperature materials and an ad-vanced secondary air system.

E-BREAKThe EU’s E-BREAK technology program is aimedat further reducing the fuel consumption andCO2 emissions of future propulsion systems andextending their service lives. In a joint effort, 42partners are working to improve componentsand engine systems by further developing sealing,material and condition monitoring technologies.The program, which is funded under the EU’s7th Framework Program, was launched in 2012.MTU is investigating new abradable systems,simulation methods, the lightweight materialtitanium aluminide as well as engine monitoringsystems.

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Part of SAGE 4, the Clean Sky engine demonstrator, wasassembled in Munich.

At both the national and international levels, MTUactively participates in all major research projects.It plays a crucial role in the German aviation re-search program, as well as the EU’s Clean Sky,ENOVAL, LEMCOTEC and E-BREAK research pro-grams.

by up to 1.3 dB. These improvements will beachieved by increasing bypass ratios to between12:1 and 20:1 and overall pressure ratios tobetween 50:1 and 70:1. MTU is focusing on theintegration and optimization of the expansionsystem, which consists of the turbine centerframe, low-pressure turbine and turbine exit case.

MTU Aero Engines is closely cooperating withresearch institutes and universities, an approachthat benefits both sides: on the one hand, it givesthe institutes’ primary focus on fundamentalresearch a more practically oriented tilt; on theother, MTU can draw on the scientists’ excellentexpertise. MTU’s network strategy relies onthree pillars: trend analysis and development ofvisionary engine concepts at Bauhaus Luftfahrt;concentration of basic research at just a fewtop-notch institutes and universities; and regularexchange of experience with experts within andoutside the aviation industry.

Bauhaus Luftfahrt

Technology network

Centers of competence (CoCs)

Fraunhofer Institutes

An internationally oriented think tank, BauhausLuftfahrt aims to develop innovative approachesfor future air transport systems. Among otherthings, the Bauhaus researchers devise visionaryaircraft concepts, investigate ecological aspectsof air traffic such as alternative fuels, study revo-lutionary technologies, and explore the socio-political aspects of aviation. Factors key to itssuccess are the interaction among its in-housedisciplines as well as its cooperation with indus-try and research in a global network. BauhausLuftfahrt was founded in 2005 by EADS, Liebherr-Aerospace, MTU Aero Engines and the state ofBavaria. IABG joined later.

DLR Institute TESIG The German Aerospace Center (DLR) plans tobuild a test and simulation center for gas turbines(TESIG) in Augsburg, which MTU will make inten-sive use of. The idea behind the new center is tovalidate numerical simulation processes (virtualengine) with experimental procedures on testrigs in such a way that it is possible to draw upnew designs in the future with considerably lesstesting. In addition, the center will house super-computers for high-resolution and coupled simu-lations in aerodynamics, structural mechanicsand materials mechanics. Two modern test rigswill also be set up. TESIG is a key element instrengthening the Virtual Engine research land-scape. This project receives substantial fundingfrom the German federal government and thestate of Bavaria.

Collaboration with various Fraunhofer Institutesthroughout Germany is a main focal point ofMTU’s cooperative ventures—particularly when itcomes to production and materials technologies.With its broad spectrum of expertise, the Fraun-hofer-Gesellschaft is ideally positioned to workon industry-related research contracts on behalfof MTU.

MTU has established strategic alliances withresearch partners, the aim being to safeguardMTU’s innovative capabilities over the long termand strengthen ties between universities and in-dustry. By getting students in touch with indus-trial reality early in their academic careers, MTUhopes to produce a continuous pool of youngtalent. Jointly with leading German universitiesand research institutes, MTU has launched sixdifferent centers of competence (CoCs) to per-form specific research tasks. Criteria for theselection of partners were outstanding technicalqualification and many years of experience.RWTH Aachen focuses on compressors and production, the German Aerospace Center (DLR)in Cologne on propulsion systems, TechnicalUniversitiy of Munich on design, Universität derBundeswehr München on military engines, andUniversity of Stuttgart on turbine testing andthermodynamics. Leibniz Universität Hannoverand the Laser Zentrum Hannover concentrate onturbines and maintenance repair.

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Networking: MTU emphasizes sharing experienceacross disciplines.

All sides benefit from MTU’s close cooperation with universities and research institutions—including the next generation of scientists.

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Research institutions lay the groundwork, and MTU adds the practical dimension: many students conduct theirresearch here.

Engines of the future

Since the 1960s, the fuel consumption of aircraftengines has been reduced by more than 45 per-cent. MTU has played a major role in this positivedevelopment and plans to continue doing so inthe future. With the Geared Turbofan™ engine,Pratt & Whitney and MTU are building the com-mercial propulsion system of the future.

One future trend is the increasing size of fanswith low pressure ratios for new commercialengines, which improves their propulsion effi-ciency. This calls for an increased use of light-weight materials and an airframe design capableof accommodating the larger-sized propulsionsystems. In the engine interior, pressures andtemperatures will increase for even higher effi-ciencies. This requires, for instance, new materi-als and coatings. Other plans are to further opti-mize reliability plus manufacturing and mainte-nance costs. More extensive long-term improve-ments are promised by distributed and integratedengines as well as highly efficient heat exchang-ers; these will feature, for example, variable cycletechnology, waste-heat recuperation, combinedprocesses and hybrid elements.

MTU pursues all available avenues to further im-prove aircraft engines and verifies the technicalfeasibility of the various concepts, for exampleelectric propulsion systems. In addition, the com-pany is committed to promoting the use of sus-tainable fuels. For the foreseeable future, thereis no alternative to the gas turbine engine—in itsfurther optimized version—as the propulsion sys-tem for large airliners.

Various applications will play a major role in themilitary sector. They range from conventionallow-bypass turbojets for combat aircraft toadvanced turboshaft engines for helicopters andpropeller aircraft, such as the Airbus A400Mmilitary transport. Within the European Union,the focus of military technology development iscurrently on propulsion systems for unmannedaerial vehicles (UAVs). A reliable partner, MTUbrings its comprehensive engine expertise to thetable and plays a major role in national and inter-national studies, such as the European Tech-nology Acquisition Programme (ETAP).

The trend is clearly towards designing combataircraft systems for maximum performance in

Planetary gear train: the secretof the Geared Turbofan™.

A bright future for the Geared Turbofan™.

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One vision of the aircraft of the future: a study by Airbus.

A legacy to live up toThe name MTU stands for leading-edge enginetechnologies. With its unique expertise and inno-vative capabilities, the company has establisheditself as a technology leader in many fields andcomes recommended as a reliable partner in theindustry. To keep it that way, MTU is investingheavily in a variety of technological activities, newproducts and services, thus setting the coursefor the future. For the German company, helpingpush forward advances in aviation is and willremain a tradition to which it is firmly committed.

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Scientists at Bauhaus Luftfahrt have developed a new, comprehensive airport and aircraft concept: the goal of “CentAirStation” and “CityBird” is toachieve the targets stipulated by the European Commission for the year 2050. By then, 90 percent of all journeys in Europe should take no longerthan four hours door to door.

The airport of tomorrow

extreme situations. The variable-cycle engineconcept uses what are known as active systemsto individually adapt the engine to suit changingoperating modes. Such engines call for thedevelopment of variable modules (bypass duct,fan or exhaust nozzle) and variable components(stator vanes). The technological challenge hereis to reliably integrate these systems into theengine mechanically and electronically.

In the military sector, too, the trend towardshigher pressures and temperatures in the enginewill continue; new materials and coatings arepaving the way for more efficient and durableengines as well. Advances in data acquisition,sharing and processing will play a key role in in-creasing the availability of future military enginesand lowering their operating costs.

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MTU Aero Engines AGDachauer Straße 66580995 Munich • GermanyTel. +49 89 1489-0Fax +49 89 1489-5500info@mtu.dewww.mtu.de