Optomec customers surpass 10 million turbine blade repairs using metal AM
August 26, 2020
Optomec, headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, reports that over 10 million turbine blades have now been repaired using its metal Additive Manufacturing machines. The impressive figure was calculated following a survey of over a hundred of Optomec’s customers using the company’s various systems for gas turbine component repair.
The company is reported to have metal additive repair machines installed at all leading gas turbine OEMs, in both the aviation market for aircraft engines and the energy market for power generation.
In addition, many of the third party Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) shops also use Optomec systems. The solutions include Optomec’s Huffman brand 5-axis Laser Cladders and its LENS brand metal AM machines – both based on Directed Energy Deposition (DED) technology that Optomec states were the first to bring to market
Common production applications include the repair of turbine blade tips, seals and wear surfaces; compressor blades, including titanium alloys; vanes, shrouds and other high-value components.
According to Optomec, its automated solution typically replaces manual operations, such as Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding, and reduces the cost of routine maintenance. The ROI of Optomec’s machinery has been recently calculated to be in excess of 180%. Additionally, Optomec’s laser-based processing provides superior mechanical performance due to its optimal metallurgy and minimal heat input, compared to manual operations.
“We are really excited to reach this important milestone for both the Additive Manufacturing segment and, more important, for our gas turbine customers,” stated Mike Dean, Marketing Director at Optomec.
Optomec’s laser cladding systems are said to be the most widely adopted in the industry and are approved for aviation maintenance in fifteen countries.
Dean added, “Chances are that if you fly much, you’ve probably flown with an engine that was maintained with an Optomec laser cladder.”
