Pratt & Whitney’s DED repair solution for GTF engines cuts process time by 60%
April 23, 2025
Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, headquartered in East Hartford, Connecticut, USA, has developed a new Additive Manufacturing repair process for critical GTF engine components that will reduce the time required by more than 60%. The company is currently working to industrialise the process, which will then be scaled and applied throughout the global GTF MRO network.
Pratt & Whitney expects to recover $100 million worth of parts over the next five years through the implementation of Additive Manufacturing-based repairs throughout its MRO process.
“A more agile, additive repair process allows us to better serve our customers by improving turnaround time, while reducing tooling costs, complexity and set up,” said Kevin Kirkpatrick, Vice President of Aftermarket Operations at Pratt & Whitney.
“At the same time, it reduces our dependency on current material supply constraints. Additive technology has the potential to support a range of critical GTF part repairs and we’re actively working to explore additional opportunities for implementation.”
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Repair via DED
Pratt & Whitney collaborated with the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology and the RTX Research Center to develop the new technology at its North American Technology Accelerator in Jupiter, Florida. The solution is able to repair GTF structural case features using Directed Energy Deposition.
By eliminating several steps in the current repair method, the company’s new technology reduces process time by more than 60%, with the greatest reductions enabled via the minimisation of machine changeover and reduced heat treatment cycles. Future applications will also be used to restore components worn through normal engine operation.
Technology accelerators
In April 2024, Pratt & Whitney announced the intent to expand its use of technology accelerators to include advanced repairs, digital inspection, adaptive processing, as well as coating and masking for compressor and fan parts, blades, cases, and more.
Pratt & Whitney’s North American Technology Accelerator is intended to serve as a complement to its Singapore Technology Accelerator, established in September 2022 with a focus on robotics, advanced inspection, connected factory and digital twin. Combined annual savings of at least $24 million are expected from Pratt & Whitney’s accelerator programmes.
The Pratt & Whitney GTF MRO network is comprised of the industry’s leading MRO companies and includes twenty shops across four continents and additional sites with quick turn capability. The GTF MRO network is part of Pratt & Whitney’s EngineWise solutions, which provide engine operators with a variety of aftermarket services resulting in long-term, sustainable value.
