MTU Aero Engines has concluded a strategic agreement with TECT Power for the supply of compressor blisks. The contract provides for the U.S. company to deliver as many as 800 of the high-tech components a year to the Germany engine manufacturer.
Blisks (or IBRs, integrally bladed rotors) are one-piece disk-and-blade components that represent the cutting edge in compressor technology. They are used on advanced engines, as for example the PurePower PW1000G series of geared turbofans built by Pratt & Whitney in partnership with MTU, which will be powering aircraft from 2012 on. Demand for blisks is high, now that Airbus has selected the PW1000G as one of the engine options for its A320neo. Bombardier, Mitsubishi and Irkut, too, have chosen the engine to provide exclusive power for their new regional jets.
The agreement now inked is for a term of 10 years and includes collaborative activities involving blisk and IBR manufacturing. MTU is among the world’s most highly experienced blisk manufacturers and estimates its annual requirement at 4,000 blisks. The components will be produced at MTU’s plant in Munich and in the U.S., with every fifth blisk being supplied by TECT Power as part of the cooperative effort.
