With the geared turbofan (GTF), Pratt & Whitney and MTU Aero Engines are building the most eco-efficient propulsion system currently available in the marketplace. MTU not only contributes key turbine and compressor technologies to this highly advanced family of engines, the company is also responsible for final assembly of one third of the PW1100G-JM geared turbofans that power the Airbus A320neo. “To gear up for these engines, MTU has developed an innovative floor-based line assembly system and built it up and put it into operation at the company’s headquarters in Munich,” explains MTU Chief Operating Officer Lars Wagner. “The system, which is unparalleled worldwide, meets the highest technological standards and also satisfies ergonomic needs.”
The core of MTU’s GTF production assembly line is a highly innovative, remotely controlled floor-based transportation system that – thanks to its modular design – can be flexibly adapted to accommodate the individual build stages of the engine. “The system was integrated into an existing building,” says Ulrich Peters, Senior Vice President, Production. The system provides for PW1100G-JM engine assembly to be performed in several work steps and allows several engines in various stages of completion to be assembled concurrently. Peters adds: “Once the final expansion stage has been reached, 80 employees will work at the line and assemble one engine per day.” For MTU, this geared turbofan is the first commercial engine ever assembled by the company in its 85-year history. The line has been up and running since late 2016, and around 300 engines have meanwhile left the MTU shop. On average, 20 engines are completed every month.
