FACC AG Wins JEC Award for Jet Engine Composite Component
FACC AG has received the JEC European Innovation Award in the Aeronautics category for a lightweight composite Annulus Filler component for jet engines. The award ceremony was held in Paris.
Aerospace component manufacturer FACC AG has been recognized with the JEC European Innovation Award in the Aeronautics category for its development of a lightweight composite Annulus Filler for jet engines. The award was presented at the JEC Composites trade fair in Paris.
The development was a collaborative effort, undertaken by FACC in partnership with Rolls-Royce plc and Fachhochschule Rapperswil, as part of the EU's Clean Sky research initiative. This new composite Annulus Filler replaces a heavier, traditional metal component in Rolls-Royce's next-generation Trent engines. The use of composite materials has resulted in a weight reduction of over 40 percent for the component, contributing significantly to overall engine weight savings.
The Annulus Filler is a ring-shaped part located between turbine blades, designed to optimize airflow and aerodynamics. Each engine utilizes between 18 and 22 of these components. Despite its light weight, the component must be engineered to withstand centrifugal forces of up to 2,500 kilograms.
Prototypes of the composite components have been integrated into test engines and undergone ground testing, with flight trials scheduled to commence in August 2014. FACC AG is a global leader in the design, development, and manufacturing of advanced fiber composite components and systems for the aerospace industry.