Improve the level of aero-engine and key components manufacturing

Technical Director of AVIC Huiyang Aviation Propeller Co., Ltd. Li Guoping

China's aero-engine industry is at a critical moment, facing both great opportunities and significant challenges. In today’s unpredictable global environment, the country has elevated the aero-engine sector to a high-tech priority, launching a major national project focused on aviation engines. This move reflects the urgent needs of modern development. Currently, China’s limited exports of certain aircraft models are partly due to the lack of self-reliance in key engine technologies. The core of this issue lies in the constraints of domestic engine power, which affects overall performance and competitiveness. Therefore, developing advanced domestic aero-engines is not just a goal—it’s an immediate necessity. Improving the manufacturing capabilities of aero-engines and their critical components is now the central focus for the industry. With increasingly complex designs and materials, the challenges in production have never been greater. To meet these demands, manufacturers must continuously innovate and refine their processes. **1. Characteristics of Aero-Engine Manufacturing** The manufacturing technology of aero-engines evolves alongside changes in design and material usage. As the industry strives to enhance reliability, maintainability, and weight reduction to improve thrust-to-weight ratios, new structural forms such as integrated blades and rings have emerged. Materials like titanium alloys, nickel-based superalloys, and advanced composites—known for their high strength-to-weight ratios, thermal resistance, and fatigue performance—are now widely used. Given these evolving requirements, the manufacturing process of aero-engines is marked by several key characteristics: **(1) Difficult-to-Machine Materials** Aero-engines and their key parts often use materials that are hard to machine, such as titanium alloys and high-temperature superalloys. These materials exhibit high thermal hardness and strength, making them challenging to cut. During machining, they generate high shear stress, leading to rapid tool wear and affecting surface quality. At our company, we frequently process stainless steel and titanium alloy components with complex shapes and thin walls. Most of our tools are made from advanced materials like fine-grained carbide, ultra-fine grained carbide coatings, and new ceramics. Additionally, blade geometry, chip control, and mounting stability also play crucial roles in ensuring precision and minimizing deformation. Enhancing machining accuracy, efficiency, and surface quality remains a top priority for the industry. **(2) New Processes and Technologies** Due to the complexity of aero-engine structures, traditional methods often fall short. For example, a compressor blade (see Figure 1) features a thin-walled curved surface with tight tolerances. Previously, manual polishing was used, but this led to frequent deviations and affected performance. Now, we employ five-axis CNC wide milling, which significantly improves accuracy and efficiency. This shift not only reduces errors but also lowers costs and improves consistency.

Figure 1

**(3) High Precision Requirements** The precision of aero-engine components directly impacts their performance and safety. However, the complexity of materials, structures, and manufacturing processes often creates a contradiction between high precision and practical production. In China, many aero-engine components suffer from poor consistency and low yield rates due to insufficient precision. This bottleneck hinders the development of high-performance engines and requires urgent improvement through better technology and stricter quality control.

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