|
New
York, August
9, 2006 -
EDO
Corporation
(NYSE: EDO)
has been awarded
a contract
by General
Electric (NYSE:
GE) to manufacture
aircraft-engine ducts
using advanced
composite
materials. The
multi-million
dollar production
contract
covers deliveries
of ducts
for the
GEnx™ engine
through
2012.
 EDO
will produce composite
Variable Bleed
Valve ducts for
the GEnx engine
using specialized
composite braiding
and resin-transfer-molding
technologies.
GE’s
unique VBV design
ensures peak engine
performance at
all speeds by
bleeding off variable
amounts of air
to maintain optimal
boost pressure. The
next-generation
GEnx engine has
been selected
to power the Boeing
787 Dreamliner™ and
747-8 as well
as the Airbus
A350 aircraft.
Ten
composite ducts
are used in each
engine, with a
complete set weighing
less than eight
pounds. The complex-shaped
ducts meet a demanding
set of operational
requirements and
tolerances, and
will carry internal
pressure loads
at elevated temperatures.
“With
a concurrent engineering
process, we were
able to design
the VBV ducts
to take full advantage
of EDO’s
automated technologies
to minimize production
costs,” said
Tom Mesing, GE
Aviation’s
Principal Engineer
for Composite
Materials.
Process
EDO’s
combination of
braiding and RTM
automates the
fiber application
process and eliminates
the need for significant
part finishing.
Braiding is an
automated circular
weaving process
that wraps reinforcement
fibers around
complex shapes.
Fibers are continuously
applied, and no
seams are created
that can lead
to stress concentrations.
Only three continuous
layers of braided
reinforcement
are needed to
carry the stresses
created by the
hot bleed air
at high internal
pressures.
The
VBV ducts are
molded using
the RTM process,
where both the
inside and outside
surface of the
duct are precisely
controlled for
dimension and
finish. High
temperature BMI
resin is injected
into the braid,
cured, and then
the finished
part is removed
from the mold
with no secondary
machining required
other than trim
and drill. The
ducts then undergo
ultrasonic C-scan
inspection.
 
About
EDO Corporation
EDO
Corporation designs
and manufactures
a diverse range
of products for
defense, intelligence,
and commercial
markets, and provides
related engineering
and professional
services.
Major
product groups
include: Defense
Electronics, Communications,
Aircraft Armament
Systems, Undersea
Warfare, and Integrated
Composite Structures. EDO’s
advanced systems
are at the core
of the transformation
to lighter, faster,
and smarter defense
capabilities.
In
2005, EDO acquired
Fiber Innovations,
Inc, a leader
in the specialty
processes of braiding,
resin transfer
molding, and vacuum-assisted
resin transfer
molding. Fiber
Innovations added
important complementary
design and manufacturing
capabilities to
EDO’s
integrated-composite-structures
business.
With
headquarters in
New York, EDO
Corporation (www.edocorp.com)
employs 3,000
people worldwide. The
company was founded
in 1925 and had
revenues of $648
million in 2005.
Contacts:
William
A. Walkowiak,
CFA
Director
of Investor Relations
(212)
716-2038
ir@edocorp.com
Sara
Banda
Sr.
Corporate Communications
Specialist
(212)
716-2071
media@edocorp.com
< Back |
