Oerlikon Balzers, a leading surface solutions brand of the Oerlikon Group, has signed a 10-year contract with MTU Aero Engines for the application of MTU's proprietary erosion protection ERCoatnt to the components of the next generation GTF engines used on the Airbus A320neo. The coating will help to further improve the efficiency of this engine. MTU Aero Engines is working together with Pratt & Whitney on this engine.
With this long-term agreement, Oerlikon Balzers is taking another major step in providing advanced surface technologies and coatings to the aviation industry. MTU Aero Engines, Germany's leading engine manufacturer, will benefit from the industrialization, know-how and experience of a leading PVD coating supplier and its equipment portfolio to deliver consistently high and reproducible product quality in the short term.
This long-term partnership between MTU Aero Engines and Oerlikon Balzers aims to work more closely together in the development of future surface solutions in this area. The cooperation between the two companies will strengthen their respective competencies and further contribute to increasing the efficiency of the PW1100G-JM engines with erosion-resistant coatings on MTU engine components. The INNOVENTA giga coating system from Oerlikon Balzers with arc evaporation technology will ensure the high-quality coating of MTU components. It is the largest of the high-tech coating systems in the INNOVENTA family and is an ideal platform for coating large components. It can accommodate components with a height of more than 1.7 m with a substrate diameter of up to 0.7 m and a load capacity of up to 3,000 kg.
"Oerlikon Balzers has proven to be a reliable partner for MTU in the early stages of this coating project. Building on their technical capabilities and customer focus, we look forward to building a strong and reliable supply chain within Europe and Asia. It is also our common goal to further improve MTU's ERCoatnt erosion protection. We are convinced that Oerlikon Balzers' highly motivated team will fulfill this very challenging project to our full satisfaction during the development and series production phase," said Holger Auer, Director Procurement Airfoils, Castings and Indirect Material, MTU Aero Engines.
"This long-term contract is a clear demonstration of the confidence that customers like MTU Aero Engines have in our technologies. We are pleased to be able to provide our expertise to improve engine and fuel efficiency with our world-class, globally recognized coating solutions, thereby contributing to sustainability. This agreement underlines our commitment to continue offering sustainable innovations as a leading provider of surface processes such as PVD to the aviation industry," said Dr. Markus Tacke, CEO of the Oerlikon Surface Solutions Division.
