位于美國北卡羅來納州阿什維爾的工廠已達到其商用航空陶瓷基復合材料部件的生產里程碑。

　　GE Aviation提供25,000個CMC組件-復合材料網

　　GE航空公司（美國俄亥俄州Evendale）于8月8日宣布其美國北卡羅來納州阿什維爾工廠交付其第 25,000臺CFM國際（美國俄亥俄州辛辛那提）LEAP發動機渦輪機罩。該公司陶瓷基質復合材料（CMCs）的生產里程碑在其阿什維爾工廠開業僅五年后到來。自該網站開通以來，LEAP計劃的壽衣生產率每年增加兩倍以上。如今，這些阿什維爾生產的護罩在商用航空服務的800多臺LEAP發動機上的飛行時數已超過150萬小時。

　　CMC的重量約為金屬的三分之一，可以在比先進的合金高2,400°F - 500°的溫度下運行。據GE航空集團稱，下一代CMC材料技術將提高燃油效率1％至2％。

　　今年5月，GE航空阿什維爾開始為上大的商用噴氣發動機GE9X提供CMC組件。GE9X的直徑為11英尺，可產生超過100,000磅的推力。到2018年底，GE航空阿什維爾將為發動機提供五個獨立的CMC部件，計劃在本世紀末波音777X上投入使用。

GE Aviation (Evendale, OH, US) announced on Aug. 8 the delivery of its 25,000th CFM International (Cincinnati, OH, US) LEAP engine turbine shroud by its Asheville, NC, US facility. This ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) production milestone for the company arrives just five years after the opening of its Asheville site. Shroud production rates for the LEAP program have more than tripled each year since the site opened. Today, these Asheville-produced shrouds have surpassed more than 1.5 million flight hours on the 800+ LEAP engines in commercial airline service.

CMCs are around one-third as heavy as metals and can operate at 2,400°F — 500° higher than the most advanced alloys. According to GE Aviation, the next generation CMC material technology being will improve fuel efficiency at 1 to 2 percent.

In May, GE Aviation Asheville began delivering CMC components for the GE9X, the world’s largest commercial jet engine. With an 11-foot diameter, the GE9X can generate more than 100,000 pounds of thrust. By the end of 2018, GE Aviation Asheville will deliver five separate CMC parts for the engine, which is scheduled to enter service by the end of the decade on the Boeing 777X.