Manufacturing and MRO of the future

Where high tech meets precision

Engines are high-tech products that call for innovative manufacturing processes and repair techniques. Our expertise spans the full spectrum of activities—from process development and implementation to testing and measurement methods to production and maintenance planning and automation. We have already organized operations scheduling and manufacturing process control in partially and fully automated production lines. Artificial intelligence and machine learning can be used to further optimize these processes. Together with our research partners, we’re driving forward the development of pioneering technologies for engine production and maintenance.

Manufacturing to perfection

MTU is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of blisks. Our Munich site is home to one of the most advanced facilities for manufacturing this type of compressor rotor. Our expertise extends to other high-tech manufacturing processes as well. These include laser caving to produce cooling air holes in high-pressure turbine airfoils, adaptive milling, friction welding and electrochemical machining (ECM and PECM) to manufacture turbine disks and blisks, as well as coating systems. Additive processes are playing an ever more important role, offering benefits such as substantially greater design freedom, significant weight reductions, shorter development and production cycles, and lower costs.

The world’s most cutting-edge facility for manufacturing turbine disks

MTU is setting new global standards in the automation of turbine disk manufacturing, which speeds up processes, reduces costs, and ensures maximum precision. Our new facility in Munich currently manufactures up to 6,000 low-pressure turbine disks every year for the geared turbofan, which powers the Airbus A320neo.

Find out more

For the turning and milling process, a robot helps screw the blanks to the fixture specific to that model. Each turbine disk variant has a matching fixture.

The milling process also takes place in the form of a closed-door process without the need for operator intervention. The tools are changed by robots as well.

MTU in Munich is home to a state-of-the-art test center for manufactured turbine disks. Here, humans and machines work together efficiently - with the goal of leaving nothing in turbine disk inspection to chance.

Smart tools for maintenance

MTU’s engine trend monitoring (ETMWeb) is an intelligent tool for predictive maintenance planning and condition-based engine maintenance. This tool measures and monitors important engine parameters during flight. The insights it gains, coupled with empirical data, allow us to identify and resolve the first signs of engine wear early on. Our fleet management software is revolutionary: we use it to develop the optimum maintenance strategies for our customers’ fleets—thus reducing their operating and MRO costs.

Find out more

Engine Trend Monitoring

By watching this video, your data will be transmitted to YouTube. Further information

Engine Fleet Management

By watching this video, your data will be transmitted to YouTube. Further information

Making 3D scans of defects in engine parts

A new 3D measurement system can record in three dimensions damage to engine components that’s as little as 20 micrometers—about the size of a white blood cell. This technology could soon be employed throughout MTU.

Find out more