Our core competencies - MTU Aero Engines

Excellence in every engine part

Engine components “made by MTU” are some of the best the global market has to offer. We produce world-class low-pressure turbines, high-pressure compressors, and turbine center frames.

These top-of-the-line high-tech products require innovative manufacturing and repair processes. We can handle those, too: 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.

Compressors are the heart of every engine, and our expertise in this technology is virtually unparalleled: for over 50 years, MTU has been developing, manufacturing, and repairing high-pressure compressors (HPCs)—at the highest level. Our roots in this area lie in military aviation: from the Tornado’s RB199 engine to the Eurofighter’s EJ200 engine to the TP400-D6 in the Airbus A400M. We consistently developed this expertise and then transferred it to commercial aviation. Our commercial flagship is the high-pressure compressor of the innovative geared turbofan (GTF). With a pressure ratio of 15:1 and state-of-the-art optimized aerodynamics, it combines maximum efficiency with robustness. MTU’s involvement in the New Generation Fighter (NGF) also sees the company continue its tradition of military compressors. For this jet engine, MTU is developing and manufacturing the entire compression system—consisting of low-pressure compressor, inter-compressor duct, and HPC. And as part of the EURA joint venture, MTU is preparing the compression system for the next generation of European military helicopter engines.

The PW6000 is the first commercial aircraft engine to feature a six-stage transonic high-pressure compressor developed by MTU.

The Rig 268 is used for further development of the GTF high-pressure compressor.

The Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engine family powers next-generation commercial aircraft.

Our low-pressure turbines – technologies unparalleled in the world

MTU is the world’s technology leader when it comes to low-pressure turbines (LPTs) that operate at maximum efficiency. The breadth of our expertise ranges from conventional models for business jet engines and power turbines for heavy-lift transport helicopter engines all the way to large conventional low-pressure turbines for turbofan engines powering medium- and long-haul airliners. We develop low-pressure turbines that make engines even quieter, more efficient, and more powerful. Every turbine blade is infused with innovation: aerodynamically optimized geometries, advanced cooling technologies, and highly resilient materials that ensure maximum efficiency and durability—even under extreme operating conditions. The most impressive example is the high-speed low-pressure turbine for the geared turbofan; its technology is unparalleled in the world. With advanced cooling concepts, optimized manufacturing processes, and new materials technologies, we will make our low-pressure turbines even more efficient and robust for the next generation of engines.

V2500: MTU holds a 16 percent stake in IAE V2500 and is responsible for the entire low-pressure turbine and numerous accessories.

MTU low-pressure turbines: The high-speed model (left) is their masterpiece. Right: the low-pressure turbine of the V2500.

Equipped for the future: MTU brush seals are used in the GTF.

Our turbine center frames – High tech for complex components

Turbine center frames serve as a duct for the hot gas flowing from the high-pressure turbine into the low-pressure turbine. During operation, this component is exposed to extreme stresses—high mechanical loads, plus high temperatures. The material and design of the TCF must therefore meet the most exacting of requirements. MTU specializes in the development and manufacture of these complex components. We manufacture the TCF for the engines of widebody aircraft—for example, for the GEnx engine, which powers the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Boeing 747-8, and the GE9X, the exclusive engine for the Boeing 777X. Building on the basic architecture of the GEnx TCF, the GE9X model was made using construction methods that were optimized by way of additive manufacturing. It also features MTU’s first fully bionically designed components: brackets for oil lines, of which three are used in each GE9X engine. This achieves a weight reduction of 35 percent compared to the standard construction method.

The TCFs for the GP7000 (Airbus A380), the GEnx (Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Boeing 747-8) and the GE9X, the exclusive engine for the Boeing 777X, are manufactured at the Munich site and at MTU Aero Engines Polska.

MTU scores in the high-thrust segment: It develops and manufactures turbine center frames for long-haul engines.

Turbine center frame of the GE9X – the latest generation of propulsion systems for long-haul aircraft

In a military class of its own

Military aircraft are built to withstand extreme stress and undertake extreme missions, and the demands placed on their engines are correspondingly high. Our activities encompass the entire engine lifecycle: from development and production to innovative repair and maintenance solutions. Our technologies are designed for maximum availability and unrestricted operational capability. One promising technological concept for the future is the variable cycle engine (VCE), which has the potential to deliver outstanding performance over the entire flight envelope. This VCE technology could perhaps be applied to the innovative propulsion system for the New Generation Fighter Engine (NGFE). MTU is also preparing the compression system for the next generation of European military helicopter engines.

Innovative maintenance

“Repair beats replacement”—that’s the MTU motto. With our high-quality and advanced techniques, we repair components, modules, and accessories and thus achieve globally unparalleled levels of restoration and long on-wing times. In addition to OEM repairs, our high-tech repairs offer our customers a certain edge, and our global repair network guarantees them fast availability and cost benefits. With our innovative engine fleet management software and our intelligent engine trend monitoring, we enable intelligent fleet management and predictive maintenance planning.