Frisa Forjados reported it has entered into a long-term agreement with Pratt & Whitney, to produce and supply forged rings and casings for the new PurePower PW1000G turbofan engines. Specific terms of the deal were not announced, though the forger indicated it carries a value above $150 million.
Pratt & Whitney’s PW1000G is a high-bypass geared turbofan engine that has been selected to power several commercial aircraft programs, including the Bombardier CSeries, Mitsubishi Regional Jet, and Embraer's redesigned E-Jet regional aircraft. It is offered as an option for the Irkut MS-21 and Airbus A320neo aircraft.
Frisa forges seamless rolled rings in carbon and stainless steels, titanium and super alloy metals. It has three plants in the Monterrey metropolitan area, and is a joint-venture partner with Scot Forge in Ringmasters Manufacturing LLC, in Wayne, MI.
In addition to seamless rings, Frisa Forjados produces open-die forgings.
"With this agreement, Frisa once again continues to strengthen its position as a leading supplier of forged rings to the aerospace industry," stated Eduardo Garza, Frisa CEO. "We are especially pleased to strengthen our role as a strategic supplier to Pratt & Whitney in support of these exciting new engines.”
The forger noted the new supply agreement builds upon its role as a supplier to the International Aero Engines V2500 engine program. Pratt & Whitney is the majority shareholder of International Aero Engines.
Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. subsidiary. It has been developing geared turbofan engines for about 20 years, and the final versions of its PurePower PW1000G design are scheduled to begin production this year.
The PW1000G engine has a fan drive gear system separating the engine fan from the low-pressure compressor and turbine, so that each module can operate at optimal speeds. “This enables the fan to rotate slower and while the low-pressure compressor and turbine operate at a high speed, increasing engine efficiency and delivering significantly lower fuel consumption, emissions and noise,” according to a P&W description. “This increased efficiency also translates to fewer engine stages and parts for lower weight and reduced maintenance costs.”
Pratt & Whitney noted the PurePower PW1000G engine also incorporates advances in aerodynamics, lightweight materials, and other technology improvements in the high-pressure spool, low-pressure turbine, combustor, controls, and engine health monitoring system.