Advancing Metals Technologies
Lower emissions from combustion engines point to higher pressures and temperatures in compressors and turbines. This calls for higher strength metals and better technologies to cut and shape them.
A history of R&D
Innovation and collaboration are part of our company culture. Here are some of the advancement in metal technologies TURBOCAM has developed over the years.
- 2005: Built and tested electrochemical systems for cutting nickel alloys. In 2011, a patent was obtained for making bladed parts using a rotary approach for electrodes.
- 2008: Introduced the TX series metal diffusion process to add wear and FOD resistance to steel alloys. Over two million large commercial diesel engines operate globally with variable geometry turbochargers using TX metal diffusion in the turbine nozzles.
- 2015: Hundreds of compressor vanes made every month as ECM production is implemented. Invested in Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) to make turbine blades with optimal cooling.
- 2016: Thousands of compressor vanes made every month. Implemented Plasma Spray of aluminum bronze to coat compressor vane segments on geared turbofan jet engines.
- 2019: Thousands of compressor vanes made every week. Research continues on 5-axis machining by ECM.
- 2020: First nickel alloy IBR/blisk produced by TURBOCAM-patented ECM process. Accuracy remains a work in progress.