Rolls-Royce announced that is has chosen Bristol in the UK for the location of advanced fan system composite technology development, creating a hub of composite knowledge and securing 120 jobs in the city by the end of 2019. Plans call for the facility to develop the next generation of carbon-fiber fan blades and fan cases for future Rolls-Royce engines.
Rolls-Royce’s CTi (carbon-titanium) blades feature prominently in the company’s new Advance engine design. Unveiled last year, the design promises to deliver at least 20 percent less fuel burn and CO2 emissions compared with the first generation of Trent engines. The blades and associated composite engine casings will form part of the new CTi fan system, designed to reduce weight by up to 1,500 pounds per aircraft.
Rolls-Royce plans to establish the pre-production facility within an existing building alongside Rolls-Royce’s new plant for carbon-fiber electrical harness rafts, now under construction on the Bristol site. The company expects both facilities to benefit from manufacturing techniques under development in partnership with the National Composites Center in Bristol and research conducted at the University of Bristol’s Rolls-Royce University Technology Center. Rolls-Royce plans to transfer its existing CTi manufacturing technology capability along with around 40 current employees from its composites location on the Isle of Wight during 2017. The UK government has already provided £7.4 million ($10.95 million) to support the establishment of the pre-production facility and equipment at the Isle of Wight facility.
A set of the CTi fan blades, incorporated into a Trent 1000 “donor” engine, successfully completed a full flight-test program on a Rolls-Royce Boeing 747 flying testbed in Tucson, Arizona, last December. It has scheduled a rigorous testing program of the complete fan set to take place throughout this year.