Ceramic Matrix Composites Taking Flight at GE Aviation

GE Aviation has been at the forefront of developing advanced materials for turbine applications, including the recent certification of Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC’s) on the LEAP engine. Key aspects of CMC technology maturation and industrialization at GE Aviation will be discussed. Major steps in our technology maturation journey include material and component testing challenges, lifting methods development, and the role of process modeling in manufacturing scale-up. Key industrialization aspects will also be reviewed, such as the need for data analytics, the approach to establishing a quality control strategy, and the resulting supply chain capability.