Engineering giant Rolls-Royce has started manufacturing the world’s largest fan blades for a revolutionary new engine.
The firm, which has its civil aerospace division in Derby, has started making the composite blades for its UltraFan demonstrator engine, which it claims will set new standards for efficiency and sustainability.
The blades, which have a 140-inch diameter are being made at the company’s technology hub in Bristol.
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The milestone also marks the official start of production of parts for the demonstrator.
According to Rolls-Royce, which designs, develops and manufactures the Trent family of engines at its Derby site, the UltraFan will offer a 25% fuel reduction compared to the first generation of Trent engine, and deliver the same percentage reduction in emissions.
Part of that efficiency improvement comes from UltraFan’s composite fan blades and fan case, which reduce the weight on a twin-engine aircraft by 700kg.
The fan blades are created through the build-up of hundreds of layers of carbon-fibre materials, pre-filled with state-of-the-art, toughness-enhanced, resin material.
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Heat and pressure are then applied, and each blade is finished with a thin titanium leading edge, which offers extreme protection against erosion, foreign objects and bird strikes.
Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce’s president of civil aerospace, said: “This is the decade of UltraFan and it’s exciting to enter the 2020s with the start of production of the demonstrator engine.
“We have got all the building blocks in place - the design, the technologies, a brand new testbed, and now we are actually seeing the engine come together.”
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Rolls-Royce said that the UltraFan will start ground tests in 2021 and be available towards the end of this decade.
The engine is a key element of the firm’s sustainability strategy, which also involves exploring electrification and working with partners to accelerate the incorporation of sustainable aviation fuels.
It is also part of the Rolls-Royce IntelligentEngine vision, which brings together its products, services and digital technology.