Clean Aviation SWITCH project to advance hybrid-electric, water-enhanced turbofan technologies.

A group of aerospace technology companies have formed a collaborative consortium to develop hybrid-electric and water-enhanced turbofan technology for future aircraft propulsion systems, supported by the European Union Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (Clean Aviation). MTU Aero Engines AG (MTU), Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace (Collins), GKN Aerospace, Airbus, and others aim to demonstrate the potential of these technologies to improve fuel efficiency and reduce aircraft CO2 emissions by up to 25% compared to today's state-of-the-art propulsion systems for short- and medium-range aircraft. The consortium is coordinated by MTU. KSD301 Bimetal Thermostat

The Sustainable Water-Injecting Turbofan Comprising Hybrid-Electrics (SWITCH) project is focused on developing a novel propulsion concept built from two revolutionary and synergetic technologies: Water-Enhanced Turbofan (WET) and hybrid-electric propulsion. By combining these technologies with Pratt & Whitney’s GTF engine architecture, the SWITCH concept aims to significantly enhance efficiency and substantially reduce emissions across the full operating envelope of an aircraft. Technologies developed as part of SWITCH will be fully compatible with cleaner alternative fuels – such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) – and will be evaluated for future use with hydrogen.

“This highly impactful SWITCH consortium provides a unique opportunity to demonstrate the benefits of both WET and hybrid-electric propulsion technologies, not only independently but as parts of a system,” said Dr. Stefan Weber, senior vice president, Engineering and Technology, at MTU. “WET offers considerable potential to boost efficiency and reduce all emissions significantly for future aircraft propulsion systems, whether they are powered by conventional kerosene, SAF, or even hydrogen. Since the concept is gas turbine-based, the WET concept fully leverages MTU’s expertise.”

The hybrid-electric GTF powertrain will enable even greater efficiency across all phases of flight by leveraging highly efficient megawatt-class electric motor generators, power electronics, and batteries to optimize the performance of the fuel-burning gas turbine. The WET concept recovers water vapor from the engine exhaust and re-injects it into the combustion chamber to significantly improve fuel efficiency, reduce NOx emissions, and lessen contrail forming emissions. These revolutionary technologies are designed to work together to deliver a step-change reduction in emissions and energy use across the full operating system, while maintaining world-class reliability and operability.

“This project will enable us to advance several key technologies on our roadmap to further extend the efficiency of the GTF engine architecture,” said Geoff Hunt, senior vice president, Engineering and Technology, at Pratt & Whitney. “Given the challenge of reducing the environmental impact of aviation, cross-industry collaboration and public-private partnerships like Clean Aviation will play a vital role in delivering the technology breakthroughs needed to make net zero emissions aviation a reality.”

Airbus will provide key expertise relating to the future integration of SWITCH technologies at the aircraft-level and will support the evaluation of performance benefits including aircraft design and integration of battery and energy management systems. “New propulsion technologies will play an important role in achieving aviation's net-zero goals, along with new aircraft designs and sustainable energy sources,” said Sabine Klauke, chief technology officer at Airbus. “We welcome this opportunity to collaborate and progress research into the next generation of advanced powertrain concepts.”

Collins will provide megawatt-class electric motor generators and power electronics, high-voltage DC distribution and protection, thermal management components, and nacelle architectures for the project. “Hybrid-electric propulsion technology is a key enabler for increased efficiency across multiple different aircraft applications, from advanced air mobility to commercial airliners,” said Mauro Atalla, senior vice president, Engineering & Technology for Collins Aerospace. “Working with Clean Aviation and the SWITCH consortium, we will accelerate the development of these critical technologies from our state-of-the-art facilities in France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, and the UK.”

GKN Aerospace will develop various engine structures with all-new functionalities, such as integrated electric machines and heat exchangers. “We are delighted to be collaborating in the SWITCH project and help address many exciting opportunities and challenges around thermal and electrical power management within a highly advanced propulsion system,” said Henrik Runnemalm, vice president, Global Technology Center, Sweden, at GKN Aerospace. “We will leverage our unique hot test rig in Trollhättan, Sweden, as well as our high-voltage electrical wiring developed by our GKN Fokker business in the Netherlands.”

Current funding for Phase 1 of SWITCH extends to 2025 and will include testing of a hybrid-electric GTF engine, WET technology and sub-system laboratory testing, and design activity around an integrated hybrid-electric and WET cycle propulsion system. Subject to successful testing of these key technologies and component designs, further phases of ground testing and flight tests are expected to follow.

Clean Aviation is a public-private partnership co-funded by the European Union between the European Commission, the aerospace industry, and research institutes, dedicated to advancing transformational aircraft technologies which will help enable net zero emissions for aviation by 2050. The project will be supported by UK Research and Innovation, and will leverage collaboration between multiple aerospace companies, universities, and research organizations across 11 countries in Europe and the United States.

List of participating organizations and locations:

Partnership expands precision field service capabilities and strengthens commitment to customer service.

In-Place Machine Co. LLC (IPM) has acquired East Coast Metrology LLC (ECM) as part of a long-term growth strategy to expand reach and service offerings to customers and prospects across the U.S. and Canada. A provider of high-precision industrial solutions, IPM offers onsite machining, diamond wire cutting and drilling, and alignment and measurement services. Adding the experience, knowledge, precision metrology and calibration expertise of ECM increases the capabilities IPM’s Measurement and Alignment Services Division and enhances the benefits to customers across multiple industries.

IPM President and CEO Dean Flint said of ECM, “Their experienced, high-caliber group of engineers and expertise in the metrology and calibration space, as well as their company culture and dedication to customer service, make them a perfect fit for our customers and for our growth strategy.”

Gary Confalone, former owner and president of East Coast Metrology, said, “It was very important to me that we partner with a company that understands the many benefits of metrology and calibration and is committed to investing in the technology and more importantly, in our people. I firmly believe we found the right partner in IPM.”

ECM is a full-service contract measurement company specializing in 3D scanning and modeling, reverse engineering and design, training and certification, instrument calibrations, equipment rentals, integration, and alignment services. Headquartered in Topsfield, Massachusetts, ECM hosts an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory where they perform instrument calibrations, repairs, and CMM part inspection and programming. ECM has an additional Midwest regional office in Wixom, Michigan, and capabilities in Canada and Mexico.

ECM joins Exact Metrology and OASIS Alignment Services in IPM’s growing Measurement and Alignment Services Division. Exact Metrology, an ISO 9001:2015 and AS 9100 Rev D certified company, also provides contract measurement and 3D scanning services, as well as metrology equipment solutions, and hardware and software rentals. OASIS Alignment Services offers highly accurate precision machine alignment and mechanical services.

With the acquisition of East Coast Metrology, IPM customers will benefit from expanded precision measurement and onsite machining services and closer proximity to these services from 16 locations located across North America.

Experts work together on future industrial internet of things (IIoT) solutions.

The first-ever hackathon featuring umati, the connectivity initiative of the mechanical and plant engineering industry, MindSphere, the Siemens IoT-as-a-Service solution, and the Digital Industries World e.V. IIoT community was held recently in Mindelheim, Germany. Thirty-two digitalization experts from 10 engineering and startup companies were hosted by Grob-Werke GmbH & Co. KG. Under the banner of IoTize the Industry, they worked together to develop the free exchange of data between machine and software systems.

For Dr. Alexander Broos, head of research and technology at the VDW (German Machine Tool Builders' Association), Frankfurt am Main, and umati project manager, the event was a complete success: "It was great to see so many creative minds gathered in one place and working together on real-world challenges. If we are serious about connecting machines in an intelligent way, our top priority is to bring the relevant people together." Ulf Könekamp, chairman of Digital Industries World, agrees: "Only together are we strong – and can initiate important changes for the future. We are delighted that the hackathon was able to help produce solutions across different companies and departments."

In five teams, participants learned from each other and compared notes. The focus was on exchanging actual data (such as GPS or vibration data from machines connected to the umati demonstrator via OPC UA) between different systems, for example, via MindSphere. The aim was to generate initial added value from this data to optimize availability or capacity utilization in production, for example.

The result was a wide variety of different solutions. One important realization was that cross-company collaboration is to everyone's advantage. In addition, participants reported a very steep learning curve during the two days, meaning that the time was used even more productively and efficiently than usual. One of the most remarkable achievements was the fact that several first prototype applications – including remote access to machine status lights, GPS tracking, and multisensor evaluation of vibrations – were generated almost out of nowhere. A further important aspect was the organizers obtained useful feedback on the technologies used.

The general feedback to the organizers was extremely favorable in terms of the substantive possibilities and the organizational framework. "The hackathon was an extremely rewarding and well-planned event based on intensive and effective teamwork. We are glad that we could be part of it. We warmly recommend all other companies to take advantage of this outstanding opportunity for dialogue and networking," emphasizes participant Dr. Donatus Weber, Director of Digital Services at Kampf Schneid- und Wickeltechnik GmbH und Co. KG in Wiehl. umati and Digital Industries World are planning to promote this by organizing a number of hackathons at different locations in the coming year – including at EMO Hannover 2023 next September.

umati (universal machine technology interface), supported by the VDW and VDMA, is the international community for the dissemination and implementation of OPC UA standards in machine and plant engineering. The goal of umati is to implement different OPC UA specifications in a uniform manner, thereby allowing the manufacturers of machines, components, and software to offer plug-and-play solutions to their engineering customers and users. Manufacturers and users are joining forces to promote the use of open interfaces in the production environment. This facilitates the communication of machines and systems with each other and allows them to be integrated into customer- and user-specific IT ecosystems – simply, seamlessly, and securely.

MindSphere is an industrial IoT-as-a-Service solution that makes use of advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to implement internet of things (IoT) solutions from edge to cloud. Built on Mendix's application platform, MindSphere enables its users to develop and integrate customized IoT applications in a short space of time.

Digital Industries World e.V. is a global IIoT community of multidisciplinary players whose goal it is to accelerate the digital transformation of the industry together with its members.

At the core of the community’s work are events like this hackathon aimed at bringing together IoT technologies, people, and businesses in the pursuit of innovation and growth. An integrated view of digitalization and the entire IoT stack, cultural change, working in ecosystems and thinking in terms of new business models are all core characteristics of the expert network.

Collaboration brings together companies across design, manufacturing, and maintenance.

Boom Supersonic, the company planning the world's fastest airliner, announced Symphony, a new propulsion system designed and optimized for its Overture supersonic airliner. Boom also announced that it will be teaming with three industry leaders to develop Symphony including Florida Turbine Technologies (FTT) – a business unit of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc. – for engine design, GE Additive for additive technology design consulting, and StandardAero for maintenance.

Symphony will be a medium-bypass turbofan engine with the same basic engine architecture that currently powers all modern commercial aircraft. Unlike subsonic turbofans, this new propulsion system will include a Boom-designed axisymmetric supersonic intake, a variable-geometry low-noise exhaust nozzle, and a passively cooled high-pressure turbine.

Engine design features to include:

• Architecture: twin-spool, medium-bypass turbofan engine, no afterburner

• Fuel: optimized for 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)

• Single-stage fan designed for quiet operation

• Additive manufacturing for low weight, low part count, and reduced assembly costs

• Certification: compliant with FAA and EASA Part 33 requirements

"Developing a supersonic engine specifically for Overture offers by far the best value proposition for our customers," said Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic.

Symphony will be a unique design leveraging proven technologies and materials to achieve optimal supersonic performance and efficiency. Overture's new propulsion system will operate at net zero carbon and meet Chapter 14 noise levels. When compared to derivative approaches, Symphony is expected to deliver a 25% increase in time on wing and significantly lower engine maintenance costs, reducing overall airplane operating costs for airline customers by 10%.

"United and Boom share a passion for making the world dramatically more accessible through sustainable supersonic travel," said Mike Leskinen, president, United Airlines Ventures. "The team at Boom understands what we need to create a compelling experience for our passengers, and we are looking forward to a United supersonic fleet powered by Symphony."

Boom selected FT as its engine design team for its supersonic engine design expertise, including key engineers among the team responsible for the design of the F-119 and F-135 supersonic engines that power the F-22 and F-35.

"The team at FTT has a decades-long history of developing innovative, high-performance propulsion solutions," said Stacey Rock, president of FTT. "We are proud to team with Boom and its Symphony partners and look forward to developing the first engine of its kind for sustainable, economical supersonic flight."

GE Additive also will collaborate on the Symphony program, offering a proven track record of designing additively manufactured engine components enabling more streamlined development, reduced weight, and improved fuel efficiency.

"We are excited to support Overture and Symphony," said Chris Schuppe, general manager Engineering and Technology at GE Additive. "GE Additive will bring industry-leading capabilities to Symphony, providing additive manufacturing design consulting and technology, while looking for additional areas to potentially collaborate."

Additionally, StandardAero, one of the aerospace industry's largest independent maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) providers, will ensure that Symphony is designed for maintainability. Boom's collaboration with StandardAero aims to deliver reliable and economical operations, and provision of maintenance services for the life of the aircraft. Boom will also benefit from StandardAero's experience as an assembler of supersonic engines.

"We are excited to team with Boom as its strategic engine MRO partner and for the opportunity to contribute to the company's bright future, ensuring its aircraft will receive the industry's finest engine MRO services," said Russell Ford, chairman and CEO of StandardAero. "Our current qualifications, capabilities, and experience assembling and servicing supersonic military jet engines makes us the intelligent solution for future commercial, supersonic engine MRO applications."

With Symphony design already underway, Overture aims to achieve type certification in 2029. Production is set to commence in 2024 at Overture's superfactory in Greensboro, North Carolina, with rollout in 2026 and first flight in 2027.

Serving civil and government markets, Overture will fly at 2x the speed of today's airliners. Symphony, a Boom-led collaboration with industry leaders, is the propulsion system that will power Overture. Overture's order book, including purchases and options from American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines, stands at 130 aircraft. Boom is working with Northrop Grumman for government and defense applications of Overture. Suppliers and partners collaborating with Boom on the Overture program include Collins Aerospace, Eaton, FTT (a Jupiter, Florida-based business unit of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc.), GE Additive, Safran Landing Systems, StandardAero, and the U.S. Air Force.

Described as the world's smallest spacecraft, new suits are designed by astronauts for astronauts.

Building on more than 50 years of experience developing spacesuits for NASA, Collins Aerospace (a Raytheon Technologies business), along with its partners ILC Dover and Oceaneering, was awarded a contract to design, develop, and demonstrate the next-generation spacesuit for the International Space Station (ISS). This is Collins' first task order under NASA's Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services, or xEVAS, contract which was awarded in May 2022.

"Our next-generation spacesuit was built by astronauts for astronauts, continuing Collins' long-standing legacy as a trusted partner of NASA's human space exploration," said Dave McClure, vice president and general manager, ISR & Space Solutions with Collins Aerospace. "Collins' advanced spacesuit technology will be used on the ISS, and we're prepared to continue keeping astronauts safe, connected, and ready no matter the mission."

Collins' next-generation spacesuit contains everything an astronaut needs to survive in the vacuum of space. Made up of more than 18,000 parts and with an interior volume the size of a small refrigerator, the suit provides oxygen, CO2 removal, electrical power, hydration, ventilation, thermal control, and communications.

"ILC Dover is proud to be working with a world-class team to design and manufacture the next generation of spacesuits for the ISS," said Corey Walker, CEO of ILC Dover. "Leveraging our decades of experience engineering the pressure garments for the Apollo missions and the ISS, our latest spacesuits will have the ability to be outfitted for missions from the ISS to the lunar surface and beyond."

Collins' next-generation suit is lighter weight and lower volume to improve astronaut efficiency, range of motion, and comfort. Designed to fit nearly any body type, it also has an open architecture design which allows the suit to be easily modified as missions change or become more advanced.

The award – the second under NASA's Exploration EVA Services contract – is for design and development of a next-generation spacesuit and support systems. The task order has a base value of $97.2 million.

Collins Aerospace will complete a critical design review and demonstrate use of the suit on Earth in a simulated space environment by January 2024. NASA will have the option to extend the contract for a demonstration with agency crew members outside the space station by April 2026.

With this second award for a new suit and system, NASA is another step closer to a replacement for the current design used by NASA astronauts for decades during space shuttle and space station missions. The new suit will support continued station maintenance and is crucial to future Artemis missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars.

"We look forward to obtaining another much-needed service under our contract," said Lara Kearney, manager of the Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, which manages the spacesuit contract. "By working with industry, NASA is able to continue its over 22-year legacy of maintaining a presence in low-Earth orbit."

Under the indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract, both Collins Aerospace, as well as Axiom, which was awarded an initial task order award for Artemis suits, provided proposals to meet both station and Artemis requirements. Both vendors will continue to compete for future task orders which include recurring services for station spacewalks and moonwalks beyond Artemis III.

Collins will be responsible for the design, development, qualification, certification, and production of its station spacesuits and support equipment to meet NASA's key requirements. The agency will continue to maintain the authority to manage astronaut training, spacewalk planning, and approval of the service systems.

"We are extremely excited and proud to be part of the Collins team, helping to successfully develop and deploy critical U.S. EVA space exploration capability," said Phil Beierl, senior vice president, Aerospace and Defense Technologies, Oceaneering. "Our staff brings outstanding spacesuit systems engineering and integration expertise to this task. We look forward to leveraging our portable life support and pressure garment subsystem technologies, as well as our crew training and mission operations knowledge to support the Collins team."

ILC Dover spacesuits have been worn during more than 250 space flights, six moon landings, and over 3,000 hours of spacewalks without a single failure. ILC Dover has developed two commercial suits, Sol, a Launch, Entry, and Abort (LEA) suit, and Astro, an extravehicular activity (EVA) and planetary exploration suit.

Electric Motor Overheat Protection Oceaneering Space Systems, a business within Oceaneering's Aerospace and Defense Technologies segment, specializes in engineering for harsh environments from sea to space with complete turnkey design, development, manufacturing, certification, maintenance, testing, and sustaining engineering for space-based robotics and automation, satellite servicing tools and equipment, human space flight systems, and thermal protection systems.