TEI: State-of-Art Design Capabilities in Aircraft Engine Industry / Mr. Akın Duman, General Manager
TEI: State-of-Art Design Capabilities in Aircraft Engine Industry
TEI, worldwide manufacturer in aircraft engine industry and design center for the Aerospace Industry has proved its reputation on international defence platforms. Defence Turkey magazine found an opportunity to interview with TEI General Manager Akın Duman about development process, vision , strategic targets, ongoing programs, R&D activities, infrastructure and objectives for coming period.
Defence Turkey: Could you please inform us about its development process, mission, vision and strategic targets since TEI has been founded?
TEI has been founded in order to compose assembling and testing capabilities of F110 engines that powers F16 aircrafts which is a national project, aircraft engine manufacturing technology transfer, to obtain the capability of aircraft engine part manufacturing and to establish a sustainable aircraft engine industry in our country. Since 1989 its development process has began after realizing the shipment of the first engine and engine parts in 1987.
TEI’s primary mission is to establish a sustainable aircraft engine industry in our country, by providing superior products and services that will improve a technological basis of aerospace industry and attaining our market place in the world and create value for the stakeholders with the use of advanced technologies, superior quality initiatives, competitive and sustainable growth potential and strategic management.
TEI’s vision is to provide service and products to all customers around the world as a worldwide recognized, competitive, high quality manufacturing, sales and engineering center and to utilize our country’s assets and resources at optimum level in order to have influence in the industry.
Defence Turkey: What are TEI’s activity areas? Could you please provide us an overview of the ongoing programs and current situation in this aspect?
Today the main activity areas that we continue to make investments and enterprises are;
- Engine parts manufacturing - Engine assembly and overhaul - After sales services and - Design engineering
For most of the manufactured parts, we are the sole source. Our product variety presented great improvement as to the years. We have reached manufacturing more than 500 different parts up to 26 different engine programs directed various projects that are either military or commercial. Within this scope, we are manufacturing engine parts of Airbus and Boeing aircrafts used widespread in commercial sector all around the world.
We are participating in the international projects about assembling engines and overhaul. In all these projects, we are using high technological capabilities. Assembly and test of GE F110 engines of F16 aircrafts, assembly and test of Turbomeca Makila 1A engines of Cougar helicopters and Depot Level Maintenance of P&WTF33 engines of NATO Awacs aircrafts take place in the realized projects. We provide operational support through experienced technical agents to the engine users for advanced military and commercial aircraft engines. We also provide these services to the region countries.
We accelerated the design engineering activities which is a must condition of sustained aircraft engine industry. We invest to the future by participating in the international aerospace projects.
Some of the projects in this scope are; TP400 engine project of A400M aircraft, F136 engine project of Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), Turboprop engine project of the unmanned air vehicle (UAV). We keep working in order to participate in ATAK and Turkish Armed Forces engine programs. It’s pleasant that all these activities reflected to the turnover. Parallel to the developments in the aerospace sector, our turnover increases as a result of the investments we realize every year regularly. We have reached to total sales of 189 million USA dollars of which 104 million USA dollars was export. For the year 2007 we are targeting total sales to be over 237 million USA dollars, with 25% increase.
Certainly, this consistent development is a result of our having planned targets and our ability to compete.
Our Long Term Agreements that we signed with GEA - which is one of the world’s leading aircraft engine manufacturer- our biggest customer and also being our partner, has reached almost 1,2 Billion US Dollars covers the years of 2007-2012.
Defence Turkey: What are TEI’s activities on R&D? What can you say about the importance of international cooperation in R&D for Turkish defence industry?
As known, Turkey’s efforts building a modern aerospace industry lasted from the first years of 20th century with ups and downs. Certainly it has been accelerated with the foundation of TEI and TAI about 25 years ago.
Actually the acquired manufacturing technologies during this process were an important milestone required for the foundation of a modern aerospace industry. But another main branch, much more important than the manufacturing technologies, is the design technologies. As in the other sectors, it’s a fact that for a sustainable technological and economic growth in aerospace industry, R&D and design activities must be increased in our country. In the last period, we made very important progress in the infrastructure of the Design Engineering that we have been expending great efforts in establishing for a long time. Our studies on the tangible design projects had been initiated with J85 engine exhaust ejector development project with GEA in the year of 1996. Then in 2003, we participated in TP400 engine development project as a Risk and Revenue Sharing Partner. This project presented great chances to improve our design capabilities. Since 2004, we have involved on Joint Strike Fighter F136 engine project.
Today we are in a junction point for certain decision processes at which very significant steps are being taken for the Turkish Defence and Aerospace Industry. Turkish Armed Forces participate in extremely important projects for aerospace industry. Instead of manufacturing in scope of offset obligation or being a subcontractor as happened in the past, we participate to the mentioned projects in a higher level with new models as revenue partner, risk and revenue sharing partner. Most importantly, we participate to these projects from the beginning of the design period. As an example, in the scope of Joint Strike Fighter F136 engine project according to the Memorandum of Understanding signed with our partner GEA, our design engineering team started to work on the design studies.
Defence Turkey: Could you please evaluate TEI’s position in the international platforms? What kind of an infrastructure practice was made in order to move TEI to a competitive and successful position in the international platform?
In a merciless international competition platform, I can say that we were successful to meet customer requirements applying contemporary management methodologies. In quality, price and delivery, we can meet customer requirements over their expectations.
Of course, there are some other customers’ evaluations. For example, GEA has chosen TEI “Best in Class” “Best International Supplier”. Also in manufacturing critical rotary parts we are classified as “Perfection Center”. Last year, as a result of the evaluation considering in time delivery, quality and contract management criterions, in TF33 engine of NATO Awacs aircrafts Depot Level Maintenance project also we have been chosen “Best Engine Maintenance Company” of the year 2004 by NAMSA and IAMCO.
Leading engine companies in international area attempt for cooperation with us in every occasion. European leading engine companies require our design engineering service and offer us risk and revenue sharing partnership. These are very supportive achievements. We realize that customer satisfaction is the most important basic element of sharing the world aerospace market and competing in the market. In this aspect, we have determined the critical initiatives for the customer and have intensified on them. For example, for many years we are applying the Total Quality Management concept in all of the processes of the functional parts of the organization.
We realized significant improvements on the processes as a result of the 6 Sigma activities being conducted since 1996. By using 6 Sigma and statistical techniques, successful projects are being realized in means of solving complicated problems, minimizing variables, increasing process abilities and productivity. As a result of 6 Sigma activities, operational perfection has reached to the level of 5.1 Sigma (172 errors in 1 million operations). With these activities significant decreases realized in manufacturing and failure costs and as a result of simple manufacturing applications, significant savings achieved in manpower and workbench capacity. Together with these savings major benefits that improve competition have also been realized by increasing the product quality and customer satisfaction obtained with decreasing the turn rates.
Technological developments we follow consistently are also another element makes us superior to the others. In order to be located in the place we aimed in the world market, we are intently directing our new investments, sources, services to our clients and work partners; and having great progresses on the way of being a powerful and reliable technology center.
Defence Turkey: At which level are TEI’s studies, representing Turkey in TP400 engine manufacturing within the scope of A400 Program? Could you please explain our readers about the developments related to this subject?
EPI (EuroPropInternational GmBH) consortium activities have been continuing in order to manufacture TP400-D6 engine which will power up A400M aircraft. The first test of whole TP400-D6 engine including the propeller had been successfully completed on February 28th, 2006 at Istres test center of Snecma Company in France. The first test of the whole engine had been realized with the participation of company representatives of OCCAR (Organization Conjoint de Cooperation en matiere d’Armement), EASA, Airbus Military SL, partners of EPI and TEI along with some government representatives of participant European countries. Successful completion of the whole TP400-D6 engine test with the propeller is very pleasant which includes ‘Front Bearing Structure’ and ‘Exhaust Nozzle’ modules that have been designed and manufactured by us.
It’s planned that the development activities in TP400 engine program, in which TEI has undertaken the responsibility of design and manufacturing of some critical engine modules, will last until the year of 2008 and starting in 2009 the mass production will last until 2021 and spare part production will last between 2021-2040.
Defence Turkey: What’s the status of TEI’s activities with General Electric Aviation (GE Aviation) for the future? Could you please inform our readers about the developments in the scope of F136 program?
It’s possible seeing the positive reflections of the 22 years’ cooperation between TEI and GE on present and forthcoming projects. TEI - GEA cooperation are continuing on various programs, mainly on parts manufacturing for both GEA commercial and military programs. These parts are used to power the most demanded commercial aircrafts of Boeings, Airbus, and of course for the military ones. Participation on new generation aircrafts engines are increased day by day. Along with aircraft and helicopter engines, we also support GEA with gas turbine parts used for industrial purposes and to power ships. We have been attempting to conduct activities on new technologies with GEA. In order to do that, investments will be realized in the next years; we will have great effects on our company and national industry.
We are studying on significant projects with GE Company also for the transition from spare parts manufacturing to the modular production within the next years. One of them is HF118 and 120 GE-Honda engines that will power up VLJs (Very Light Jet). As TEI, we are planning to support this program with a module that we are going to manufacture and assembly. Our activities with GE about this subject are going on.
Technical services for aircraft engines in country and in the region is another subject for cooperation. TEI’s Technical representatives are supporting GE’s engine users in position to assist customer’s operations problems and for the maintenance, coordinate internal field activities. It is targeted to expand our performance in to more countries.
On the other hand, in the scope of JSF F136 program TEI has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with GEA in July 2004 to participate in the design and production activities of the F136 engine developed by GEA-USA and Rolls-Royce-UK. Following we have signed a training contract with GEA at the 46th Paris Aerospace Exhibition held in June 2005. The main purpose of the both companies with this contract is to develop TEI’s engineering activities and make TEI an engineering perfection center for aircraft engines. With this contract, we have undertaken the critical design responsibilities of F136 engines. Using the most advanced analytical methods and modeling techniques about aircraft engines
The manufacturing of some prototype parts used in development engines have been continuing along with the below mentioned design activities in the JSF F136 project in which we have participated since Pre-SDD (Pre- System Development and Demonstration) phase that is currently on SDD (System Development and Demonstration) phase.
Defence Turkey: Today the increasing demand to the unmanned air vehicles in the world, and parallel to it by starting the projects about this subject to be realized also in Turkey, the requirements of impulsion systems of unmanned air vehicles have began to be discussed. What’s the situation of TEI’s studies about these systems?
While TEI was carrying on the design activities in the international projects, was also in an effort of consolidating the know-how and experiences gained in this area and using them in the original projects. The engine model chosen for the practice was also suitable in size for this type of unmanned air vehicles.
In the scope of the project, we have started a two phased study aiming the design and the manufacturing of a small turboprop engine in the year 2005. In the conceptual and detail design phases of the engine, detailed performance, structural, aero dynamical and heat transfer analysis have been realized as it is in the large engines. We have designed and manufactured TEI-TJ-1X turbojet engine in the first phase of the project. Getting the performance values that we have targeted increased our excitement further more. We have designed and manufactured a turboprop engine by using this engine as “core engine” in the second phase of the project. The first tests with propeller were made on the test stand and data collecting and evaluating system also developed by TEI engineers. Currently, improvement, development and re-test activities on the various engine components are going on intensively.
Defence Turkey: What are TEI’s targets and strategies for the coming period? Could you please evaluate TEI’s position in the national and international platforms for 10 years’ term?
Within the last 21 years we have proved our quality and reliability by realizing design and manufacturing of engine and engine parts, engine assembly and tests, maintenance and technical services successfully in the areas that we have been involved. We are targeting to get in a position of module and engine design and manufacturing center in the national and international platform in the near future.
Today we know that in all of the developed countries, the aerospace industry is the main industry acting in the development and economical progress of that country and it is also in the position of being the locomotive for the other industries. So, the developments in this sector effects the other branches of the industry directly. The leading nature of aerospace industry is a result of the high technologies required by design and manufacturing activities. So, it’s a necessity to acquire and develop these technologies that are indispensable in aerospace products. Our final goal is to be a source that can first of all, meet every kind of system development, modernization and modification requirements of Turkish Armed Forces; and an aircraft engine module designer and manufacture center also in the international area in the year of 2015s. And also, it’s one of our short term goals to expand depot level maintenance concept by using our present capabilities at maximum level in engine assembly and revision areas as well.
In this aspect, we have accelerated the design activities in the last years which is a must condition of sustained aircraft engine industry. We invest to the future by participating in the international aerospace projects. Now, our main goal is to be an Aircraft Engine Module Design Center in 2010s; and Main Manufacturer in 2020s along with the project based R&D, Module Design and Development activities.
Defence Turkey: Mr. Duman, We would like to thank you for your fruitful interview and wish you success for the fulfilment of your future plans and objectives.
