Element, the USA’s largest independent materials testing organization, has significantly invested in doubling its CMC testing capacity at its laboratory in Cincinnati, OH, setting the stage to continue its rapid development of newly emerging capabilities.
CMCs, which are capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 3,000°F and deliver unprecedented performance gains within aero engines, have been hailed as the future of the aerospace industry. The material is being utilized within the CFM International LEAP high-bypass turbofan engine, currently being developed in a joint venture between GE and Snecma, intended for use in the Airbus A320neo, the Boeing 737 MAX and China’s COMAC C919 aircraft by 2017.
Rick Sluiters, Element’s Executive Vice President, Aerospace, says: “Element recognized the potential of CMCs to transform the industry at an early stage of their development and has invested significantly alongside Prime customers to develop a market-leading testing capability.
“Thanks to our knowledge, capabilities and the proprietary equipment developed by our Engaged Experts, we are able to offer an unrivalled suite of CMC tests and demand has been exceptionally high.
“Testing a material with such unique properties has meant the innovation of entirely new methodologies and equipment, so expanding capacity is not simply a matter of buying ‘off the shelf’ equipment. This significant investment will allow us to remain at the forefront of the market and, such is the level of interest, we are already allocating equipment for specific tests ahead of installation.”
Expansion work at Element Cincinnati began in June, with Element anticipating completion before the end of 2014.
About Element:
Element is a company with a global presence; its laboratories are staffed by experts specializing in materials testing, product qualification testing and failure analysis for the Aerospace, Oil & Gas and Transportation and Industrials sectors. Element’s team of 1,540 scientists, engineers and technicians work in 43 laboratories located throughout the U.S. and Europe. For a complete list of Accreditations & Approvals and more information, please visit www.element.com.
Media Contact:
Alison Dwyer, Matthew Judge or David Savage, Smith & Smith PR Ltd., tel: +44 161 927 9487, e-mail: element@smithandsmithpr.co.uk.
“This significant investment will allow us to remain at the forefront of the market and, such is the level of interest, we are already allocating equipment for specific tests ahead of installation.”
Rick Sluiters
EVP, Aerospace & Defense