Operator Newsletter

Chromalloy service centers are first to receive Japan Civil Aviation Bureau certification for FAA-DER repairs

Two Chromalloy service centers have received Approved Organization Exposition (AOE) certificates from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB).

The certificates are the first issued by JCAB since the 2009 U.S-Japan Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) took effect to officially recognize Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Designated Engineering Representative (DER) approved repairs.

"Following a long working relationship with the JCAB officials in Tokyo, Japan, Chromalloy completed the rigorous compliance and audit process to receive the Approved Organization Exposition certificates," said Bruce Johnson, Vice President, Engineering. "With this approval, JCAB has officially recognized the FAA DER repair approval process familiar to FAA repair stations."

DER is a FAA desigation allowing individuals with authorization to approve certain repairs and alterations on behalf of FAA, using submitted technical data. DER experts ensure the proper evaluation of technical data, certify compliance with FAA guidelines and regulations, and perform compliance tests and inspections.

Authorization was undertaken in 2009 and included development of an AOE Manual and representation to JCAB auditors of demonstrable systems for DER repair development. JCAB approval of the facilities allows Japanese airlines to use Chromalloy DER repairs without the company being required to obtain individual repair approvals from JCAB.

Under the JCAB approval, Chromalloy service centers in Arizona and Nevada are now authorized to provide turbine engine component repairs for the country's leading airlines, Japan Air Lines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA).

BASA allows for reciprocal safety certification of aircraft and aviation products, including the DER-approved repairs Chromalloy provides on turbine engine components.

Chromalloy appoints leader to Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing

Chromalloy has announced the appointment of ceramic coating industry expert James Whitton to lead the company's activities at the new Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM). Whitton joined Chromalloy in July as program manager for CCAM, of which the company is an Organizing Industry Member.

"As an engineer and expert in ceramic coatings and materials, James will be instrumental working with the CCAM research teams on development of new surface engineering, manufacturing processes and technologies," said Dr. Peter Howard, Vice President, Technology & Quality Assurance. "His role is critical to the CCAM mission to revolutionize manufacturing technologies."

CCAM is tasked with development of new manufacturing technologies and transference of the processes and automations from the research lab into the production environment. The center's Organizing Industry Members, led by Rolls-Royce - the turbine engine manufacturer, are from diverse industries and include Canon Virginia, Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Siemens and Sandvik. The center is a public/private partnership between Rolls-Royce, eight Organizing Industry Member companies and Virginia's leading public research facilities - the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech and Virginia State University.

Whitton previously worked at Barnes Aerospace, a division of Barnes Group Inc., where he was LEAN Leader, responsible for developing continuous improvement strategies for the global aerospace aftermarket operations. He earlier worked at UTC Power, a division of United Technologies, as Manager, Development Operations.

Prior to that Whitton worked at JDS Uniphase in development engineering. Earlier he worked within various groups at Pratt & Whitney on hot section coatings, component repairs and product development. Early in his career, Whitton worked at Chromalloy's Orangeburg, N.Y., advanced coating and repair center. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in ceramic engineering from Alfred University and is currently pursuing an MBA at the University of Massachusetts.

CCAM development began at Crosspointe in Prince George County, Va., earlier this year.

Construction on the 50,000-square-foot facility will be completed in 2012, on 20 acres adjacent to the site of the new Rolls-Royce's jet engine manufacturing facility.

CCAM will house computational and large-scale production labs, and open production space for heavy equipment and surface-coating processes, including a thermal spraying machine, a directed vapor deposition machine, integrated data acquisition systems and a thermal conductivity measurements system.

Generic research will be performed that will benefit each CCAM member company. Research will be directed by the CCAM Technical Advisory Council and supported by the center's industry operations board. Chromalloy and the other CCAM members can utilize the results of the research for their own companies' technical developments.

Chromalloy to exhibit at Asia's largest power generation event

Chromalloy's Industrial Gas Turbine (IGT)/aeroderivative turbine engine services business is preparing to exhibit at the largest power generation gathering in Asia. The 2011 POWER-GEN Asia Conference & Exposition will be held September 27-29 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. POWER-GEN Asia will be co-located with the Renewable Energy World Asia Conference & Expo at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

Chromalloy will exhibit turbine engine service solutions including advanced repairs for IGT/aeroderivative turbines, protective barrier coatings and reengineered parts. Also on exhibit will be the company's Tiger Monitoring and Diagnostic System, which enables turbine operators to reduce maintenance costs by providing 24/7 remote monitoring, early troubleshooting and detection to identify unscheduled events.

POWER-GEN Asia and Renewable Energy World Asia attract attendees across the region from utilities, government and industries including power generation, transmission, distribution and renewable energy. Organizers anticipate 200 exhibiting companies and more than 6,000 attendees.

The event includes an exhibit hall and series of conference workshops and seminars. Featured will be power plant technical tours on the day before the event begins, followed by a series of presentations each day by industry and government experts. Registration and information is available at www.powergenasia.com.