Cohort 2 Fundamentals of Airfoils

AIRFOIL COURSE LOGISTICS

Course Duration: Aug 4th - Aug 8th, 2025. 5 days (20 hours) -

Course Hours: 8:00 AM – 1200 PM (Eastern Time, US)

Cost: $1,250 per student

Instructor: Jeff Lancaster (Retd. PWA Airfoil Technical Fellow)

Instructor: Dr. William Cousins, (Retd. Raytheon Technologies Research Center Technical Fellow)

Instructor: Dr. Chittaranjan Sahay, University of Hartford

Instructor: Dr. Suhash Ghosh, University of Hartford

MATERIALS

Course slides supplied by University of Hartford

COURSE PREREQUISITE(S)

PW Certificate Course on Fundamentals of Manufacturing Metrology or Familiarity with the course contents

TARGET AUDIENCE

This course is geared towards Design/Manufacturing/Quality Engineers, CMM/Light Programmers,

Metrology specialists

COURSE OVERVIEW

This five-day program will start off by covering the fundamentals of airfoils including geometry and the influence of its function. In addition to current airfoil-based techniques, the course will also provide an overview of the next generation process (currently being transitioned to) focusing on the use of 3D Model based measurement, functional analysis codes, and multi-variant & principal component statistical analysis. The second day of the course will provide the student with some hands-on experience using CMM dimensional and geometrical inspection techniques.

COURSE OUTLINE

DAY 1: JET ENGINE & AIRFOIL BASICS

Part 1: Jet Engine Basics

Presented by: Jeff Lancaster, Retired PWA Fellow

• Basic Jet Engine Operation

• The Brayton Cycle

• Definitions of Compression Ratio, Compressor Ratio, & Engine Pressure Ratio

• The 3 Major Jet Engine Types (Video)

• Thrust Reversing (Video)

• Major Engine Modules

• The Standard Flight Cycle (example)

• Concept of Life Limited Parts & the Associated Role of Monitoring Flight Cycles

• Examples of Un-Contained Disk & Fan Blade Failures

• Root Causes for Airfoil Defects (many examples)

Part 2: Airfoil Geometry/Engine Performance, focus on Engine Components

Presented by: Dr. William Cousins, Retired PWA Fellow

• Fans, Compressors and Turbines

• Airfoil Loading and the Relationship to Stall & Surge

DAY 2: AIRFOIL ACCURACY & ENGINE OPERATION

Part 1: Airfoil Geometry/Engine Performance (continued)

Presented by: Dr. William Cousins, Retired PWA Fellow

• Airfoil geometry definitions - High and Low Speed Compressor and turbine airfoils

• Loading and Diffusion

• Compressor and Turbine maps

Part 2: Airfoil Basics

Presented by: Jeff Lancaster, Retired PWA Fellow

Fundamental Role of Airfoils in a Jet Engine

Jet Engine OEM 10 Year Goals and the Role Airfoils Play in Attaining Those Goals

The Industry 4.0 Technologies Required to Attain Those Goals

The Evolution of the Following Has Set the Stage for the Next Generation Industry 4.0 Based Processes:

- TSFC Reduction (example)

- Compression Ratio Increase (example)

- Reduced Core Size (example)

- Improved Fan Blade Design (example)

- Increased Turbine Inlet Temperatures (example)

- Increased Airfoil Cooling Efficiency (example

DAY 3: AIRFOIL MODELING BASICS

Presented by: Jeff Lancaster, Retired PWA Fellow

• Background (Some Jet Engine, NACA & Pratt History)

• Airfoil Section Parameter Terms & Definitions

• Compressor & Turbine Hardware Examples

• Compressor & Turbine Manufacturing Technologies (2 Videos)

• Details on Section Definition Using Ordered x,y,z Coordinates (examples)

• Airfoil Section Point Distribution Details (examples)

• The Airfoil Coordinate System

• Details on Airfoil Mathematical Fairing & 3D Modeling (examples)

• Impact of Geometric Variability on Axial Compressor Performance (MIT Paper Summary)

• Details on Airfoil Section Definition & Processing:

- The Compressor & Turbine Airfoil Types (Types 1, 2, 3, & 4) (examples)

- The 3 Airfoil Section Types (Planar, Conical & General) (examples)

- Sign Conventions (Sectional & Radial)

- The Design Hot-to-Cold Conversion Process

- Airfoil Stacking & Extrapolation (detailed examples)

• Details on Airfoil Section Definition & Processing (continued):

- Airfoil Section File Formats (examples)

- Section Parameters (Discretionary vs. Absolute) (examples)

- Important P&W Software Packages

- Airfoil Computerized Product Definition (CPD)

- F119 Jet Engine Hush House Video to End the Session

DAY 4: AIRFOIL METROLOGY BASICS

Presented by: Jeff Lancaster, Retired PWA Fellow

• Current Trends

• Common Airfoil Measurement Technologies (Video of Revo CMM)

• Non-contact Scanning (Structured Light, Lasers & CT) - (3 Videos)

• The 6 Point Nest

• The Next Generation Process

• Functional vs. Dimensional Analysis

• Integration of Process Capability, CPD Requirements & Engine Physics

• Process Capability Basics

• Unordered vs. Ordered Coordinates

• Some Important CMM Considerations

• Common Touch Probe Techniques & Associated Issues (examples)

• The Need for On-going Correlation Studies

• Software Modules Required for the Next Generation Processes

• Examples of Current 2D Airfoil Section Measurement Analysis

- Schematic of PWAirfoil System

- Other 2D Packages

- Details Best Fitting Techniques (examples)

- Univariate Reporting of Section Parameters

DAY 5: INDUSTRY 4.0, KEY P&W SOFTWARE DETAILS, COURSE WRAP-UP

Presented by: Jeff Lancaster, Dr. William Cousins, Dr. Ghosh (U-Hart), Dr. Sahay (U-Hart)

Part 1: Industry 4.0

• Evolution of the Modern Industrial Revolution

• Evolution of the Modern Industrial Revolution (Aerospace Perspective)

• Schematic of the Industry 4.0 Airfoil Manufacturing & Quality Management System

• Enhanced Functional Assessment Possible under Industry 4.0 (examples)

• Design for Variation Overview

• Basics of Principal Component & Multivariate Statistics

• Introduction to Net Inspect

• Introduction to AI Automation & IoT 2.0

• Benefits Offered by Industry 4.0

• Challenges Offered by Industry 4.0

• Example of Implementation of Several Industry 4.0 Technologies at P&W (Video)

• 2 Videos of the Robotics Revolution

Part 2: Detailed Overview of Key P&W Airfoil Software

Presented by: Jeff Lancaster, Dr. William Cousins, Dr. Ghosh (U-Hart), Dr. Sahay (U-Hart)

• Airfoil geometry and Airfoil

• PWAirfoil Measurement Analysis System

• USA Airfoil Section Fairing, Stacking, Interpolation, Extrapolation, and Hot-to-Cold Module

• Unigraphics NX Airfoil Apps (Airfoil Reader, Interactive Profile Generator, Section Measurement Plot Generator)

• Related P&W On-line Documentation

• Engineering Technical University (ETU) Documentation

Part 3: Course Wrap-up

Presented by: Jeff Lancaster, Dr. William Cousins, Dr. Ghosh (U-Hart), Dr. Sahay (U-Hart)

• Some Final Thoughts

• Wrap-up Discussion & Student Comments/Final Questions

• Completion of Course Evaluation Forms by Students (Mailed by students to Peter Teti by Internal P&W Mail)

• Course Completion Certificates will be mailed to students by Internal P&W Mail

CERTIFICATE IN FUNDAMENTALS OF AIRFOILS

Instructor Biographies

Jeff Lancaster

Mr. Lancaster is a consultant to the Aerospace Component Manufacturers and other aerospace companies. He is a retired Pratt & Whitney Technical Fellow and while at P&W he led the Development & Implementation of the Unified System of Airfoils (USA) as well as the Implementation of the PWAirfoil Measurement Analysis System both at PWA and throughout its entire airfoil supplier base. Jeff received his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin as well as M.S. Degrees in Engineering & Business Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY.

William Cousins, Ph.D.

Dr. Cousins retired as a Technical Fellow at United Technologies Research Center (UTRC), where he was responsible for maintaining the highest standards of technical excellence in turbomachinery design tools and testing methods are available to identify and realize business opportunities that will advance the innovation mission of UTRC. Specifically, Cousins provided leadership in project execution, technical direction, identification of strategic opportunities, leveraging of external relationships and staff technical guidance and mentoring. An active member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International, Cousins is an Associate Fellow of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and a Life Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and has sat on the Board of Governors of the ASME. Dr. Cousins earned B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech with extensive concentration in fluid mechanics and turbomachinery design, operability and stability.

Chittaranjan Sahay, Ph.D.

Dr. Sahay is the Vernon D. Roosa Professor of Manufacturing Engineering and serves as the Director of the Center for Manufacturing and Metrology at the University of Hartford. He also leads the Metrology Certificate Program. Dr. Sahay holds a doctorate degree in Machining from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

Suhash Ghosh, Ph.D.

Dr. Ghosh is an Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering and the Associate Director for the Center for Manufacturing and Metrology. He has taught many courses in Metrology and specializes in Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T). Dr. Ghosh holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Event Venue

Online