Snecma orders three state-of-the-art thermal treatment furnaces from CMI

CMI Industry Metals will supply 3 thermal treatment furnaces to Snecma (France), a multinational aircraft and rocket engine manufacturer for civil and military aircraft, launch vehicles and satellites, and part of Safran group.

The CMI full-range supply will be featuring 2 hardening furnaces and the associated quench tanks, as well as 1 tempering furnace. It also encompasses a comprehensive range of  services that includes planning, design, manufacture, assembly, commissioning and training. An optimized equipment design using numerical simulations and dedicated mathematical models, as well as easy operator interfaces, secure systems management programmes, and precise process control to reach optimum heat curves and temperature uniformity, are major elements of the CMI solution.

TThis strategic project aims to expand the customers automated heat treatment line located at their Gennevilliers plant, specialized in the forging, casting and machining of aircraft engine parts. The upgraded facility will allow to process high-performance special steels as well as Nickel-based and Titanium-based superalloys, that are required for the production of the customers new-generation of engines, notably CFM International’s advanced LEAP engine*.

“After the successful commissioning of a rotary hearth furnace at the same plant in 2014, this follow-on contract is a mark of confidence in CMI’s expertise”, explains Fabrice Orban, Vice-President CMI Industry Metals. “Meeting this deadline is a major challenge for both us and our customer, if we are to satisfy the inherent requirements in the LEAP production ramp-up.”

The new project is planned to be completed at the end of 2016.

* CFM International is a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran) and GE (General Electrics).