Alcoa has officially opened its state-of-the-art jet engine parts facility in La Porte, Indiana. The facility doubles Alcoa’s capacity in La Porte and provides new capabilities that broaden its reach in engines for large commercial aircraft. The new plant will meet growing demands from makers of best-selling jet engines, thereby increasing Alcoa’s value-added business in aerospace.
The new plant enables Alcoa to manufacture single piece structural parts—components that encase the rotating parts of an engine—that are nearly 60% larger than those already produced in La Porte. As an example, the new facility will supply structural components for the PurePower® and other engines under a 10-year, USD 1.1B contract with Pratt & Whitney announced last year.
The facility has the latest high-tech, advanced manufacturing equipment, including digital x-ray and blue light technology for enhanced quality assurance. It also 3D-prints resin patterns for metallic prototypes and uses automated casting furnaces with advanced controls to meet precise product specifications. The plant grows Alcoa’s value-added business in the soaring aerospace market and complements the company’s acquisition of TITAL, which has established its titanium structural casting capabilities in Europe.
