Miba’s sputter technology awarded Supplier Gold Certificate by Pratt & Whitney
July 14, 2021
Miba AG, Laakirchen, Austria, reports that its sputter technology has been awarded the Supplier Gold Certificate by aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney. After fifteen months of submission work, the certificate was awarded after meeting the following four criteria: quality, resource management, lean implementation and process management.
The sputter process developed by Miba Gleitlager reportedly leads to 16% less fuel consumption, 75% less noise and 50% less CO2 emissions in aircraft turbines. The jury, chaired by Martin Geaudreau, Senior Director of Pratt & Whitney, recognised Miba’s ten years of research and development work with the award.
Hakima Benouada, Supplier Development Leader at P&W, stated, “At Miba, I have seen a company that shows a very open-minded attitude. People are always looking for improvements.”
Miba explains that the gears in aircraft turbine gearboxes are coated using Miba sputter technology, and this patented technology enables a new type of turbine design. This is said to make the turbine more efficient, environmentally friendly and quieter.
So far, a total of 15,000 coated gears have been installed in more than 3,000 turbines, meaning that currently more than 1,500 aircraft (A220, A320NEO & Embraer) are already significantly quieter, more environmentally friendly and require less fuel.
In November 2020, the sputter technology was also awarded the Upper Austrian State Prize for Radical Innovation for outstanding achievements.
