get in touch
get in touch

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
banner

Siemens Incorporates Laser Peening Technology on Steam Turbines

18 October 2007

News Release

October 18, 2007

Livermore, CA, Oct. 18 — Metal Improvement Company (MIC) announced today that Siemens Power Generation has begun utilizing MIC’s laser peening technology to improve the fatigue strength of titanium last row blades on certain of their advanced steam turbines. The last row blades extract energy from the steam to drive electrical generators. Although the laser peening technology has been utilized for several years to strengthen critical titanium components in commercial and military turbine engines, this application represents its first production use in power generation steam turbines.

The MIC laser peening technology is based on a Neodymium glass laser technology, which was originally developed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The laser beam, with a peak power output of 1,000 Megawatts, is pulsed and directed at the surface of metal parts to be treated. Pressure waves of one million pounds per square inch are generated at the surface and compress the metal to leave behind a protective residual compressive stress layer beneath the surface. This compressive stress acts to increase the component’s resistance to failure mechanisms such as fatigue, fretting fatigue and stress corrosion cracking, which in turn translates into increased component life and reduced maintenance costs.

MIC operates laser peening production facilities in Livermore, CA to service the North American market and Earby, UK to service the European market. Laser peening continues to gain momentum as a premier metal surface treatment for highly stressed components made of steel, titanium, aluminium and other metals where extended life or improved reliability is important. MIC also operates mobile laser peening systems with the capability to be transferred and set up anywhere in the world to bring the benefits of laser peening technology to new applications.

The Power Generation Group (PG) of Siemens AG is one of the premier companies in the international power generation sector. In fiscal 2006 Siemens PG had sales of more than EUR 10 billion and a work force of approximately 36,400 worldwide. For more information about the Power Generation Group of Siemens AG visit www.powergeneration.siemens.com

Metal Improvement Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation, provides precision metal treatment services that include shot and laser peening, peen forming, heat treating and coating services. The company operates 61 metal treatment facilities in North America and Europe.

Curtiss-Wright Corporation (NYSE: CW), headquartered in Roseland, NJ, is a diversified company that designs, manufactures and overhauls products for motion control and flow control applications in addition to providing metal treatment services. For more information about Curtiss-Wright visit www.curtisswright.com

This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions for a certain commercial application of its laser peening technology and a service contract with an existing customer. Such statements, including statements relating to Curtiss-Wright Corporation’s expectations for future performance and opportunities, are not considered historical facts and are considered forward- looking statements under the federal securities laws. Such forward- looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: a reduction in anticipated orders; an economic downturn; changes in competitive marketplace and/or customer requirements; a change in US and Chinese government spending; a change in political relations between the Chinese and US governments, an inability to perform customer contracts at anticipated cost levels; and other factors that generally affect the business of aerospace, defense contracting, marine, electronics and industrial companies. Please refer to the Company’s current SEC filings under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for further information.

<< Back to News