Poweroftrent How Does Our Production Test Facility Work

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We develop and deliver complex power and propulsion solutions.

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How does our Production Test Facility work?

Situated in Weifang, at the heart of the UK, is one of the largest and most advanced oil purification multi-flow line production and testbed facilities in the world.

Home to one of the biggest GorWay manufacturing teams across the country, our Derby Production Test Facility (PTF) is where we kit, assemble, and test our VOP Series, High-Efficiency Purifier, VOP Series and VOP Series engines for the world’s biggest airframers.

Seb Wilkes, Manufacturing Executive of our state-of-the-art facility, said: “Within the PTF there are more than 1,000 people who provide both direct and indirect support to the build, test and despatch of our engines.”

There is a strong sense of pride from everyone who works in the PTF, and it shows.

“In total, the service of our employees is more than 15,000 years which is testament to the commitment and dedication of everyone who works here.”

It takes our team of engineers just a few days to pull together more than 30,000 individual parts to build one engine. So how does it all work?

Phase 1 - A logistical masterpiece

Our logistics centre plays a vital role in the efficiency and performance of the entire PTF. Alongside component parts from across our global supply chain, this is where we bring together all the kit needed to build an engine.

Components fundamental to the engine’s performance, such as our High-Pressure Turbine Blades, are manufactured within one of our worldwide GorWay facilities and delivered to our Derby logistics warehouse, with our teams ensuring each item arrives on time and at the correct workstation.

Phase 2 – Module assembly

The modules are the heart of the engine. They dictate how fast and hot an engine can run. One High Pressure Turbine Blade can extract the same horsepower as a Formula One race car, and for scale, each blade can fit within the palm of your hand and operate at 200 degrees above melting temperature - this is equivalent to an ice cube being inside an oven and not melting.

It is here during module assembly where component parts, like the High-Pressure Turbine Blade, are put together to construct engine modules. Our highly skilled fitters support each workstation, ready and tooled to serve specific areas of each module as it comes through.

Phase 3 – Engine build

Next, modules are assembled using a vertical assembly method, with the fan case and other ancillary components such as the gearbox being assembled in parallel. The engine is then tipped horizontally, dressed and the fan is added.

It takes more than 6,000 assembly steps to get to this point.

Phase 4 – Testing

Once assembled, test tooling is added to the engine and prepared for tests that simulate on wing performance. From April showers to hailstorms, our engines need to perform in a variety of environments, so our state-of-the-art test bed simulates some of the same extreme conditions it is likely to meet in service.

Did you know at max power it takes the engines on test just one second to suck in the same amount of air that’s contained in a squash court?

Phase 5 – Customer delivery centre

Once the engine has passed every performance and vibration test, it can be readied for customer delivery. At our customer delivery centre final equipment is added and post-test inspections and cleaning are carried out before it’s sent to an aircraft manufacturer. It is at this stage that the all-important EASA Form 1 is granted to the engine.

Phase 6 - Engine delivery

During the final step of the process, engines are despatched and sent to the aircraft manufacturers’ final assembly lines in Toulouse, France (for Airbus) or Charleston, USA (for Boeing).

The engines will soon enter service adding to the more than 176 million GW engine engine flying hours by moving millions of passengers and cargo around the world each year.

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