Hitachi Metals : Manufacture Certification of Nickel Alloy Large Rotating Parts for Aircraft Engines

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December 18, 2017 Hitachi Metals, Ltd.

Manufacture Certification of Nickel Alloy Large Rotating Parts for Aircraft Engines

As a supplier of large rotating parts used for commercial aircraft engines, Hitachi Metals, Ltd. (hereinafter, "Hitachi Metals") was certified by IHI Corporation (hereinafter, "IHI"), one of the leading manufacturers of these engines. The first product is scheduled to deliver in April 2018.

Hitachi Metals aims to achieve further growth in the global market by executing growth strategies for the aircraft and energy materials business. As part of such efforts, Hitachi Metals has been making large-scale investments in Yasugi Works (Yasugi, Shimane Prefecture), its main manufacturing plant. These include a 24-ton vacuum induction melting , a 10,000-ton class free forging press, and a high speed radial forging machine. The investments will further strengthen the Specialty Steel Company. In addition, Hitachi Metals established Japan Aeroforge, Ltd. (Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture; hereinafter, "JForge"), with Kobe Steel, Ltd., and others in 2011, investing in a 50,000-ton hydraulic forging press-one of the largest in the world. In addition, Hitachi Metals MMC Superalloy, Ltd. (hereinafter, "Hitachi Metals MMC Superalloy"), which has an extensive track record and technological capabilities in the aircraft materials area, increased its product competitiveness by newly installing an 840-ton ring rolling mill and three large heat treatment furnaces. In October 2017, Hitachi Metals consolidated Hitachi Metals MMC Superalloy as a wholly-owned subsidiary. Furthermore, Hitachi Metals established the NIMS-Hitachi Metals Next-Generation Materials Development Center jointly with the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) in July 2016 towards the commercialization of the next-generation super heat resistant alloys. These are some of our steady efforts in implementing measures aimed at achieving further growth.

In line with these efforts, Hitachi Metals has acquired certification from IHI as a supplier of large rotating parts of nickel alloy for aircraft engines.

Large rotating parts of nickel alloy are required to have very high quality as they are mainly used for the high-temperature side of jet engines for aircraft. Hitachi Metals will be in charge of product process design of the certified large rotating parts of nickel alloy which will be forged at JForge. The first delivery of products is scheduled in April 2018.

Hitachi Metals will endeavor to deliver revenues of 60 billion yen from the aircraft and energy business in fiscal 2025 by pushing forward with initiatives to boost product competitiveness while continuing to acquire further customer accreditation in the future.

■ Reference: Certified product (Large rotating part of nickel alloy)

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