Gas Turbine Materials-Coatings, Product Development and Processes - Materials Industry Expert

Expertise

Summary

Materials researcher and manager providing many years of diverse managerial and technical experience in process and product development, primarily with companies requiring “world class” level of product quality, including wide experience in gas turbine materials and coatings.

New processes development and introduction into production.  Specific areas of knowledge in chemical vapor deposition; oxidation and corrosion; diffusion coatings; thermal barrier coatings; compressor coatings; alloy development; single crystal casting, and powder metallurgy disks,

Project development, project finance; conceptual design; project management; process improvement; vendor relations; technical writing; verbal written communication, and organizational leadership.  Experienced with DOD and DOE programs.

Research:  Total of eleven issued patents in Ceramic Matrix Composite Coatings, diffusion coatings, directional and single crystal casting, and sensor control of plasma spray.

• Gas turbine coatings (diffusion and plasma spray coatings).
• Gas turbine repair, (coatings, mechanical behavior, brazing).
• Gas Turbine Materials (Nickel and Cobalt Base Alloys).
• Quality (materials control laboratory).
• Directional solidification turbine blades and vanes. Performed pioneering work in the development of casting processes.
• Single crystal solidification turbine blades and vanes. Performed pioneering work in the development of casting processes.
• Thermal barrier coatings. Performed development and testing of plasma and electron beam physical vapor deposition electron beam thermal barrier coatings.
• Coatings for ceramic matrix composites. Developed an abradable coating for ceramic matrix composites.
• Powder metallurgy disks. Developed alloys for new powder metallurgy disks.
• Mechanical behavior tensile, low cycle, high cycle, thermal mechanical fatigue, creep, and ductility.
• Hot Corrosion – Principal investigator in a US NAVY program to develop coatings for oxidation, hot corrosion resistance. Optimized mechanical and environmental properties.
• Worked with University of Virginia to develop a shortened test procedure for salt spray.
• Automation of plasma spray coating processes. Worked on the development acoustic sensors, artificial intelligence in optimization of coating processes.

Experience

G.T.M. & C.S, President, 2020 - Present 

• Abradable coatings for gas turbines – Rub testing parameters for abradable coatings.
• Recommended coatings for corrosion/erosion resistance of stainless-steel compressor blades.
• Plasma spray adaptive control paper.
• Determined CMAS, (Calcia Magnesia Alumina Silicates) mitigations for thermal barrier coatings.
• Recommended automated inspection system of fluorescent penetrant inspection.
• Process development of diffusion coatings.

Rolls-Royce Corporation, Indianapolis, IN, 2005 - 2022

Consultant, 2017 - 2202                         

• Developed abradable coatings for ceramic matrix composites.
• Developed processes for diffusion coatings, plasma spray, and thermal barrier coatings.
• Developed hot corrosion resistant coatings under an Office of NAVAL research project.
• Performed mechanical testing of hot corrosion resistant coatings under Office of Naval: Research project, (i.e., fatigue, creep, thermal mechanical fatigue, and ductility etc.)
• Participated in research with Purdue University, University of Virginia, and MIT.
• Participated in global projects with RR Global i.e. Great Britain and Germany.

Manager Surface Technology, 2005 - 2017                

• Work on CMAS (Calcia Magnesia Alumina Silicates) resistance thermal barrier coatings resulted in several patents
• Work on automated control of plasma spray resulted in several patents
• Developed ceramic matrix composite coatings work resulted in a patent
• As manager of Surface Technology performed project development, road mapping, project management, finance, management of individual contributors, approval of reports
• Participated in many critical manufacturing issues both internally and at vendors which threatened shipments of RR engines
• Instituted statistical techniques to “trouble shoot” coatings processes and developed parameters for a “robust” process for coating development.
• Developed a new CVD coating which saved Rolls-Royce $500K/year

Alstom Turbine Technology, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, 1997 - 2005

Materials Discipline Lead, 2001 - 2005

• Directed materials activity of turbine blade/vane design team involving single crystals and advanced thermal barrier coatings.
• Lead a cross-functional design team which analyzed reconditioning processes for turbine blades/vanes and shrouds.
• Interfaced with gas turbine group in Switzerland.
• As leader of reconditioning team helped to establish reconditioning processes for four turbine components including remaining lifetime calculations. Savings in excess of $1 million.
• Oversaw work of mechanical integrity engineers to perform “state of the art” aero lifing and materials technologies to industrial gas turbines.

Materials Team Leader/Principal Consulting Engineer, Windsor CT, 1997 - 2001

• Directed multiple project teams engaged in the design and development of projects in the area of coatings and superalloys.
• Teams were responsible for the full development cycle, including: conceptual development; feasibility study; prototype development; project scheduling and deadlines.
• Developed strategy for materials group.
• Obtained patent on an advanced TBC bond coat
• Oversaw the work of a boiler mechanical integrity group

Asea Brown Boveri, Windsor CT, Senior Consulting Engineer, 1992 - 1997

• Wrote proposals to DOE, (Department of Energy) which resulted in a program on coatings and defect evaluations in gas turbines. Principal investigator on DOE project
• Performed research in diffusion coatings which resulted in a non-equilibrium diffusion model for chromizing, which improved quality.
• Established cost reductions in production processes.

General Electric Company, Cincinnati Ohio, Coatings Engineer. 1988 - 1992                          

• Identified and implemented programs in pack diffusion and chemical vapor deposition.
• Developed parameters for gaseous fluoride cleaning facility to eliminate corrosion products from engine run hardware.
•  Developed a computer model for chemical vapor deposition reducing experimentation required.
• Established process for coating shrouds using a tape with activator.

Staff Engineer, 1985 - 1988

•  Performed in two progressively responsible roles with this globally respected manufacturer.  Coordinated programs.  Generated budgets and cost justification.
•  Managed multiple, simultaneous projects.  Oversaw programs in diffusion coatings, providing technical oversight and leadership for engineers and technicians.
•  Performed process development of platinum aluminide coatings and introduction into manufacturing.
•  Instituted a formal coatings training program for major clients (Air France, Japan Airlines, United Airlines).
•  Team Leader on a cross-functional team which developed a coating (SVPA) process to reduce costs by 30%.

TRW, Minerva, Ohio, 1978 - 1984

Quality Control Manager, 1983 - 1984

•  Established systems and procedures for quality control and an audit plan for compliance.  Continued the supervision of the Materials Control Lab.
• Optimized mechanical properties of superalloys through statistical analysis and established specific aim ”chemistries” for alloys and coordinated the functions of various QC groups.

Control Lab Manager, 1981 - 1983       

•  Directed a laboratory which performed chemical analysis, mechanical testing and metallography on castings and raw materials.
• Improved foundry yields by chemistry modifications of superalloys reducing porosity and hot tears.

 Resear0ch Metallurgist, 1978 - 1981

•  Worked on development of single crystal technology.  Wrote proposals to government agencies.
•  Analyzed Obtained multi-million-dollar contract with Air Force to develop single crystal technology with small engine manufacturers.
• Managed subcontractors.
• Developed seed technology to cast single crystal turbine blades.
• Developed novel single crystal methods which resulted in a patent.

Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, 1973 - 1978            

Materials Engineer West Palm Beach, FL, 1976 - 1978

•  Involved in alloy development of powder metallurgy which used superplastic forging.
• Characterized structure-property relationships of alloys using tensile, creep and LCF testing.

 Materials Engineer, East Hartford, CT, 1973 - 1976

•  Performed research on solidification and single crystal technology, at an early stage in these studies. 
• Worked on turbine blade and vane programs to improve properties using hot isostatic pressing.
• Worked on investment shell system to eliminate   defects in directional which resulted in a patent.
•  Developed techniques for casting single crystal blades.

Honors & Publications

Languages 

• English
• Ukrainian

Academic and Professional Affiliations

• ASM (American Society for Materials), Chairman Indianapolis Chapter
• Sigma Tau Engineering Honorary 

Awards 

• Received Rolls-Royce award for Engineering Excellence Award for Creativity, Engineering Excellence, and Research Preeminence.
• GE award for Innovations
• RR Award for $500k/yr. savings on a new coating

 Publications and Patents

Author of numerous publications presented in peer reviewed journals, magazines, and instructional text, with subjects in:

• Aero-Engine Turbine Materials
• Evaluation of High-Temperature Coatings
• Integrated Mathematical Model of the Plasma Spraying

Inventor of eleven patents in the areas:

• Bond Layer for Ceramics
• Thermal Spray Diagnostics
• Silicate-Abradable Layer

Education

• M.S.   Materials Science, Metallurgy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
•  B.E.   Metallurgical Engineering, Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH