Life cycle assessment for milling of Ti- and Ni-based alloy aero engine components

Motivation: Aero engine optimization focuses on reducing emissions during operation. Resource extraction and manufacturing are considered insufficiently. An LCA of resource extraction and machining for aero engine components comparing a Ti-alloy and a Ni-alloy was conducted. Method: Aero engine components were manufactured comparing a Ti-alloy and a Ni-alloy. Results: Machining mostly affects climate change, water use, resource depletion and human toxicity. The Ni-alloy showed an overall higher environmental impact than the Ti-alloy. Conclusion: Raw material, tool life and energy usage significantly contribute to environmental impacts. Further investigation should focus on tool life travel path optimization and reducing raw material.