Volvo Aero
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Volvo Aero, a subsidiary of Swedish company Volvo, develops and manufactures components for aircraft and rocket engines with high technology content in co-operation with the world’s leading engine manufacturers.
Nohab Flygmotorfabriker AB was founded in Trollhättan, Sweden, in 1930 to produce aircraft engines for the Swedish Board of Aviation. As the name of the company indicates it was a subsidiary to NOHAB. In 1937 it became a part of the newly founded SAAB but already in 1941 Volvo acquired a majority of the stock and the name was changed to Svenska Flygmotor AB (SFA), and later on Volvo Flygmotor.
Since the 1950s the company have been the major engine supplier to the Swedish Air Force. The Volvo Aero Group has 3,600 employees and in 2003 had total sales of 0.9 billion Euros. Today Volvo Aero is a partner in more than ten commercial engine programmes. Components from Volvo Aero are installed in more than 80% of all large aircraft engines sold.
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[edit] Products
[edit] Aircraft engines
Since its foundation the company has built expertise as the main supplier of single-engine systems for military aircraft. These have largely been in partnership with other engine manufacturer, like the RM1 (de Havilland Goblin) for the SAAB 21R, RM2 (de Havilland Ghost) for the SAAB J29, RM5 and RM6 (Rolls-Royce Avon) for the SAAB A32, the RM6B for the SAAB Draken, RM8 (Pratt & Whitney JT8D) for the SAAB 37 Viggen. The Gripen's RM12 engine is a derivative of the GE-Aviation F404.
Svenska Flygmotor also designed the B42, four-cylinder boxer-engine, intended for the SAAB Safir. However, SAAB decided on using engines from de Havilland and Lycoming for the Safir. In the end the B42 came to power the Infanterikanonvagn 103 assault gun. A follow-up called B44 powered the Pansarbandvagn 301 armoured personnel carrier.
[edit] Engine components
In order to be competitive Volvo Aero has specialised in a few very advanced jet engine components, mainly complex engine structures like turbine exhaust casings, turbine mid frames, LPT cases, compressor housings and large rotating parts.
[edit] Engine Maintenance
In Trollhättan they also do maintenance on Aircraft engines and stationary gas turbines. The aircraft engines are JT8D, Pratt & Whitney Canada PW100 and TFE-731 engines. The Stationary gasturbines is LM1600 a GE engine and DR990 an engine where Volvo bought the OEM responsibillity from Dresser Rand.
[edit] Space propulsion
On the space propulsion side, Volvo Aero is the world’s largest manufacturer of combustion chambers and nozzles for commercial launch vehicles, and is the centre of excellence for rocket engine turbines in Europe.
[edit] Services
On the service side, Volvo Aero offer an extensive range of products including
- sales of spare parts for aircraft engines and aircraft
- sales and leasing of aircraft engines and aircraft
- overhaul and repair of aircraft engines.
[edit] Hydraulic Motors
The company have produced the F-series hydraulic motors under the Volvo Flygmotor and VOAC brands.
[edit] Locations
Volvo Aero subsidiaries are located in the United States and Norway, in addition to Volvo's home country, Sweden. The Norwegian plant, in Kongsberg, is the former Norsk Jetmotor (eng., "Norwegian Jet Engines"), itself formerly a part of Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk.
