Case Studies
Morgan Electro Ceramics provides material expertise for G.E. Aviation (formerly Smiths Aerospace)
Leading manufacturer of electro ceramic material solutions, Morgan Electro Ceramics, has been awarded a manufacturing contract by G.E. Aviation (formerly Smiths Aerospace), the aerospace equipment and systems company. Morgan Electro Ceramics has been supplying G.E. Aviation with its piezoelectric ceramic sub-assembly for fuel-level sensors since the early 90’s but will now also be responsible for the manufacture of the full sensors at its facilities in the UK.
“We have sub-contracted this part of the process to enable us (G.E. Aviation) to focus on the design and manufacture of fuel systems that we provide for all our customers,” explains Martin Kirkham, Manufacturing Systems Manager, G.E. Aviation. “We chose Morgan Electro Ceramics because of its expertise with the material involved and its process capabilities. We trusted them to take over the process quickly and seamlessly and I’m delighted to say that this was achieved.”
The sensors, which form part of the 60 ultrasonic fuel-level probes found in each fuel system of the Boeing 777 aircraft, include Morgan Electro Ceramics’ PZT5A2 piezoceramic material. This robust ceramic was originally developed for industrial applications but the temperature stability of the piezoceramic material makes it ideal for the aerospace environment. Further, Morgan Electro Ceramics' high precision engineering capability ensures consistent and reliable production and functional testing (echo response) to meet the required quality standards for G.E. Aviation.
“This successful transition of the production process proves that we have more than just materials expertise to offer our customers,” comments Tony Beswick, General Manager, Morgan Electro Ceramics. “Our applications engineering and our manufacturing techniques are second to none, and I’m confident that we can continue to add value to our customer’s processes.”
Morgan Electro Ceramics is a division of Morgan Technical Ceramics that supplies the aerospace industry with a range of materials and expertise for applications including instrumentation and control systems, engine monitoring, missile guidance systems and aero-engine manufacture and repair.
About Morgan Electro Ceramics
As a subsidiary of The Morgan Crucible Company, MEC forms part of the Morgan Technical Ceramics Group. The Group includes Morgan Advanced Ceramics and from manufacturing locations in North America, Europe and Asia, it supplies an extensive range of products, including ceramic components, braze alloys, ceramic/metal assemblies and engineered coatings.
For more information on Morgan Electro Ceramics contact us.
First fuel level sensor to use piezoceramic material used in new Ford GT
06-02-2004
Morgan Electro Ceramics, a leading manufacturer of electro ceramic material solutions, has provided materials expertise and product for a new fuel-level sensor being used in the 2005-model Ford GT. The fuel sensor is the first in the automotive industry to use a piezoceramic material, and forms part of a highly innovative fuel tank system developed for the GT by TI Automotive, the world’s leading provider in the supply of fluid storage and delivery systems for the automotive industry.
The first-of-its-kind fuel tank encloses fuel pumps, level sensors and other components inside a blow-moulded plastic fuel tank with only one or two openings in its shell – compared to the six or seven usually required. This new technology, which TI Automotive call ‘SIB’ (Ship In a Bottle), significantly reduces the evaporative emissions and provides additional space for a larger fuel tank - such as that required by the GT’s 500-horsepower engine.
“Float gauges are the most common method of level measurement in automotive applications,” explains John Forgue of TI Automotive. “But these aren’t ideal for high performance vehicles. There is a lot of movement within the tank and float-based sensors simply can’t deliver as accurate a reading as the ultrasonic equivalent.”
The sensor is installed at the bottom of the interior of the fuel tank. An electric current is sent to the piezoceramic material, which responds to the current by oscillating. This then sends a sound wave into the liquid that returns to the transducer registering the current fuel level based on a ‘time of flight’ measurement.
TI Automotive chose Morgan Electro Ceramics’ PZT5A2 piezoceramic material for its sensor because of several key advantages. A compact, solid-state transducer, it does not have any moving parts. It has proven robustness within harsh fuel environments, having been used in industrial applications for more than 50 years.
“Morgan Electro Ceramics has a solid track record in producing a range of innovative materials for automotive applications,” explains John Forgue, Principal Engineer at TI Automotive. We chose to work with them because we knew we could rely on their knowledge and expertise to deliver the best material for our requirements. We also know they are able to deal on a global level which reflects our interests in North America and Europe.”