Aerodynamics/Performance

As a cradle-to-grave provider, the aerodynamics and performance group at Kratos develops innovative turbine designs, as well as upgrades existing designs to improve both performance and durability. They strive to develop high-performance engine designs and work closely with other disciplines, conducting in-depth analyses to provide boundary conditions, upgrade existing designs, develop clean sheet designs, and solve field problems.

Combustion

The combustion discipline group designs, develops, and tests combustion systems for small aero and industrial gas turbine engines. The combustor and fuel nozzle systems are developed via analytical, computational, and experimental methods with in-house and commercial tools.

Heat Transfer

The heat transfer team members are experienced turbomachinery specialists who push the boundaries of innovative cooling technologies to deliver higher cooling effectiveness at minimal cost. The heat transfer engineers are known experts in their field and are proficient thermal designers for turbine blades, vanes, and all other flowpath components, as well as secondary air systems.

Manufacturing Support

At Kratos, manufacturing suppliers are key members of the integrated product teams. Kratos maintains an approved supplier list with more than 300 suppliers qualified and monitored for quality on a quarterly basis. Kratos selects manufacturing suppliers early in the design process to ensure a low-cost, producible design, and to promote supplier ownership.

In addition, the manufacturing support services include quality assurance. Kratos’ quality management system follows the American Society for Quality – American National Standard. National Quality Assurance (NQA) is the qualifying agent. Kratos' FTT group is ISO 9000 certified for design and analysis, assembly, and test, as well as AS9100 certified. Kratos is committed to delivering high-quality products and services to customers and adheres to strict in-house quality policies that include significant project documentation.

Mechanical Design

At Kratos, designers are degreed mechanical and aerospace engineers who work closely with specialists in other engineering disciplines to achieve optimized, low-risk, low life cycle cost solutions for complex engineering problems. Kratos involves designers at every step of a project – from conceiving solution ideas, evaluating trade space concepts, and selecting the preferred approach, to leading the engineering team in analysis, product definition, manufacturing, instrumentation, and assembly.

Kratos mechanical designers have specific expertise in compressor airfoils, cooled and uncooled turbine airfoils, cryogenic pumps, combustors, inlets, exhaust systems, rotors, bearings, gears, and casings. The “roundtable” design process, mentoring programs, and internal reviews ensure that all the company’s experience is brought to bear on each project while maintaining exceptional value for customers.

Mechanical Systems and Controls

The mechanical systems and controls group at Kratos designs and develops all aspects of advanced control systems, including rotor support systems, engine controls, fuel systems, lubrication designs, bearing designs, and generator designs. The team combines multi-disciplinary feedback to develop low-cost robust system and controls component designs and is familiar with industry best products and standards to provide state-of-the-art solutions for effective overall engine development.

Product Definition

Kratos’ product definition group offers exceptional experience in modeling, drafting, and other supporting roles. The team members have an average of more than 22 years of turbomachinery experience on components, including airfoils, actuation systems, bearings, combustors, compressors, gearboxes, disks, and shafts. Engineers are encouraged to regularly attend software user conferences and additional training to stay current on technology upgrades.

Structural Analysis

Kratos’ structures group supports the integrated product teams with structural design and analysis. Team members utilize in-house developed design tools and best-practice methods to help ensure the accuracy of analyses while compressing schedules. The in-house testing facilities include state-of-the-art equipment, such as low- and high-frequency shakers, laser holography, and stress pattern analysis by thermal emission (SPATE) infrared camera.