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About Company::History

History

In developing the world aviation industry a particular role belongs to the State Enterprise Zaporozhye Machine-Building Design Bureau Progress named after Academician A.G. Ivchenko. By right – this is the Company, which for 60 years has been involved in design of engines to power aircraft and helicopters of various types, and also drives and special equipment of industrial application. For this period of time more than 55000 aviation piston and gas turbine engines, turbine starters and drives of industrial application produced were by the engine manufacturers.

On May 5, 1945, under the People’s Comissar of Aviation Industry A. I. Shakhurin’s order No. 193 an experimental and design bureau was established at OKB-478 plant to design new and update earlier designed aero engines of medium and low power for civil aviation. A regular designer Alexander Georgiyevich Ivchenko was appointed to be a Chief of the OKB (Experimental Design Bureau) who later on (in 1963) became a Designer General of the Enterprise. The backbone of the new design bureau comprised the experienced specialists of the engine-manufacturing plant, which had passed a splendid school of design and development of aeroengines ranged from М-11 to М-88B and ASh 82FN. In 1966 the enterprise was renamed to Progress Zaporozhye Machine-Building Design Bureau (ZMDB). Since 1994 the enterprise is named after Academician A.G. Ivchenko.

Outstanding designers headed Progress Zaporozhye Machine-building Design Bureau (ZMDB) as follows:

By 1946 the M-26GR engine (provided with a reduction gear to power helicopters) with a power of 500 hp was designed at Experimental Design Bureau. It was the first in the world air-cooled piston engine specially designed to power helicopters. The engine was designated АI-26GR (“AI”-Alexander Ivchenko).

The AI-26GR prototype engine and its updated versions: AI-26GRF and AI-26GRFL rated at 550ehp and 575ehp, accordingly, were installed on I.P. Bratukhin Yak-100 helicopters. Nearly 1300 units of AI-26 engines were produced in total.

Most of the first soviet prototype and production helicopters were powered by helicopter piston engines designed by Zaporozhye OKB-478.

Beginning from 1947 the experimental works on a development of 80 hp AI-10 light engines (a 5-cylinder star with air cooling) for Yak-20 training and sporting aircraft were started. Were produced only 2 prototype aircraft. In 1948 the AI-4G engine rated at 55 hp was designed to power ship-based Ka-10 observation and liaison helicopters. These engines were under low-scale production.

A unique AI-14 engine was also developed in 1948. Its aircraft version, AI-14R - air-cooled nine-cylinder radial engine with a reduction gear and supercharger rated at 265 ehp powered a number of Yak-12 and Yak-18 aircraft versions. These airplanes were both of training and combat application. 12000 units of the engine were serially produced in the USSR, Poland and China. This engine was also installed on STOL An-14 Bee. Up to date the engines of AI-14 family designated M-14 power Yakovlev and Sukhoy light trainers, aerobatics, executive and agricultural aeroplanes and are under operation in many countries of the world.

Kamov ship-based multy-purpose Ka-15 and Ka-18 helicopters were powered by a helicopter engine version, AI-14V, rated at 255-180 hp. Totally 465 units were manufactured.

Particularly successful was the cooperation of our enterprise with the M.L Mill’s Design Bureau. Within a short period of time designed was and tested the Mi-1 helicopter powered by the AI-26V engine rated at 575 hp, developed in 1953. The helicopter has had more than ten modified versions, and has had both civil and combat application. Its production was developed in two countries, USSR and Poland, and manufactured were totally 2700 units.

Since 1953 the ОКБ has started works on a development of gas turbine engines. The first work in this direction was the development of a powerful turbine starter, TS-12, for the NK-12 turboprop engine that was developed at the state experimental plant No. 276 headed by N.D. Kuznetsov. Powered were by these engines both passenger transports Tu-114 and combat transports and special-purpose airplanes An-22, Tu-95, Tu-126, Тu-142.

To gain an experience in design and development of gas turbine engines the TV-2F engine and technical documents to it were delivered by N.D. Kuznetsov’s DB. In 1954 our Company developed a modified version of this engine designated TV-2T with a maximum power of 6250ehp to power An-8 (P) prototype transport aircraft. A development batch of 7 engines was manufactured.

In 1955 another modified engine version, designated TV-2VK, was developed at the enterprise and featured a maximum power of 5900 ehp, and specific reduction gearbox to drive pusher and tractor propellers of the largest in the world N.I. Kamov Ka-22 rotorcraft. The world’s records of flight speed and altitude were established. The engines were installed on the first unit of Ka-22.

In 1957 a single-shaft turboprop engine, AI-20, successfully passed the official tests. This was an engine of simple design, maintainable and inexpensive in production, with a high operational reliability. It was the first home-manufactured gas turbine engine having a long service life. For many years its modifications AI-20A (of four series), AI-20D (of five series), AI-20K, AI-20M ranged from 4000 to 5250 ehp were successfully operated on the passenger airplanes An-10, Il-18 and on AF’s airplanes An-8, Il-20, Il-22, Il-38. Today they power An-12, Аn-32, Be-12 and Il-38 aircraft. In the course of their operation achieved were TBO of 8000 h and assigned service life of 20000 h with AI-20M engine. Manufactured were about 14000 AI-20 engines of all versions.

In 1957 the AI-7 engine with a maximum thrust of 60kgf was designed for the experimental V-7 (Mi-7) helicopter. Two engines were installed on the ends of a two-bladed propeller, which was started by a jet thrust. In 1959 the activities on the AI-7 engine development were stopped due to the V-7 helicopter program failed.

In 1958 developed was a turboprop engine, AI-24, rated at 2550 ehp, in the development of which was applied the experience gained in designing the AI-20 turboprop engine and used was an advanced method of simulation. Its modified versions power passenger An-24 aircraft and Аn-26, Аn-30 special-purpose airplanes. Manufactured were 11 750 AI-24 engines in total.

Since the beginning of 1960s the OKB carries out the activities on a development of bypass gas turbine engines. In 1965 designed was the AI-25 turbofan bypass engine rated at a thrust of 1500 kgf to power the Yak-40 airplane. Also it was operated on M-15 agricultural airplane (Poland). 6325 engines were in series production.

In 1973 for the L-39 trainer produced in Czech Republic designed was a modified version of AI-25TL engine with a thrust of 1720 kgf. The engine was developed on the basis of the AI-25 turbofan bypass engine with an extended exhaust pipe, HPT cooled blades and oil system providing operation of bearings under conditions of inverted flight. More than 5000 engines were produced. At present about 2650 AI-25TL engines are in service in 37 countries of the world, and they are both of training and combat applications. The AI-25 engine modified version, AI-25TL300.11, is installed on UAVs, and AI-25TLK powers JL-8 trainer (China).

In 1960s for supplying compressed air to start propulsion engines, for air conditioning and driving generators developed was a family of small auxiliary powerplants both for civil and combat aviation. These were AI-8, AI-9, AI-9V APUs for An-8, An-10, Be-12, M-15, Yak-40 airplanes and for majority of Kamov’s helicopters – D-2, Ka-22, -27, -29, -31, -32, -50, -52, -60, and Mill’s helicopters – Mi-6, -(17), -10, -14, -24(35), -28. Now in service are more than 7000 APUs.

In 1971 designed was the first in USSR high-bypass turbojet engine, D-36, having maximum thrust of 6500 kgf, for powering a new Yak-42 passenger aircraft. Also for the first time in USSR the engine design was performed in three-shaft configuration, using broadly titanium alloys and advanced design, engineering and metallurgical novelties. It was the first time in home engine building industry that an engine was made of modular design. The further modified versions of this engine are successfully operated on combat transports and multi-purpose airplanes An-72, An-74, and also An-74TK-300 passenger aircraft. Manufactured have been up to now about 1700 engines, and today more than 700 engines are in service.

In the mid-1970s on the basis of the D-36 designed was the D-136 turbo-shaft engine rated at 11400 hp to power a combat transport helicopter Mi-26 having the highest cargo-lifting capacity in the world. Up to now manufactured have been 945 engines, and at present 400 units are in service.

In the range of a military-technical cooperation of the countries-members of the MEAB in 1984 a new DV-2 turbofan bypass engine was designed to power the L-59 trainer produced in Slovak Republic. Starting from 1991 the engine is under series production in Slovak Republic.

The main efforts of the enterprise in the first half of the 1980s were forwarded to development of a bypass turbojet engine with ultra high thrust for powering the An-124 Ruslan strategic military transport airplane. Developed was a powerful, high fuel-effective engine, D-18T, having 23430-kgf thrust. It also powers the An-225 Mriya, the airplane with the highest cargo-lifting capacity in the world. In 1984 Motor Sich set up this engine in serial production. Up to now manufactured serially were 251 engines, and currently 175 engines are in service.

The enterprise has gained a great experience in the development of drives applied in the national industry. The history of activities in industrial field runs back to the 1950s.

The designers of the enterprise have designed the following piston engines: AI-2 for a world’s well-known Druzhba power saw; AI-14PS for Sever-2, Ka-30 snowplane and Raduga hovercraft, a Sich family of racing engines for motor-boating.

From the early sixties begins the era of application of gas turbine drives in national economy. On the basis of AI-20 and AI-24 aeroengines the families of drives that were installed on the “SM-6” ekranoplan (a prototype of the Caspian Monster vessel), and Meteor-2, Tayga cargo transport ship, Burevestnik and Tayfun hydrofoils, and also on Sormovich hovercraft were designed. They were also used as drives for AI-24PGTE and PAES-2500 mobile power stations, 2UVAG water heating unit, BTU-800 mobile gas turbine-pumping unit, power station of Sever-1 pipe-welding facility, and as a source of compressed air for TKADS-200M oxygen-nitrogen-producing station.

The AI-8 auxiliary unit has found its application in Navy for starting main gas turbine drives of Kalmar, Omar, Kasatka, Murena hovercrafts, and hydrofoil carrier platform of the VNT-1 helicopter non-contacting gangway. And in our days many production vessels are in service on the seas.

In addition, in the early 1970s, at the request of the Ministry of Coal Industry of the USSR, on the basis of AI-8 was designed the IGG-4 inert gas generator of high capacity and self-containment that allowed to suppress underground fires and methane explosions faster than earlier. This unit is widely used in many domestic coalmines to perform rescue operations, and also in Poland and Czech Republic where it is operated up to now.

A particular attention is paid to works fulfilled at the request of the Ministry of Oil and Gas Industry. For a family of Uralmach drilling units designed were the drives operated using both diesel fuel and natural gas; and also the drives to ensure a more extensive oil production. 670 drives were serially produced. A lot of oil and gas fields in Siberia were developed with using these drives.

On the AI-25TL basis developed are gas turbine drives for the PEM-1 search-and-rescue cross-country vehicle and machines for thermal treatment of military equipment UTM, TMS-65M.

SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS today

The sphere of the SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS activities covers design, manufacture, test, development, certification, putting into series production, overhaul and improvement of consumer’s characteristics of gas turbine engines both of aviation and industrial application within all life cycle. More than 60 certificates of Bureau Veritas, ARMAK and GosAviaSluzhba of Ukraine confirm the quality, reliability and the right to design, manufacture, overhaul and upgrade the engines.

The Company’s specialists designed a unique turboprop engine, D-27, rated at a maximum power of 1400 ehp, which is currently under official flight testing on a STOL military airlifter, An 70. The preparation works to launch aircraft and engines into series production are fulfilled now.

Also the works on a further extension of service life, improvement of reliability for production of ТV3 117VМА SBМ1 turboprop engines and АI9-3B auxiliary power unit installed on new regional An-140 aircraft are carried out.

In accordance with a joint program of Ukraine and Tatarstan designed is a turbofan engine, AI-22, rated at a thrust of 3755 kgf for powering Tu-324 and Yak-48 executive airplanes.

The new passenger aircraft, Tu-334, An-148, as well as Be-200 amphibian, are ascended to sky by new generation engines of the D-436 family rated at a thrust of 6400 to 8200 kgf. The engines are put into serial production in Motor Sich JSC (Ukraine) and in Russian enterprises FGUP Salut MMPP and UMPO JSC.

For the Russian MS-21 short-medium-haul aircraft (SMHA) designed is an engine of new generation, AI-436T12, rated at a thrust of 1200…1600 kgf. When designing the AI-436T12 engine established were technical solutions that will ensure for the future aircraft high fuel efficiency, acceptable price and levels of noise and pollutant emissions meeting the most rigorous ecological standards.

Now under development is a family of AI-222 turbofan bypass engines with a thrust ranging from 2200 to 4500 kgf (afterburning version) designated for powering modern combat training airplanes. Today the AI-222-25 turbofan engine rated at a thrust of 2500 kgf is undergoing a program of state flight tests on the Russian Yak-130 combat trainer, and manufacture of the engine modification, AI-222-25F, rated at a thrust of 4200 kgf with reheat power is begun.

Developed is a small-sized turbo-shaft engine, AI-450, rated at a power of 465 ehp, which is designated for powering Ka-226 and Mi-2A helicopters. On its basis designed are turbo-shaft modifications of AI-450 engine with rear shaft output (450 hp) and modifications of increased power, AI-450-2 turbo-shaft engines (600…800 hp), for powering helicopters of Ansat type. Also developed is a turboprop engine, AI-450TP (450…550 ehp) for powering light airplanes and unmanned aircraft.

On the enterprise investigations are carried out on new materials, control systems, elements and components developed on the basis of new concepts and prospective technologies.

The developed and evaluated ideas, technologies and materials are introduced not only in new promising engines, but also when modifying the existing serial gas turbine engines, which provides new possibilities and qualitative improvement of aircraft performance.

For increasing the weight lifting capability and the efficiency of the An-124-100 transport aircraft developed is a modification of D-18T series 4 engine with maximal take-off thrust of 25830 kgf. The new An-124-100 aircraft will be able to transport cargo up to 150 tons.

For modernizing the Czech AeroVodohody L-39 trainer developed is an engine modification, AI-25TLSH. A combat mode of increased maximal thrust up to 1850 kgf is established to it, being used when accomplishing strike operations, and reduced is considerably the engine acceleration time. Installation of the modernized engine ensures prolongation of the L-39 aircraft service life by 10-15 years.

The enterprise collective body is carrying out extensive activities on developing gas turbine drives of industrial application. This direction numbers 17 types of engines in power range from 0.5 to 25 MW

Since 1995 the deliveries of first GTDs to gas-pumping and gas- lifting stations have been started. Today the GTDs of D-336 family, ranging in power from 4 to 10 MW, working are as a part of 75 gas pumping units on more than 20 compressor stations in Ukraine, Russia, Byelorussia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Bulgaria, Turkey and Iran. In 2005 put into operation were Astara (Azerbaijan) and Shakhpakhty (Uzbekistan) compressor stations with gas-pumping dives of SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS delivery. All GTDs being in service have Certificates of Compliance awarded by certification centers of Russian Federation and Ukraine.

SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS is continuously carrying out activities on in-service support of GTDs, increase of their reliability and consumer’s characteristics. The accumulated experience and the total operating time of GTDs in service, exceeding 500 000 hours, allow to ensure high reliability of the D-336 family GTDs.

GTDs of SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS development, rated at 2.5 MW, are operated as a part of electric power generating installations in tens of countries of the world, and their consecutive derivative, AI-2500 GTD, today finds more and more application both in Ukraine and Russia.

The SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS’s latest development, AI-19IGG inert gas generator, has been designed for suppressing and localizing fires in tunnels, cable manholes and in closed and half-closed rooms of any type. A batch of the units has been delivered to South Korea where their consumer’s characteristics acquired a high assessment. Being manufactured are the next copies of the AI-19IGG unit mounted on a truck chassis.

Our enterprise has designed a free turbine module, MST-198, – a self-contained unit being integrated in modular gas turbine power-generating installations rated at a power of 20 MW. Now it is under operation in Belarus and Russian Federation.

R&D activities are carried out on the enterprise, on developing a gas-pumping unit of a modular-container design, AI-45, rated at a power ranging from 0.5 to 1MW, being driven by a gas turbine engine or an electric motor. The first AI-45 gas-pumping unit is under testing now.

A powerful intellectual, production and scientific-and-research complex of SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS allows us to design gas turbine engines of wide thrust and power ranges.

The body of designers and the production section work using advanced technologies. At our days SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS possesses advanced technologies of designing and production. High-effective CAD/CAM designing and 3D calculations being carried out on modern computer equipment, turbine mono-crystalline blades with high-effective cooling system, compressor high-pressure stages, manufactured by blisk technology (a disk with rotor blades integrally machined), high-strength powder and granular alloys, composite materials and other advanced technical solutions are used today in our enterprise for creating new engines with high operating properties.

SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS carries out a common technical and marketing policy together with the Ukrainian and Russian manufacturers of gas turbine equipment. At present the enterprise has more than 500 business partners, the major part of which consists of the aviation enterprises of Russia and Ukraine.

From the very day of its foundation SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS cooperates fruitfully with Motor Sich JSC (Zaporozhye), which carries out serial production of majority of the engines developed by SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS. According to the enterprise’s documentation manufactured are engines also at serial production plants of Russia and remote foreign countries. Among them are FGUP Salute MMPP (Moscow), UMPO JSC (Ufa), KMPO JSC (Kasan), Povajske Stroyarne (Slovak republic ), IACI (Iran).

The gas turbine engines, manufactured according to the SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS documentation, operated are successfully by numerous airlines of the world. With many of them the enterprise maintains close interrelations, offering services on repairing the engines and ensuring the engine operation on technical condition. Among such airlines as Volga-Dnieper, Antonov Airlines, Anymex, Polyot and plus about 50 airlines of the world, the Company has a reputation of a serious and reliable partner.

Today the company looks with confidence in the future, it has everything for remaining as one of the world leaders in the domain of developing modern long service life and ecologically friendly engines – its own designing school, collective body of highly skilled specialists, splendid resource base, and, certainly, honest, mutually beneficial relations with partners and users.