... blades were made of Nimonic 80 and similar alloys containing a high proportion of nickel. Their great advantage was an ability to resist creep - the lengthening of piece of metal when subjected to sever tension under conditions of high temperature . Many metals would run successfully in the form of a turbine blade for a few minutes or hours, but white or even cherry-red heat would weaken them so that they would soon start to rub inside the turbine casing and eventually lengthen so much that they would collapse. This slow stretching cannot be simulated faithfully in a laboratory, and thousands of hours of testing must be completed before improved blading. Blade as a part of the engine Snubbers impeded airflow and reduced aerodynamic efficiency, penalising fuel consumption. Modern designs have deleted the snubber to provide a more aerodynamically efficient aerofoil, and increased the blade chord for mechanical stability, reducing the number of ...

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