Methods for testing a component and component

Abstract

Method for testing a component with an indicator area that is at least partially manufactured using an additive manufacturing step, wherein an additive manufacturing process was used in the additive manufacturing step, characterized in that a non-destructive test of the indicator area is carried out to determine whether the indicator area has been subjected to treatment with pressure and / or heat.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for testing a component manufactured at least partially using an additive manufacturing step, having an indicator area.

[0002] According to the state of the art, verification of whether a component has undergone a specific treatment is carried out, for example, by means of certificates confirming that the treatment was performed on the component.

[0003] Furthermore, according to the state of the art, heat treatment of a component can be detected by mechanical or microscopic inspection. However, it is often not possible to determine whether the heat treatment was carried out under pressure or without pressure. Proof that the heat treatment was carried out under pressure can be provided, for example, by preparing a microsection, whereby a sample is taken from the component, thereby partially destroying it.

[0004] For a batch containing multiple, unconnected components, it is preferable to verify on each component whether it has undergone a specific treatment. Mechanical or microscopic testing is either complex or even destructive. Similarly, preparing microsections leads to the partial destruction of each component.

[0005] It is also known to destructively test a sample added to the component during treatment. However, this method does not provide reliable proof that the component has undergone treatment, as the sample is not securely bonded to the component.

[0006] According to the current state of the art, it is therefore not possible to determine non-destructively whether a pressurized or pressureless heat treatment was carried out.

[0007] Against this background, the present invention aims to improve a method mentioned above, particularly with regard to non-destructive testing of a component to determine whether the component has been subjected to treatment with pressure and / or heat.

[0008] This problem is solved by the method with the features of independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0009] According to the invention, it is provided that a non-destructive test of the indicator area is carried out to determine whether the indicator area, in particular after the additive manufacturing step, has been subjected to treatment with pressure and / or heat.

[0010] An additive manufacturing step is preferably a manufacturing step in which an additive manufacturing process has been used.

[0011] Preferably, a simple and unambiguous indication can be provided on the component, showing whether the component has undergone heat treatment under pressure, in particular high pressure.

[0012] Preferably, an indicator or indicator area is provided that can show whether the component has undergone heat treatment, particularly under high pressure.

[0013] Preferably, the indicator area comprises a hollow and / or porous area arranged under a surface of the component, which is in particular filled with powder, and / or a surface of the component and / or a wall of the component.

[0014] Preferably, the non-destructive testing of the indicator area includes non-destructive testing for a change in the geometry of the indicator area caused by treatment with pressure and / or heat, in particular a deformation.

[0015] Preferably, the change in the geometry of the indicator area includes indentation and / or denting of a surface of the indicator area.

[0016] Preferably, the non-destructive testing of the indicator area includes non-destructive testing for a change in the geometry of the indicator area caused by treatment with pressure and / or heat, in particular a deformation, e.g. an indentation or dent of the indicator area.

[0017] Preferably, the treatment with pressure and / or heat is a hot isostatic pressing.

[0018] Hot isostatic pressing (HIP), or hot isostatic heat treatment, is preferably an established process step in the production of additively manufactured metal components. Hot isostatic pressing is preferably used to reduce or close residual porosities in the component, thereby significantly improving its mechanical strength.

[0019] The indicator or indicator area can preferably show whether a hot isostatic pressing of an additively manufactured component has taken place.

[0020] The method preferably includes non-destructive testing to verify that an additively manufactured component has undergone hot isostatic pressing.

[0021] Preferably, the non-destructive testing of the indicator area is carried out using a measuring instrument, in particular a punch or a micrometer. The invention also includes a purely visual inspection.

[0022] Preferably, the deformation is measured using one or more measuring instruments.

[0023] Preferably, the deformation is indicated by means of a stamp.

[0024] Preferably, the non-destructive testing of the indicator area is carried out by applying an imprint, in particular with a stamp, to a surface of the component encompassed by the indicator area, wherein the imprint is optically evaluated.

[0025] Preferably, if an indentation is present in the indicator area, the impression applied to the surface of the indicator area by a stamp does not appear on the indentation itself, but only at least partially in the area of ​​the surface surrounding the indentation. The stamp thus has an impression surface that geometrically corresponds to the surface arranged at least partially around the indentation. The impression surface of the stamp preferably does not come into contact with the indentation when the stamp is pressed on the indicator area, which makes the indentation particularly visible, since the impression only appears on the surface surrounding the indentation.

[0026] The optical evaluation of the impression can include an evaluation of whether the impression is applied over the entire surface, in particular circularly, or not over the entire surface, in particular annularly, whereby in the case of a full-surface impression no treatment of the component with pressure and / or heat has taken place and in the case of a non-full-surface impression the component has been treated with pressure and / or heat.

[0027] Preferably, the non-destructive testing of the indicator area is carried out by measuring the wall thickness of the component.

[0028] Preferably, the indicator area is formed integrally with the component.

[0029] Preferably, the indicator area is located in an area of ​​the component that is non-critical for the stress for which the component was designed.

[0030] Preferably, the indicator area is produced during the additive manufacturing step.

[0031] Preferably, the indicator area is partially or completely removed from the component after testing. The invention also includes the possibility that the indicator area remains attached to the component.

[0032] It is also conceivable that the indicator area is partially or completely removed from the component, for example by a machining process. The component can then exist in the form of a raw part that is further processed to its final shape.

[0033] Preferably, the component is intended to be a component for an aircraft, in particular an airplane.

[0034] The invention also relates to a component, in particular a component for an aircraft, in particular an airplane, with an indicator area, wherein the indicator area is designed and / or arranged in such a way that when the indicator area is treated with pressure and / or heat, a change in the geometry of the indicator area, in particular a deformation of the indicator area, occurs, or that the indicator area comprises a change in the geometry of the indicator area caused by treatment with pressure and / or heat, in particular a deformation, e.g. an indentation or dent of the indicator area.

[0035] Preferably, the indicator area is designed and / or arranged in such a way that, when the indicator area, especially the untreated area, is treated with pressure and / or heat, a change in the geometry of the indicator area, in particular a deformation of the indicator area, occurs.

[0036] Preferably, a cavity or pore is deliberately introduced near a surface of the component.

[0037] The cavity or pore is preferably compressed by hot isostatic pressing, creating an indentation or bulge on the component.

[0038] Advantageously, a quick, simple and / or reliable indication is made directly on the component as to whether a process-critical high-pressure heat treatment has taken place or not.

[0039] Preferably, an indicator or indicator area is arranged directly on or in the component. The indicator or indicator area can preferably show whether a critical, pressurized heat treatment has taken place.

[0040] The indicator or indicator area preferably comprises one or more intentionally introduced cavities that are located near the surface and / or at a non-critical location on the component.

[0041] It should be noted here that the terms "a" and "an" do not necessarily refer to exactly one of the elements, although this is a possible interpretation, but can also denote a plurality of elements. Likewise, the use of the plural also includes the presence of the element in question in the singular, and conversely, the singular also includes several of the elements in question. Furthermore, all features of the invention described herein can be combined with one another or claimed separately from one another as desired.

[0042] Further advantages, features, and effects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the figures, in which identical or similar components are designated by the same reference numerals. These figures show: Fig. 1: A detailed sectional view of an embodiment of a component according to the invention with an untreated indicator area. Fig. 2: a detailed sectional view of an embodiment of a component according to the invention with an untreated indicator area. Fig. 3: a detailed sectional view of an embodiment of a component according to the invention with a treated indicator area. Fig. 4: a detailed sectional view of an embodiment of a component according to the invention with a treated indicator area. Fig. 5: a detailed sectional view of an embodiment of a component according to the invention with a treated indicator area and a schematic representation of a stamp. Fig. 6: a perspective view of an embodiment of a component according to the invention with an imprint. Fig. 7: a detailed sectional view of an embodiment of a component according to the invention with an untreated indicator area. Fig. 8: a detailed sectional view of an embodiment of a component according to the invention with a treated indicator area.

[0043] In Fig. Figure 1 shows an untreated indicator area with a cavity 10.

[0044] A powder-filled cavity 10 is introduced into the component near the surface. This cavity 10 is designed as a cavity in the CAD system and is therefore not exposed during the manufacturing or printing of the component, leaving loose powder in the cavity 10.

[0045] The component is therefore first built up in an additive manufacturing step using an additive manufacturing process. In this process, a small cavity 10 or a pore, which is filled with powder, is created under a surface of the component.

[0046] The component with the cavity 10 is then subjected to a treatment, in particular a heat treatment under high pressure, in particular hot isostatic pressing, as described in Fig. 2 is shown schematically, where the connected arrows in Fig. 2 a pressure acting on the component and indicated by the wavy arrows in Fig. 2. Heat input into the component is represented symbolically in each case.

[0047] During hot isostatic pressing of the component, the cavity 10 or the powder in the cavity 10 is compacted, creating an indentation 20, e.g., a crater on the component, as shown in Fig. Figure 3 is shown. The indicator range is therefore a treated indicator range.

[0048] This indentation 20, e.g. the crater, can be seen visually or measured using measuring instruments.

[0049] If the component has not been treated or has undergone heat treatment without pressure, no indentation 20 or crater will form.

[0050] The indentation 20 has a depth t that can be measured. The depth t is, for example, between 0.1 mm and 1 mm.

[0051] In Fig. Figure 5 shows how a stamp 30 is pressed onto the indicator area with the indentation 20.

[0052] In Fig. Figure 6 shows a component with an imprint 31 of the stamp 30.

[0053] One possible step in testing the component is to apply an imprint 31 to the component near the cavity 10 or on the indicator area.

[0054] This can be done by applying a stamp 30 coated with stamp ink to the indicator area.

[0055] If an indentation 20 or a crater is present, the stamp leaves a circular impression 31, as shown in Fig. Figure 6 shows that the treatment, in particular the high-pressure heat treatment, has been carried out. If the imprint 31 is circular, this indicates at least a missing or faulty pressure during the treatment, especially heat treatment.

[0056] In Fig. Figure 7 shows a wall of a component with a cavity 10.

[0057] The cavity 10 is incorporated into a thin wall of the component.

[0058] When the component is treated under pressure, for example during hot isostatic pressing of the component, the cavity 10 is reduced, which leads to a reduction in the wall thickness of the component.

[0059] This simplifies the measurement of changes in the geometry of the indicator area, as, for example, the wall thickness can be measured using a micrometer.

[0060] The wall can, for example, protrude from the component and be removed from the component in a further step.

[0061] It is conceivable that a visual inspection of the indicator area or the indentation is carried out during an incoming goods inspection.

Claims

[1] Method for testing a component manufactured at least partially using an additive manufacturing step, with an indicator area, characterized by , that a non-destructive test of the indicator area is carried out to determine whether the indicator area has been subjected to treatment with pressure and / or heat. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by , that the indicator area comprises a hollow and / or porous area located under a surface of the component, which is in particular filled with powder, and / or comprises a surface of the component and / or a wall of the component. [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the non-destructive testing of the indicator area includes non-destructive testing for a change in the geometry of the indicator area caused by treatment with pressure and / or heat, in particular a deformation. [4] Method according to claim 3, characterized by , that the change in the geometry of the indicator area includes indentation and / or denting of a surface of the indicator area. [5] Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the treatment with pressure and / or heat is a hot isostatic pressing. [6] Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the non-destructive testing of the indicator area is carried out by a measuring instrument, in particular a punch or a micrometer, or by a purely visual inspection. [7] Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the non-destructive testing of the indicator area is carried out by applying an imprint to a surface of the component that is encompassed by the indicator area, whereby the imprint is optically evaluated. [8] Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the non-destructive testing of the indicator area is carried out by measuring the wall thickness of the component. [9] Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the indicator area is formed integrally with the component. [10] Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the indicator area is located in an area of ​​the component that is non-critical for a stress for which the component was designed. [11] Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the indicator area was produced during the additive manufacturing step. [12] Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the indicator area is partially or completely removed from the component after testing, or remains on the component. [13] Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the component is a component for an aircraft, in particular an airplane. [14] Component, in particular a component for an aircraft, especially an airplane, with an indicator area, characterized by , that the indicator area is designed and / or arranged in such a way that, when the indicator area is treated with pressure and / or heat, a change in the geometry of the indicator area occurs, in particular a deformation of the indicator area, or that the indicator area includes a change in the geometry of the indicator area caused by treatment with pressure and / or heat, in particular a deformation, e.g. an indentation or dent of the indicator area.

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