Additive Braze Deposition for Low-Defect Component Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing repair processes for components, such as those in gas turbine engines, face challenges in reducing material waste and minimizing secondary defects, particularly in the formation of defects during the repair process.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using additive manufacturing to deposit and sinter braze powder onto a substrate, followed by a heat cycle to diffusion bond the sintered braze material, reducing material waste and secondary defects by employing a lower processing temperature and precise deposition techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional braze filler material or weld filler processes are used, then defects in a component can be repaired, but material waste and secondary defects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the processing temperature parameter by using lower processing temperatures during additive deposition and sintering operations. This parameter change enables precise control of the braze material deposition, reducing material waste while achieving reliable defect repair through controlled melting and diffusion bonding at optimized temperature levels
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces conventional mechanical or high-heat brazing/welding processes with additive manufacturing technology that deposits braze powder layer-by-layer using an energy beam. This substitution enables precise material placement, reducing excess material application and subsequent waste, while the additive process inherently provides better control over filler material distribution
2Reliability
If conventional braze filler material or weld filler processes are used, then defects in a component can be repaired, but secondary process-related defects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter by using lower processing temperatures during additive deposition and sintering. This parameter change reduces thermal gradients and minimizes thermally-induced stresses and distortion in the substrate, thereby reducing secondary defects such as cracking or warping that commonly occur with conventional high-heat processes
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs preliminary sintering of the deposited braze powder before final melting and diffusion bonding. This preliminary action consolidates the powder structure in advance, creating a more stable foundation that reduces the risk of defects during subsequent heating cycles and improves overall process reliability
3Strength
If high processing temperatures are used for brazing or welding, then strong bonding is achieved, but thermally induced stresses and distortion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter by using lower processing temperatures during additive deposition and sintering operations. This parameter change reduces thermal gradients and minimizes thermally-induced stresses and distortion in the substrate, while still achieving strong bonding through controlled diffusion bonding at optimized temperature levels
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs preliminary sintering of the deposited braze powder before final melting and diffusion bonding. This preliminary action consolidates the powder structure in advance, creating a more stable foundation that reduces the risk of defects during subsequent heating cycles and improves overall process reliability
4Manufacturing precision
If traditional brazing or welding processes are used, then extensive post-processing is required, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces conventional brazing or welding processes with additive manufacturing technology that deposits braze powder with high precision. This substitution inherently produces cleaner, more controlled repairs with better geometry control, significantly reducing the need for post-processing operations and improving overall productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the processing temperature parameter by using lower temperatures during additive deposition and sintering. This parameter change enables precise control of material properties and reduces thermal distortion, resulting in repairs that require minimal post-processing and thereby increasing productivity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach minimizes material waste and secondary defects by using additive manufacturing to deposit and sinter braze powder, achieving a strong diffusion bond at lower temperatures, thus reducing thermally induced stresses and distortion, and requiring less post-processing.
Implementation Method 1
The braze powder is sintered to the substrate using an energy beam to provide sintered braze material
Implementation Method 2
The substrate and the sintered braze material are subjected to a heat cycle to melt the sintered braze material
Implementation Method 3
diffusion bond the sintered braze material to the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A method is disclosed during which a substrate is provided. Braze powder is deposited with the substrate using an additive manufacturing device. The braze powder is sintered together and to the substrate during the depositing of the braze powder to provide the substrate with sintered braze material. The substrate and the sintered braze material are heated to melt the sintered braze material and diffusion bond the sintered braze material to the substrate.