Additive Manufacturing Crucible for Directional Solidification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine components with internal passageways require microstructures that can withstand high temperatures and stresses, but conventional manufacturing methods struggle to produce single crystal or columnar grain microstructures efficiently.
Innovation Solution
The method involves additively manufacturing a crucible for directional solidification of metal materials, such as nickel-based superalloys, to form components with single crystal or columnar grain microstructures, using a core and shell structure with ceramic or refractory materials, and removing the sacrificial core to reveal the component.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional manufacturing methods are used to produce components with internal passageways, then manufacturing complexity and cost increase, but microstructure quality and temperature resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into distinct phases: additive manufacturing of the green component, infiltration of ceramic slurry, drying, and sintering. This segmentation allows each phase to be optimized independently, achieving high microstructure quality while managing overall process complexity
Solution Approach 2:
A ceramic slurry intermediary is introduced during infiltration, which then undergoes drying and sintering to form the final ceramic structure. This intermediary approach enables the transformation from metal-green component to ceramic-final product, achieving complex microstructures that would be difficult to obtain directly
2Productivity
If additive manufacturing is used to produce components, then manufacturing time and cost decrease, but microstructure temperature resistance deteriorates due to polycrystalline structure
Solution Approach 1:
The material parameters are fundamentally changed by transforming from metal to ceramic through the infiltration-drying-sintering process. This parameter change enables the component to achieve high temperature resistance (ceramic property) while maintaining the manufacturing efficiency benefits of additive manufacturing
Solution Approach 2:
The process creates a composite transformation pathway where metal powder is converted to ceramic material through chemical and physical changes during infiltration and sintering. This composite approach combines the manufacturing advantages of additive metal printing with the superior temperature resistance of ceramic materials
3Reliability
If directional solidification is applied to achieve single crystal microstructure, then temperature and stress resistance improve, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical directional solidification process is replaced with a chemical-infiltration approach using ceramic slurry. The slurry infiltration and subsequent sintering naturally produce the desired microstructure without requiring complex mechanical control of solidification fronts, thus reducing process complexity while maintaining stress resistance
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 enables the rapid and cost-effective production of components with advanced microstructures suitable for high-stress environments, enhancing the durability and performance of gas turbine engine components.
Implementation Method 1
solidifying a metal material within the crucible to form a metal directionally solidified microstructure within the component
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a component includes additively manufacturing a crucible; directionally solidifying a metal material within the crucible; and removing the crucible to reveal the component. A component for a gas turbine engine includes a directionally solidified metal material component, the directionally solidified metal material component having been additively manufactured of a metal material concurrently with a core, the metal material having been remelted and directionally solidified.