Additive Impeller Blade Build for Faster Low-Waste Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing impellers for flow machines is time-consuming and costly due to the need to machine solid material blanks, which require significant material removal and complex geometries, leading to high mechanical loads and potential failure.
Innovation Solution
A method involving additive manufacturing to create impellers, where a base body and blades are connected in a material-locking manner, using successive layers to build up the desired geometry, reducing material waste and machining time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If solid material blank machining is used to produce impellers with complex geometries, then manufacturing precision can be achieved, but manufacturing time and material waste increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The impeller manufacturing process is segmented into multiple stages: producing a first partial section of the base body from a solid blank, then adding a second partial section and impeller blades through additive manufacturing. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently, combining subtractive and additive methods to achieve both precision and efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of starting with a large solid blank and removing material (traditional approach), the invention inverts the approach by starting with a smaller blank and adding material through additive manufacturing. This reverses the material flow from subtraction to addition, reducing waste and machining time while maintaining precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If solid material blank machining is used to produce impellers, then complete base body can be achieved, but material removal and excess material increase
Solution Approach 1:
The base body is segmented into a first partial section (from solid blank) and a second partial section (from additive manufacturing). This allows material to be added only where needed rather than removing excess material from a complete blank, significantly reducing material waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention inverts the traditional subtractive approach by using additive manufacturing to build up the base body and impeller blades. Instead of starting with a large blank and removing material, material is added layer by layer only where required, minimizing material loss.
3Manufacturing precision
If complex geometries are produced through traditional machining, then flow optimization can be achieved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into high-precision machining for the first partial section and additive manufacturing for the second partial section and blades. This allows complex flow-optimized geometries to be produced cost-effectively through additive manufacturing while maintaining precision where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using expensive traditional machining for the entire impeller, the invention inverts the approach by using additive manufacturing for the complex geometry portions. This reverses the cost structure, making complex geometries more economical to produce.
4Reliability
If impeller blades are connected to base body with strong connection, then mechanical failure can be prevented, but connection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base body and impeller blades are merged into a single integrated component through additive manufacturing. The material layers are applied directly to the base body to form the blades, creating a seamless material-locking connection without separate fastening structures, thus simplifying the connection while maintaining strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection is achieved through segmentation of the manufacturing process: the first partial section of the base body is machined, then the second partial section and blades are added through additive manufacturing. This creates inherent material-locking connections at the interfaces without requiring additional connection structures.
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 allows for efficient, cost-effective production of complex impeller geometries with secure connections, capable of withstanding high mechanical loads, while minimizing material usage and production time.
Implementation Method 1
applying of at least one material layer to the first partial section of the base body for generating a second partial section of the base body, at least in sections, by using an additive manufacture method
Implementation Method 2
the base body and at least a or the impeller blade are connected in a material-locking manner
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing an impeller of a flow machine. The impeller includes a base body, and an impeller blade connected in a material-locking manner. The method includes: processing a blank formed from solid material to generate a first partial section of the base body; applying a material layer to the first partial section for generating a second partial section of the base body, at least in sections, by using an additive manufacture method; and applying a material layer to the first partial section and/or the second partial section for generating an impeller blade on the base body, at least in sections, by using an additive manufacture method.