Airfoil Repair Joining With Oversized Tip Replacement Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for repairing airfoil components in gas turbine engines are time-consuming and costly, with low yield rates, especially when dealing with damaged blades or blisks, as they often require replacing entire components rather than just the damaged portion, which can be expensive and complicated.
Innovation Solution
The development of an airfoil repair system that includes an oversized airfoil repair component with a repair attachment section designed to align and join with a cropped airfoil, utilizing an electrode assembly for precise alignment and welding, and a tooling system for improved positioning and feedback, allowing for the replacement of only the damaged portion and reducing the need for hand tools and post-joining processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional airfoil repair methods are used, then entire components must be replaced, but this increases repair time and costs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the airfoil into separable components: a base airfoil structure and a replaceable tip section. This segmentation allows only the damaged portion (tip) to be replaced rather than the entire airfoil, directly improving repair efficiency and reducing repair time while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The airfoil tip component is pre-manufactured with precise geometric features and attachment interfaces before the damage occurs. This preliminary preparation enables rapid replacement without complex on-site manufacturing or fitting operations, significantly reducing repair time and improving productivity.
2Productivity
If traditional airfoil repair methods are used, then entire components must be replaced, but this increases repair costs
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the airfoil into reusable base structure and replaceable tip sections, the invention minimizes material waste. Only the damaged tip portion is discarded and replaced, while the majority of the airfoil structure is preserved and reused, directly reducing material costs and repair expenses.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables selective discarding of only the damaged airfoil tip while recovering and reusing the intact base airfoil structure. This selective recovery approach minimizes material loss and reduces the cost of replacement materials compared to replacing entire airfoil components.
3Productivity
If traditional airfoil repair methods are used, then low yield rates occur, but this reduces repair success rate
Solution Approach 1:
Segmenting the airfoil into modular components with standardized interfaces improves repair reliability. The pre-manufactured tip sections with precise attachment features ensure consistent, high-quality joins, reducing variability and increasing yield rates compared to traditional repair methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces traditional mechanical fastening or welding operations with a specialized joining system that uses controlled deformation and interlocking geometric features. This substitution provides more consistent and reliable joints, improving repair success rates and reducing defects.
4Manufacturing precision
If electrode assembly and tooling system are used, then precise alignment is achieved, but this increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces specialized tooling fixtures and alignment intermediaries that simplify the joining process. These intermediaries provide built-in alignment references and positioning features, achieving precise alignment without requiring complex measurement and adjustment systems, thus balancing precision with manageable complexity.
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 reduces repair time and costs while improving the success rate of airfoil repairs by enabling precise alignment and welding of the airfoil repair component to the cropped airfoil, allowing for efficient replacement of damaged sections without damaging adjacent components, thus enhancing the overall efficiency and quality of the repair process.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing an electrode assembly for precise alignment and welding
Implementation Method 2
passing current through the cropped airfoil electrode and the repair component electrode to attach the airfoil repair component to the cropped airfoil
Data Source
AI summary
An airfoil component for attaching to a cropped airfoil is provided. The cropped airfoil comprises a cropped airfoil attachment section and a cropped first side opposite a cropped second side, which each extend axially between a cropped first edge and a cropped second edge to define a cropped chord length. The airfoil component comprises a body having a component first side opposite a component second side. The body defines an attachment section for attaching the airfoil component to the cropped airfoil at the cropped airfoil attachment section. The attachment section extends axially between a component first edge and a component second edge to define a component chord length, and the attachment section is oversized with respect to the cropped airfoil attachment section such that the component chord length is longer than the cropped chord length. Systems and methods also are provided.