Bent Metal Strip Control Ring for Turbomachine Blade Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing control rings for turbomachines are expensive and wasteful, as they involve cutting metal plates to form control rings, resulting in unused zones being discarded.
Innovation Solution
A method of manufacturing control rings by bending a plastically deformable metal strip to form receiving housings and assembly portions, eliminating the need for cutting and thus reducing material waste and production costs, while allowing for efficient and quick production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If metal plates are cut to form control rings, then the control rings can be manufactured with precise dimensions, but material waste increases and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the manufacturing parameter from cutting (subtractive) to bending (formative). The control ring is manufactured by bending a metal strip into the desired circular shape with receiving housings, rather than cutting it from a larger metal plate. This parameter change eliminates material waste while maintaining dimensional precision through controlled bending processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the typically harmful waste material into a beneficial outcome by using the entire metal strip to form the control ring. The bending process utilizes 100% of the strip material, transforming what would be waste (unused zones) into the functional structure of the control ring itself, including the receiving housings for blade levers.
2Ease of manufacture
If metal plates are cut to form control rings, then the control rings can be manufactured with required structural features, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing method changes from cutting operations to bending operations. The metal strip is bent into the circular control ring shape with integrated receiving housings, eliminating the need for cutting and associated material waste. This formative manufacturing approach maintains ease of creating structural features while eliminating waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the formation of the control ring body and the receiving housings into a single bending operation. Rather than separately cutting the ring and then cutting out housing features, the entire structure is formed by bending the metal strip, combining multiple manufacturing steps into one efficient process that eliminates waste.
3Productivity
If conventional cutting methods are used, then control rings can be manufactured, but production time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the manufacturing parameter from multiple cutting operations to a single bending operation. This simplifies the manufacturing process and reduces production time, as bending can be performed in one continuous operation rather than multiple cutting steps, directly improving productivity while reducing process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control ring is designed as a bent metal strip that can be manufactured in modular sections and then assembled. This segmentation allows for efficient manufacturing of individual strip sections that are then joined to form the complete control ring, improving productivity through standardized production of components.
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 material usage and costs, enables waste-free production, and simplifies the manufacturing process, resulting in a cost-effective and efficient control ring for turbomachines.
Implementation Method 1
a metal strip which is plastically deformable under bending is bent to form said control ring
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a ring, named control ring (33), of a mechanism (24) for controlling the angular position of blades of a blade assembly, named stationary blade assembly (21), of a turbomachine, - a stationary blade assembly (21), comprising: ∘ two rings (22) coaxial along an axis, named main axis (39), ∘ a plurality of blades (23), each blade (23) is mounted to pivot with respect to the two rings (22) of the stationary blade assembly, - the mechanism (24) for controlling the angular position of the blades of the stationary blade assembly comprising: ∘ a plurality of levers (25) including at least one lever, named driving lever, ∘ said control ring (33) being able to be rotationally driven about the main axis and defining at least one housing (34) for receiving a driving lever, characterised in that the control ring (33) and each receiving housing (34) are formed by bending a metal strip which is plastically deformable under bending.