Blade Alignment Tooling for Powder Bed Repair Recoating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current repair processes for damaged compressor blades in gas turbine engines are labor-intensive and inefficient, particularly in aligning components for powder bed additive manufacturing, leading to issues with recoating and powder usage, which affects the accuracy and efficiency of the repair process.
Innovation Solution
A tooling assembly that positions components on an alignment plate within a containment reservoir, using a fill material to secure their relative positions, allowing for precise alignment and reduced powder usage by solidifying the fill material to support the components in a single build plane, facilitating efficient recoating and printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional welding/cladding technique is used for blade tip repair, then repair materials can be bonded to blade tips, but the process requires tedious post-processing machining and polishing, resulting in very large overall labor costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical welding/cladding processes with a powder bed additive manufacturing process. Instead of using focused power sources to melt and bond repair materials mechanically, the system uses a powder bed fusion approach where repair materials are deposited as powder and selectively melted and fused layer-by-layer, eliminating the need for subsequent machining and polishing operations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of the repair process by transitioning from bulk material deposition (welding/cladding) to layer-by-layer powder deposition. This parameter change enables precise control over material placement and eliminates the need for post-processing, directly addressing the labor intensity and efficiency issues of traditional methods
2Ease of manufacture
If direct-energy-deposition (DED) methods are used for blade repair, then repair can be performed on blades, but the methods are not suitable for batch processing or repairing a large number of components in a time efficient manner
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the repair process into discrete, repeatable steps that can be applied to multiple blades simultaneously or in sequence. The powder bed additive manufacturing process allows each blade to be positioned on the build platform and repaired independently through automated layer-by-layer deposition, enabling efficient batch processing of multiple components without the time-consuming sequential operations required by DED methods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal repair system that can handle multiple different blade types and repair scenarios using the same powder bed additive manufacturing platform. The system is designed to accommodate various blade geometries and repair requirements through a single versatile process, enabling batch processing of diverse components that would require multiple specialized processes
3Ease of operation
If components are positioned without a tooling assembly for powder bed additive manufacturing, then components can be placed on the build platform, but precise alignment is difficult to achieve, affecting recoating and powder usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a tooling assembly as an intermediary device between the build platform and the components. This tooling assembly includes alignment features such as locators, fixtures, and positioning mechanisms that precisely locate and orient components on the build platform. The tooling assembly acts as a mediator that ensures accurate alignment without requiring complex manual positioning operations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary alignment actions through the tooling assembly before the actual additive manufacturing process begins. Components are pre-positioned and secured in the correct orientation and location using the tooling fixtures, ensuring that when the powder bed process starts, all components are already precisely aligned. This preliminary positioning action eliminates the need for real-time alignment adjustments during manufacturing
4Reliability
If excessive additive powder is used to fill the powder bed for component support, then components are adequately supported during printing, but the amount of powder required increases, affecting cost and processing time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing support structures and powder bed configuration only where needed for component stability. Instead of filling the entire powder bed with excessive powder, the system uses targeted support structures positioned only at critical locations beneath components. This localized approach maintains component support stability while minimizing overall powder consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements powder recovery and reuse mechanisms to reduce net powder consumption. Excess powder that is not incorporated into the repair materials is collected, screened, and reused in subsequent printing operations. This recovery process reduces the net quantity of powder that needs to be continuously supplied, addressing the cost and waste issues associated with large powder bed filling requirements
Data Source
AI summary
A tooling assembly and method of aligning a plurality of components for a repair process in an additive manufacturing machine includes positioning the plurality of components such that a repair surface of each of the plurality of components contacts an alignment plate, e.g., under the force of gravity or using biasing members. The method further includes surrounding the alignment plate with containment walls to define a reservoir around the plurality of components and dispensing a fill material, such as wax or a potting material, into the reservoir which is configured for fixing a relative position of the plurality of components when the fill material is solidified.