Long Blade Material Hot Forging with Localized Twisting

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for manufacturing long blade materials, such as those used in steam turbines, face challenges including deformation during forging, accuracy issues, and the need for high-load press forging machines, which increase costs and equipment investment.

Innovation Solution

A method involving sequential hot-forging from the root to the blade tip, with localized twisting and mold changes, using a manipulator to grasp and rotate the material, allowing for hot-forging and twisting in a continuous process without requiring a large press forging machine.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a large press forging machine is used to manufacture long blade materials, then the manufacturing capability and productivity are improved, but the equipment investment and manufacturing cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing capabilityVSAvoidequipment investment
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the long blade material into multiple sections and forges them sequentially from the root side to the tip side. The material is grasped at the root side and restrained by the mold, with local forging applied to areas between the grasped portion and restrained portion, allowing the entire blade to be forged without requiring a single large-capacity press machine

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs dynamic control of the material during forging by rotating the material around its longitudinal axis while applying localized forging forces. This dynamic approach allows the material to be progressively shaped and twisted into the final blade configuration using smaller, more manageable forging equipment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If the area to be forged is divided into multiple areas and forged sequentially, then the equipment capacity requirement is reduced, but the previously forged area may be deformed due to stress from subsequent forging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveequipment capacityVSAvoidshape accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary forging to the root side of the material first, establishing a stable base before proceeding to forge the remaining sections. By grasping the material at the root side and applying force from this end, the already-forged areas are protected from deformation caused by subsequent forging operations on distant sections

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies localized forging forces to specific areas between the grasped portion and restrained portion, rather than applying uniform force across the entire material. This localized approach allows precise control over each section's deformation while maintaining the integrity of previously forged areas

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Shape

If twisting is applied to a long blade at normal temperature, then the blade shape can be formed, but the hardness may be locally reduced during subsequent annealing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblade shapeVSAvoidhardness
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs twisting operations while the material is in a hot state, maintaining elevated temperature during the forming process. This temperature parameter change allows the material to be twisted and shaped without causing localized hardness reduction that would occur if twisting were performed at normal temperature followed by annealing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

Enables the precise formation of long blade materials without the need for large press forging machines, maintaining high workability and productivity while reducing distortion and hardness variations.

Implementation Method 1

a blade material is formed by sequentially hot-forging a material from a root side to a blade tip with a mold

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal heating: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP2623229B1Manufacturing method for blade material
Publication Date: 2019.09.11 PROTERIAL LTD
  • EP2623229B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2623229B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2623229B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Provided are a manufacturing method for a blade material and a manufacturing device for a blade material, by which a long blade material can be manufactured without using a large-sized press forging machine. A manufacturing method for a blade material, in which hot forging is sequentially performed by molds from the root side to a blade (vane) tip, wherein when a root-side portion is grasped and a material to be forged is restrained by a mold, twisting is performed on a region between the grasped portion and the restrained portion. A manufacturing method for a blade material, in which hot forging and twisting are repeated, is preferable, and a manufacturing method for a blade material, in which hot forging is performed while molds are sequentially changed, is more preferable.