Turbomachine Blade Anti-Wear Strip Resin Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current manual gluing process for attaching anti-wear strips to composite turbomachine blades is prone to defects due to inconsistent glue application and positioning issues, leading to dimensional non-conformities and poor bonding, which can result in blade detachment and unusability.
Innovation Solution
The anti-wear strips are secured to the blade using the resin that polymerizes during the manufacturing process, eliminating the need for manual gluing and ensuring precise positioning through calibrated tooling housings, thereby ensuring a unitary and geometrically precise connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual gluing is used to attach anti-wear strips, then the strips can be positioned and secured, but the bonding quality is inconsistent and defects occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the positioning and bonding functions into a single integrated mold structure. The mold includes positioning elements that precisely locate the anti-wear strips, and the resin injection system bonds the strips in the same operation, eliminating separate manual positioning and gluing steps that caused inconsistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical gluing process with an automated resin injection system. The resin is injected through controlled ports under vacuum pressure, automatically impregnating the strips and bonding them to the blade root without manual intervention, thereby eliminating human error in glue application.
2Ease of manufacture
If manual gluing is used, then anti-wear strips can be attached, but dimensional non-conformities occur due to incorrect glue quantity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a vacuum feedback system where vacuum pressure is applied to the mold cavity, and resin is injected until the vacuum is satisfied, indicating complete impregnation of the preform and anti-wear strips. This automatic feedback control ensures consistent resin distribution and prevents under or over-impregnation that would cause dimensional defects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the state of the resin from liquid injection to polymerized solid through controlled temperature and pressure parameters. The resin is injected in liquid form, impregnates the strips under vacuum, then polymerizes to bond the strips permanently, with the transformation parameters precisely controlled to achieve consistent dimensional results.
3Ease of operation
If manual positioning is used for anti-wear strips, then strips can be placed on the blade, but positioning accuracy is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates positioning elements directly into the mold structure before the bonding operation. These pre-positioned elements automatically locate and hold the anti-wear strips in the correct positions when the mold is closed, eliminating the need for manual positioning operations and ensuring consistent accuracy.
4Reliability
If separate gluing operation is performed, then anti-wear strips can be bonded, but the process is time-consuming and generates defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the positioning, impregnation, and bonding operations into a single integrated resin injection process. The anti-wear strips are positioned in the mold, resin is injected through controlled ports under vacuum, and bonding occurs simultaneously in one operation, eliminating multiple separate steps and significantly improving manufacturing efficiency while maintaining bonding reliability.
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 method eliminates defects caused by manual gluing, achieves precise positioning and geometry, and ensures optimal resin distribution, resulting in a compliant and durable blade with improved manufacturing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The anti-wear strips are secured to the blade using the resin that polymerizes during the manufacturing process
Implementation Method 2
The tooling includes a port for injecting resin into the mold cavity as well as a port for creating a vacuum in the mold cavity
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Disclosed is a turbomachine blade (10), this blade being made of composite material formed of woven fibres and embedded in a polymerised resin, this blade comprising a root (16) connected by a stilt (14) to a vane (12) which comprises a pressure side (18) and a suction side (20), at least one anti-wear strip (22) of fabric being located on a surface of the root and/or the stilt, characterised in that the at least one anti-wear strip is secured to the root surface in a unitary manner by the resin.