Gas Turbine Blade Tip Repair Using Laser Metal Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for repairing gas turbine engine blades, especially when combining additive manufacturing and laser welding, face challenges such as high costs due to specialized equipment, potential welding defects, and increased downtime, leading to inferior quality and mechanical resistance issues.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing Laser Metal Deposition to remove and replace damaged tip sections of gas turbine engine blades, where intermediate tip plates with reduced thickness are welded using the same Laser Metal Deposition head, eliminating the need for high-power density tools and allowing for a homogeneous structure with reduced downtime and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional laser welding tools are used to weld tip plates to airfoils, then welding speed and strength are improved, but equipment cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The Laser Metal Deposition head is designed to perform multiple functions: it can both deposit metal material to build the tip plate and weld the tip plate to the airfoil. This eliminates the need for separate welding equipment, reducing device complexity while maintaining repair quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the material deposition function and welding function into a single LMD head. By integrating both capabilities in one tool, the system avoids the complexity of switching between different equipment while achieving both structural restoration and mechanical bonding
2Adaptability or versatility
If additive manufacturing and laser welding are combined in the repair process, then repair flexibility is improved, but the number of tools required and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The LMD head serves as a universal tool that can both additively manufacture the tip plate structure and weld it to the airfoil. This multi-functionality maintains repair flexibility while reducing the total number of tools required
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges two previously separate processes (additive manufacturing and welding) into a single integrated LMD operation, reducing equipment requirements while preserving the flexibility to perform both functions
3Adaptability or versatility
If different processes and materials are used for additive manufacturing and welding, then process flexibility is improved, but welding quality and mechanical resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the same material for both additive manufacturing and welding operations, ensuring homogeneous material properties throughout the repaired structure. This eliminates material incompatibility issues and ensures consistent mechanical resistance and welding quality
Solution Approach 2:
By combining material deposition and welding into a single LMD process using the same material, the patent achieves process homogeneity that ensures consistent material properties and eliminates the quality issues associated with joining different materials
4Adaptability or versatility
If equipment changes or adaptations are made during repair, then process versatility is improved, but repair time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The LMD head is designed as a universal tool that can perform both additive manufacturing and welding without requiring physical changes or adaptations. This eliminates equipment changeover time while maintaining the versatility to perform both functions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous repair operations by using the same LMD head for both building the tip plate and welding it to the airfoil. This eliminates interruptions and equipment changeover time, maintaining continuous productive action throughout the repair process
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 costs and downtime, ensures a homogeneous and stress-reduced final structure, and maintains structural homogeneity, improving mechanical resistance and repair quality by using the same tool for both forming and welding intermediate tip plates.
Implementation Method 1
building a replacement tip plate from the at least one intermediate tip plate by Laser Metal Deposition using a Laser Metal Deposition head
Implementation Method 2
welding the intermediate tip plate to the airfoil; welding comprises using the Laser Metal Deposition head
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~8
AI summary
A method for repairing a gas turbine engine blade (1) having an airfoil (2) and an original tip plate (3) arranged to close the airfoil (2) includes removing a tip section (2b) of the blade (1), to such an extent that damaged portions are eliminated, the tip section (2b) including the original tip plate (3) ; forming at least one intermediate tip plate (10; 110), having a thickness lower than a thickness of the original tip plate (3); welding the intermediate tip plate (10; 110) to the airfoil (2); and building a replacement tip plate (18: 118) from the at least one intermediate tip plate (10; 110) by Laser Metal Deposition using a Laser Metal Deposition head (8). Welding includes using the Laser Metal Deposition head (8).