Ceramic Composite Tip Shroud Manufacturing via Ply Folding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for manufacturing ceramic matrix composite (CMC) components, such as turbine blade tip shrouds, face challenges in integrating complex geometric features, leading to high costs and strain-to-failure limitations, making them economically impractical for high-temperature applications.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the use of prepreg layers with reinforcement materials, where distal portions of plies are folded transverse to the main plies, and interleaved with additional plies, allowing for consolidation and curing to form fully integrated components with complex geometries like tip shrouds and seal teeth, enhancing strength and load transfer capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If conventional methods are used to manufacture CMC components with complex geometric features, then the components can be produced, but the manufacturing cost increases and strain-to-failure limitations occur
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process segments the complex component into multiple prepreg plies that can be independently arranged and folded. Each ply contains reinforcement materials and matrix precursors that are positioned separately before consolidation, allowing complex geometries to be built up layer by layer without requiring expensive tooling or assembly operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the third dimension by folding plies transverse to the main plies orientation. This dimensional transformation allows flat plies to be converted into three-dimensional complex geometric features such as tip shrouds and seal teeth, integrating multiple features into a single monolithic structure without additional manufacturing steps.
2Shape
If conventional methods are used to integrate complex geometric features, then components can be produced, but strain-to-failure limitations occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the reinforcement materials and matrix precursors within each ply, and merges multiple plies together through consolidation and curing. This creates a fully integrated monolithic structure where complex geometric features are seamlessly incorporated into the load-bearing path, eliminating stress concentrations at joints or interfaces that would limit strain-to-failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite materials consisting of reinforcement materials embedded in matrix precursors within each ply. This composite structure provides both the geometric complexity needed for features like tip shrouds and the mechanical strength required for high strain-to-failure performance, as the reinforcement fibers carry loads while the matrix binds the structure together.
3Shape
If plies are folded transverse to main plies, then complex geometries are achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary actions by pre-positioning reinforcement materials and matrix precursors within each ply before folding and consolidation. This preliminary arrangement of materials in the correct orientations and positions simplifies the subsequent folding process, as the materials are already configured to achieve the desired complex geometry without requiring complex tooling or post-processing operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A process for producing components containing ceramic materials. The process entails forming a first region of a component with plies containing a reinforcement material in a precursor of a ceramic material. The plies include at least a first set of plies between at least second and third sets of plies. Distal portions of the second and third sets of plies are then folded away from the first set of plies so that they are oriented transverse to the first set of plies. A fourth set of plies is then interleaved among the folded distal portions of the second and third sets of plies.