Ceramic Core Assembly Clip for Turbine Blade Wax Moulding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of turbine blades with complex geometries and cavities for cooling fluid circulation is challenging due to the complexity of maintaining multiple nucleus elements in position, leading to increased costs and risks of geometry errors in the lost wax molding process.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the use of a clip with a central part and extending branches to assemble and maintain ceramic nucleus elements in place within a wax mold, ensuring precise positioning and dimensional accuracy during wax injection and metal casting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If numerous core elements are used to manufacture parts with complex cavity geometries, then the cavity geometry can be achieved, but the complexity of maintaining core element positions increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple core elements are assembled together using a single integrated core assembly structure, which combines multiple core components into one unified unit. This reduces the number of separate positioning operations and minimizes the risk of positioning errors while maintaining the complex cavity geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
Core elements are pre-assembled and pre-positioned using positioning means before the wax injection process. This preliminary positioning ensures that core elements maintain their correct relative positions throughout the manufacturing process, eliminating the need for complex positioning during wax injection and reducing manufacturing complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If numerous pins are used to maintain core element positions, then positioning accuracy can be maintained, but the risk of forgetting pins increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple positioning functions are merged into a single integrated positioning means that holds multiple core elements simultaneously. This eliminates the need for multiple separate pins, reducing the risk of forgetting positioning elements while maintaining dimensional accuracy through the unified positioning structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning means is designed to perform multiple positioning functions simultaneously, holding several core elements in their correct positions with a single device. This multi-functional positioning system maintains manufacturing precision while improving process reliability by reducing the number of separate positioning components.
3Shape
If numerous core elements and pins are used, then complex cavity geometries can be manufactured, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple core elements are combined into a single core assembly unit, reducing the number of separate manufacturing steps, materials needed, and assembly operations. This merging approach maintains the ability to produce complex cavity geometries while significantly reducing manufacturing cost through process simplification.
Solution Approach 2:
Core elements are pre-assembled into a complete core assembly before being placed in the mold cavity. This preliminary assembly reduces the overall number of manufacturing steps, eliminates the need for multiple positioning operations during wax injection, and reduces manufacturing cost while maintaining complex geometry capability.
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 manufacturing complexity and costs by ensuring reliable maintenance of nucleus elements' position, guaranteeing accurate wall thickness and geometry of the final turbine blade, thereby improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the process.
Implementation Method 1
The wax model is removed during an initial firing at a suitable temperature
Implementation Method 2
The shell mold is then fired at a high temperature to give it the strength necessary for casting the metal
Implementation Method 3
molten metal being poured into said cavity
Implementation Method 4
The pins are then melted and dissolved in the metal
Data Source
Figure 1~2b
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The present disclosure concerns a process for making a wax model for the manufacture of a component, said component comprising at least one cavity, the process comprising: placing at least two ceramic core elements (102, 104) into a wax mould, said core elements presenting at least partly a shape complementary to the cavity in the component for manufacture, and injecting wax into the wax mould, around the core elements (102, 104), so as to form the wax model, the two core elements (102, 104) being assembled prior to wax injection by at least one staple (114), said staple comprising a central portion from which there extend two branches, each branch being engaged in an aperture made in one of the core elements (102, 104).