Coating Removal Apparatus Using Rotating Abrasive Web
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for removing excess coating from gas turbine engine components, such as stones and blenders, often result in nonconforming parts due to uneven surfaces and damage to the component itself, as they cannot accurately control the removal of excess coating to meet specification tolerances.
Innovation Solution
A coating removal apparatus featuring a rotating web with a diamond or abrasive coating that is adjustable in height and tensioned by a mechanism, allowing precise removal of excess coating, with automatic cycling and fixtures for secure component positioning, ensuring consistent and controlled removal of excess coating without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual blending tools (stones and blenders) are used to remove excess coating, then the coating can be removed, but the surface becomes uneven and the component surface is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical blending tools with an automated abrasive wheel system. The rotating abrasive wheel applies controlled mechanical action through friction and abrasion, removing excess coating uniformly without the random mechanical damage caused by hand blending. The automated system provides consistent pressure and motion, eliminating surface unevenness while protecting the underlying component surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs adjustable parameters including abrasive wheel speed, wheel material hardness, and pressure application to precisely control the coating removal process. By varying these parameters, the system can remove excess coating at different rates and with different intensities, achieving uniform surfaces while preventing damage to the component base material.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual blending is used to remove excess coating, then coating removal is possible, but specification tolerances cannot be met
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces imprecise manual blending operations with an automated abrasive wheel system that provides consistent, repeatable coating removal. The automated system eliminates human variability in pressure application and motion, ensuring that coating thickness is reduced uniformly and predictably to meet specification tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates monitoring and control mechanisms that allow operators to observe and adjust the coating removal process in real-time. This feedback capability enables precise control over the removal rate and final coating thickness, ensuring compliance with specifications while simplifying the operational process through automated control.
3Productivity
If abrasive coating removal is applied, then excess coating can be removed, but the component surface may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using selectively abrasive surfaces that are optimized for removing excess coating without affecting the underlying component. The abrasive wheel features controlled abrasion patterns and variable grit sizes that target only the excess coating material, while the fixture system ensures uniform contact pressure distribution to prevent localized damage to the component surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates fixture designs and pressure control mechanisms that cushion and distribute the abrasive action across the component surface. This beforehand cushioning prevents concentrated mechanical stress that could damage the component, while still maintaining efficient excess coating removal through the abrasive wheel.
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
The apparatus effectively removes excess coating with high precision, maintaining the desired coating thickness and preventing damage to the components, thereby ensuring that gas turbine engine components meet required specifications and tolerances.
Implementation Method 1
a removal device having a web with a diamond or abrasive coating that is rotating about the rotation axis
Data Source
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AI summary
An example coating removal apparatus (20) for a component includes a table (22) having a first platform (24) disposed along an axis (A). The platform (24) is arranged to receive at least one fixture (102) for holding a corresponding component (110). The coating removal apparatus (20) also includes a removal device (27) having a web (28). The table (22) is slidably moveable in an axial direction and configured to move the fixture (110) a pre-determined distance such that at least one portion of the component (110) contacts the web (28) to remove a coating of the component (110).