Cold-Sprayed Airfoil Leading-Edge Structure for Complex Geometry Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional manufacturing techniques struggle to fabricate leading-edge structures for airfoils with complex aerodynamic geometries, requiring innovative methods to provide impact and erosion protection while maintaining weight reduction and strength.

Innovation Solution

The use of cold spray additive manufacturing with a mandrel and a cold spray apparatus to deposit Niobium powder, forming a leading-edge structure with a metallic body that matches the airfoil's shape, providing a lightweight and strong protection layer with controlled thickness and geometry.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional manufacturing techniques are used to fabricate leading-edge covers, then impact and wear protection can be achieved, but it becomes increasingly challenging to fabricate covers for airfoils with evolved aerodynamic designs and geometries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact and wear protectionVSAvoidfabrication of complex geometries

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the manufacturing approach from conventional techniques to cold spray additive manufacturing, which allows for the fabrication of complex aerodynamic geometries that cannot be achieved with traditional methods. This parameter change in the manufacturing process enables the creation of leading-edge structures with evolved airfoil designs while maintaining impact and wear protection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite material structures with multiple layers including an inner layer, intermediate layers, and an outer layer formed by cold spray deposition. This layered composite approach allows for optimized protection properties while accommodating complex geometries, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of manufacture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If material covers are fitted on airfoils to provide protection, then erosion resistance is improved, but weight increase occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveerosion resistanceVSAvoidweight of leading-edge structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies protection locally only where needed on the airfoil leading edge rather than covering the entire airfoil structure. The cold spray additive manufacturing deposits material precisely on the leading-edge region requiring erosion resistance, thereby providing protection while minimizing unnecessary weight addition to other parts of the airfoil

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a thin-layer protective structure through cold spray deposition that provides erosion resistance without the bulk and weight of traditional thick covers. The deposited material forms a thin film or shell on the leading edge that maintains aerodynamic efficiency while providing the necessary protection against erosion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional manufacturing techniques are used, then fabrication process is simple, but manufacturing precision for complex aerodynamic surfaces deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefabrication process simplicityVSAvoidaerodynamic surface geometry

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces conventional mechanical manufacturing techniques with cold spray additive manufacturing technology. This substitution enables precise deposition of material layer by layer to achieve complex aerodynamic surfaces with high manufacturing precision, while the automated nature of the cold spray process maintains ease of manufacture through computer-controlled deposition

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 enables the fabrication of complex leading-edge structures with improved erosion resistance and reduced weight, eliminating the need for secondary substrates and minimizing internal stresses, while allowing for post-fabrication heat treatment to enhance material properties.

Implementation Method 1

cold spray additive manufacturing apparatus configured to deposit a metallic powder on the mandrel to form an inner layer of the leading-edge structure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCold spray deposition: Deposition (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS12123096B1Leading-edge structures for airfoils and systems and methods for fabricating the same

Publication Date: 2024.10.22 THE BOEING CO

AI summary

A system and method for fabricating a protective leading-edge structure for an airfoil includes system includes a mandrel and a cold spray additive manufacturing apparatus. The cold spray additive manufacturing apparatus is configured to deposit a metallic powder on a tool surface of the mandrel to form an inner layer, intermediate layers, and an outer layer of the leading-edge structure. The inner layer forms an inner surface of the leading-edge structure. The outer layer forms an outer surface of the leading-edge structure. The intermediate layers form a thickness of the leading-edge structure. The inner surface of the leading-edge structure is configured to be coupled to the airfoil such that the outer surface of the leading-edge structure forms a portion of a leading edge and a portion of an aerodynamic surface of the airfoil.