Refurbished Component CAD Morphing for Seamless Surface Transitions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for refurbishing worn components, such as turbine engine blades, often result in discontinuities and steps at the transition between the original and remodeled sections, affecting aerodynamic performance and requiring post-processing, which can be costly and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A method for modeling a refurbishing geometry that aligns a CAD model with image data of a truncated component to create a seamless transition, using a reference axis and displacing points on the CAD model's surface to morph it into a continuous geometry, allowing for near-net-shape manufacturing and minimizing rework.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If remodeling is based upon nominal design data, then the refurbishment process is simple, but the surface of the refurbished component exhibits discontinuities and steps at the transition location
Solution Approach 1:
The method performs preliminary actions by capturing image data of the truncated component before remodeling, creating a digital representation that records the actual surface geometry. This preliminary documentation allows the remodeling process to compensate for wear and manufacturing tolerances, ensuring surface continuity without requiring complex manual measurements or adjustments during the refurbishment process.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a digital copy (image data representation) of the truncated component's actual surface geometry. This copy is then used as the basis for generating the remodeling geometry, replacing the need to work directly with physical measurements or nominal design data. The digital copy preserves the exact contours and wear patterns, enabling precise reproduction of the original surface profile in the refurbished section.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the truncated component has minor wear present in the remaining section, then the component retains its original characteristics, but the refurbished surface exhibits steps and discontinuities
Solution Approach 1:
The method captures a digital copy of the truncated component's surface including all wear patterns and manufacturing variations present in the remaining section. This copy serves as the template for the refurbished section, ensuring that the new surface matches the worn surface exactly, thereby eliminating steps and discontinuities while preserving the component's actual as-built characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the approach from using nominal design parameters to using actual measured parameters captured through image data. By basing the remodeling geometry on real-world measurements of the worn surface rather than theoretical design dimensions, the method adapts to the component's actual state, ensuring continuity despite wear and manufacturing tolerances.
3Manufacturing precision
If steps and discontinuities are present at the transition location, then post-processing is required, but this increases time and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The method performs preliminary action by capturing image data and generating an accurate digital representation of the truncated component's surface before the remodeling process. This upfront effort in creating a precise digital model eliminates the need for post-processing to correct surface discontinuities, as the remodeling can be precisely guided by the captured geometry from the beginning.
4Productivity
If remodeling is performed without accurate surface data, then the process is faster, but aerodynamic performance is negatively impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a digital copy of the truncated component's surface through image data capture, providing accurate geometric information without requiring slow manual measurement processes. This digital copy enables rapid generation of precise remodeling geometry, maintaining high productivity while ensuring that the refurbished surface accurately replicates the original contours for optimal aerodynamic performance.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for modeling a refurbishing geometry of a component comprises removing a portion to be refurbished from the component, thereby obtaining a truncated component, with a cut surface and a boundary line of the cut surface. Image data of the truncated component are obtained and a representation of the image data is imported into a CAD system. A CAD model (5) of the component, for instance in an unused and nominal new condition, is provided and aligning with the imported representation of the truncated component. Points (6) are defined on the surface of the CAD model and arranged on rows (7). For each row, a point on the representation (3) of the boundary line of the cut surface closest to the row (7) is determined, and the points (6) in each row (7) are displaced in a translational displacement until the row (7) intersects the representation (3) of the boundary line, thereby obtaining a morphed CAD model representative of the refurbishing geometry of the component.