Component Refurbishing Geometry for Seamless Transition Surfaces
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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 is developed to model a refurbishing geometry that minimizes or eliminates steps by using CAD systems to align and morph the CAD model with the truncated component's image data, ensuring a seamless transition and near-net-shape manufacturing, allowing for the creation of a continuous and virtually seamless refurbishing geometry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If remodeling is based upon nominal design data, then the refurbishing 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 scanning of the truncated component to capture its actual geometry before remodeling. Image data is obtained and imported into the CAD system to create an accurate digital representation of the remaining component, allowing the remodeling process to start from the actual as-built geometry rather than nominal data, thereby preventing transition discontinuities
Solution Approach 2:
The method implements feedback by using the scanned image data of the truncated component to update and refine the CAD model. The actual measured geometry feeds back into the design process, allowing the remodeling geometry to be continuously adjusted to match the real component surface, ensuring seamless transitions without steps or discontinuities
2Reliability
If the truncated component has minor wear present in the remaining section, then the component retains its original characteristics, but the transition between truncated and remodeled sections shows steps and discontinuities
Solution Approach 1:
The method applies local quality by scanning and capturing the specific geometry of the transition zone where wear is present. The image data focuses on the local characteristics of the remaining component surface, allowing the remodeling process to adapt to local wear conditions while maintaining overall component reliability. The CAD model is updated with local geometric variations to ensure smooth transitions at the remodeled section
Data Source
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 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 are defined on the surface of the CAD model and arranged on rows. For each row, a point on the representation of the boundary line of the cut surface closest to the row is determined, and the points in each row are displaced in a translational displacement until the row intersects the representation of the boundary line, thereby obtaining a morphed CAD model representative of the refurbishing geometry of the component.