Dissolvable Ceramic Core-Mold for Turbine Casting

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for producing complex gas turbine engine components with internal passages and voids, such as buckets and nozzles, are hindered by expensive and time-consuming tooling creation and the use of toxic chemicals for ceramic material removal in investment casting processes.

Innovation Solution

A method involving additive manufacturing to create a dissolvable ceramic core and mold, followed by casting a metallic material and dissolving the ceramic material to form components with internal channels, using binder jetting with water-soluble ceramic materials to avoid hazardous chemicals and simplify the process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If traditional investment casting process is used to produce complex turbine components with internal passages, then the components can be manufactured, but the tooling creation becomes expensive and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetooling creationVSAvoidinternal passages geometry

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the core and mold into a single integrated structure made of dissolvable ceramic material. This merged structure is created using additive manufacturing technology, eliminating the need for separate tooling components and their associated creation processes. The integrated core-mold structure defines both the external geometry and internal passages of the turbine component in one unified manufacturing step.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the material parameter of the core and mold from traditional non-dissolvable ceramic to dissolvable ceramic material. This parameter change enables the core-mold structure to be removed by water dissolution after casting, eliminating the need for complex tooling creation and chemical leaching processes while maintaining the ability to produce complex internal geometries.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If traditional investment casting process is used with ceramic core and shell, then components can be produced, but toxic chemicals must be used to leach away the ceramic material

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveceramic material removalVSAvoidtoxic chemicals

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the ceramic material to make it water-soluble. This parameter change transforms the material from one requiring toxic chemical leaching to one that can be safely removed by water dissolution, eliminating the harmful factors while simplifying the removal process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the traditionally harmful aspect of ceramic material removal (requiring toxic chemicals) into a beneficial process (water dissolution). By selecting dissolvable ceramic materials, the removal process becomes environmentally friendly and safer, turning a harmful necessity into a beneficial simplification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Ease of manufacture

If additive manufacturing is used to create dissolvable ceramic core and mold, then expensive tooling is eliminated, but the process requires new manufacturing techniques

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetooling costVSAvoidadditive manufacturing process

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical tooling creation processes with additive manufacturing technology. Instead of physically crafting complex tooling components through machining and assembly, the core-mold structure is built layer-by-layer using digital models and additive manufacturing, eliminating expensive tooling while requiring adoption of new manufacturing techniques.

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 approach enables efficient and cost-effective production of turbine components with advanced internal cooling geometries, reducing the need for expensive tooling and hazardous chemicals, while facilitating the creation of complex geometries in gas turbine engine components.

Implementation Method 1

water dissolving the dissolvable ceramic material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWater dissolution: Solvation

Data Source

PatentEP3135398B1Three-dimensional manufacturing methods for turbine components

Publication Date: 2022.02.23 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO

Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5

AI summary

The present application provides a method of producing a component (110). The method may include the steps of creating a dissolvable ceramic material mold (120, 130) in an additive manufacturing process, casting a metallic material in the dissolvable ceramic material mold (120, 130), creating the component (110), and dissolving the dissolvable ceramic material.