Enclosed Vibration Dampers in Additive-Manufactured Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vibration dampers in mechanical components, such as those in gas turbine engines, do not effectively reduce vibrational loading and are difficult to fabricate due to the need for separate steps in forming, evacuating, and refilling particle-filled cavities, limiting accessible locations for installation.
Innovation Solution
The use of additive manufacturing to form components with vibration dampers enclosed within cavities, where a flowable medium and a solidified element are strategically positioned to interact and dampen vibrational energy, allowing for precise placement and improved damping performance without compromising structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If particle-filled cavities are incorporated into mechanical components using conventional methods, then vibration damping is provided, but the fabrication process becomes complex requiring separate steps for forming, evacuating, and refilling cavities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cavity formation and particle filling operations into a single additive manufacturing process step. The vibration dampers are formed in-situ during the additive manufacturing process, eliminating the need for separate cavity formation, evacuation, and refilling steps required by conventional methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs the particle filling action preliminarily during the additive manufacturing process itself, rather than after component fabrication. The vibration dampers are prepared and positioned within cavities before the component is fully manufactured, allowing integrated production without subsequent assembly steps.
2Reliability
If separate steps are used for forming, evacuating, and refilling particle-filled cavities, then vibration dampers can be installed, but fabrication time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sequential operations (cavity formation, evacuation, particle filling) into a single integrated additive manufacturing process. This consolidation eliminates the time and cost associated with multiple separate fabrication steps while ensuring proper vibration damper installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The additive manufacturing process itself provides the cavity formation and particle filling functions without requiring external equipment or separate processing steps. The system is self-sufficient, creating both the cavity structure and filling it with vibration damping particles during the same manufacturing operation.
3Ease of manufacture
If cavities are made accessible for evacuation and refilling, then particle-filled cavities can be fabricated, but the locations for vibration dampers are limited to accessible areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs cavity formation and particle filling preliminarily during the additive manufacturing process before the component is completed. This allows cavities to be created in any location within the component geometry, including internally located positions that would be inaccessible to conventional evacuation and refilling equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making cavities accessible from the outside for filling (conventional approach), the patent inverts the approach by filling cavities from the inside during additive manufacturing. The build process deposits material layer-by-layer, trapping particles within cavities as they form, eliminating the need for external accessibility.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional methods are used to incorporate vibration dampers, then existing processes can be maintained, but damping performance is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of the manufacturing process by transitioning from conventional subtractive or assembly-based methods to additive manufacturing. This parameter change enables superior vibration damping performance through precise cavity geometry control and uniform particle distribution that cannot be achieved with traditional approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure where vibration damping particles are embedded within the component matrix during additive manufacturing. This composite approach combines the structural material with damping particles in a unified construction, achieving enhanced damping performance that simple cavity filling cannot provide.
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 enhances vibration damping performance and simplifies the fabrication process, enabling the placement of vibration dampers in previously inaccessible locations, thereby reducing fabrication time and costs while improving damping efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
forming a first solidified element by selectively solidifying the additive manufacturing material
Implementation Method 2
a flowable medium and a first solidified element formed from the additive manufacturing material. The flowable medium surrounds the first solidified element
Data Source
AI summary
A component formed by an additive manufacturing process includes a body and a first vibration damper. The body is formed from an additive manufacturing material, and defines at least a first cavity completely enclosed within the body. The first vibration damper is disposed within the first cavity. The first vibration damper includes a flowable medium and a first solidified element formed from the additive manufacturing material. The flowable medium surrounds the first solidified element.