CMC Engine Component Cut Path Planning to Avoid Defect Scrap
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and waste associated with manufacturing ceramic matrix composite (CMC) parts for aerospace due to defects requiring scrapping, leading to decreased production rates and increased part prices.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for identifying defects in CMC materials and generating a cut path that excludes these defects, optimizing material usage to fabricate parts with near-net shapes, using imaging, inspection, and automated cutting processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If CMC material is placed in a mold close to final part geometry, then manufacturing precision is improved, but defects are detected during inspection resulting in part scrapping and wasted material
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs defect detection and cut path optimization before the final fabrication process. By identifying defects in the CMC material beforehand and planning cut paths that exclude defective areas, the system prevents defective parts from being manufactured, thereby reducing material waste while maintaining precision in the final parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the approach from fixed mold-based fabrication to adaptive cut path generation. By dynamically adjusting the cut path based on detected defect locations, the system optimizes material utilization and eliminates the need to scrap entire parts when defects are present, thus reducing CMC material waste.
2Reliability
If defects are detected through inspection methods, then part quality is improved, but production rate decreases due to scrapping and rework
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs defect detection and cut path planning before fabrication, allowing for optimized material utilization. By pre-planning cut paths that exclude defects, the system ensures that nearly all inspected material can be used productively, thereby maintaining high part quality while minimizing scrapping and improving production rates.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of treating detected defects as reasons for scrapping entire parts, the system converts this information into beneficial cut path adjustments. The detected defect locations are used to optimize the cutting strategy, allowing the fabrication process to work around defects and produce acceptable parts from material that would otherwise be wasted, thus improving productivity.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional cutting methods are used without defect consideration, then fabrication process is simple, but material utilization is poor and waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the fabrication process to automatically adjust to material conditions. By integrating defect detection data into cut path generation, the system self-adapts to the specific characteristics of each CMC piece, optimizing material utilization without requiring manual intervention or complex rework procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from fixed, pre-programmed cutting paths to dynamically generated paths based on actual material conditions. This parameter change allows the fabrication process to adapt to defect locations, improving material utilization efficiency while maintaining ease of manufacture through automated control.
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
Reduces waste and lowers manufacturing costs by maximizing material utilization and minimizing defects in CMC parts, improving production efficiency and part quality.
Implementation Method 1
generating an x-ray image of the piece of solid base material
Implementation Method 2
performing an ultrasound inspection of the piece of solid base material
Implementation Method 3
performing a fluorescent penetrant inspection of the piece of solid base material
Implementation Method 4
The fabrication module may include a water jet module, a laser module, or another type of module operable to cut the CMC piece along the generated cut path
Data Source
AI summary
A method of fabricating parts, comprising: identifying a location of a defect in a piece of solid base material; generating a cut path through the piece of solid base material as a function of the location of the defect, the cut path, when executed, creating the parts from the piece of solid base material, the function including locating the cut path through the piece of solid base material such that all the parts, once cut out of the piece of solid base material, exclude the defect; and fabricating the parts from the piece of solid base material by executing the cut path, the executing including cutting the piece of solid base material along the cut path.