Gas Turbine Fastener Dimensional Restoration via Material Relocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine casings face issues with mechanical fasteners that lose dimensional accuracy over time, leading to potential misalignment of engine components due to gaps between fasteners and apertures, which can cause movement and compromise engine stability during operation.
Innovation Solution
The method involves dimensionally restoring mechanical fasteners by relocating existing material through techniques like grit blasting to restore desired exterior dimensions, ensuring precise fit and alignment without adding build-up material, thereby maintaining the fasteners' original material composition and preventing clocking during engine operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical fasteners are used to secure engine cases, then the cases are held in fixed positions relative to each other, but the fasteners lose dimensional accuracy over time leading to gaps and misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the physical state and dimensions of the fastener through material relocation. The fastener's exterior surface is reshaped by moving material from high-stress or excess areas to deficient areas, changing the dimensional parameters to restore original specifications without altering the fundamental fastener design or material composition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements discarding and recovering by removing degraded or excess material from the fastener surface through processes like grit blasting, then relocating and redistributing this recovered material to areas where dimensional restoration is needed. This recycles the existing fastener material rather than discarding the entire fastener or adding new build-up material.
2Manufacturing precision
If build-up material is added to restore fastener dimensions, then dimensional accuracy is improved, but the original material composition is altered potentially affecting performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recycles the fastener's own material by removing degraded portions and relocating them to areas needing restoration. This self-recovery approach maintains material composition consistency throughout the fastener, avoiding the introduction of foreign build-up materials that could create compositional instability or performance issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves homogeneity by ensuring the relocated material maintains the same compositional properties as the original fastener material. By using the fastener's own material for restoration rather than adding different build-up materials, the entire fastener maintains uniform material composition and properties throughout.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the fastener dimension is restored by relocating existing material, then the original material composition is maintained, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by using the fastener's own material to restore its own dimensions. The material removal and relocation process is self-contained, requiring no external build-up materials or complex multi-material joining processes. The fastener essentially repairs itself using its existing material resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent simplifies the restoration process by discarding only the degraded or excess material portions and recovering them for reuse in critical areas. This approach avoids the complexity of adding new materials, performing surface preparations for adhesion, or managing multiple material compatibility issues.
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 effectively maintains the structural integrity and alignment of gas turbine engine components by restoring the dimensional accuracy of fasteners, ensuring reliable operation and extending the lifespan of engine casings by preventing misalignment and wear.
Implementation Method 1
reshaping is accomplished by grit blasting at least a portion of the exterior surface in order to relocate existing material of the fastener
Data Source
AI summary
Gas turbine engines systems and related methods involving dimensionally restored fasteners are provided. In this regard, a representative method for dimensionally restoring a mechanical fastener for a gas turbine engine includes: providing a mechanical fastener; and relocating existing material of the fastener such that a dimension of the fastener is restored.