Hybrid Raw Material Build-Up for Low-Waste Component Machining

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Machining parts from forgings results in significant material waste, and additive manufacturing large components is costly and inefficient for scaling from low to high volume production, with a risk of defects and damage.

Innovation Solution

A hybrid manufacturing method combining forging and additive manufacturing to create a hybrid raw material block, where a first portion is forged and a second portion is additive manufactured, followed by machining to form the final component, minimizing waste and cost.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If machining parts from forgings, then material waste occurs where raw material must encompass protruding features

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial wasteVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The raw material is divided into two portions: a first portion forged to provide structural integrity and a second portion additive manufactured to create only the necessary protruding features. This segmentation eliminates material waste by adding material only where needed rather than machining away excess material from a fully forged blank.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different manufacturing processes are applied to different portions of the component based on local requirements. The first portion (main body) uses forging for strength and density, while the second portion (protruding features) uses additive manufacturing for geometric complexity and material efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of manufacture

If creating large parts using additive manufacturing, then production cost and time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing flexibilityVSAvoidproduction efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of additive manufacturing the entire large component (excessive action), the method applies additive manufacturing only to the second portion containing protruding features (partial action). The majority of the component volume is produced through efficient forging, achieving the desired complexity without the prohibitive cost and time of full additive manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Loss of substance

If using hybrid raw material with additive manufactured portion, then manufacturing precision must ensure proper bonding

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial waste reductionVSAvoidbonding quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The surface of the first portion is prepared in advance (pretreated) before additive manufacturing the second portion. This preliminary surface treatment ensures proper bonding by removing contaminants and creating an optimal surface condition for the additive manufacturing process, thereby guaranteeing bonding quality while maintaining material waste reduction benefits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250319516A1Raw material build-up using additive manufacturing

Publication Date: 2025.10.16 PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP

AI summary

A method for fabricating a component from a hybrid raw material, comprising the steps of: forging a first portion of a raw material for the component; additive manufacturing a second portion of a raw material to the first portion to produce a hybrid raw material; and machining the hybrid raw material to produce the component. A repair method is also disclosed.