Labyrinth Seal Teeth 3D Printing With Vibration Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional labyrinth sealing devices for turbines face increased manufacturing costs and extended production times due to material waste and difficulty in forming teeth during machining after centrifugal casting or ring mill processing.
Innovation Solution
A method involving three-dimensional printing to manufacture the labyrinth part, which is then bonded to a ring-shaped body using ultrasonic vibration and far-infrared heating, reducing material and machining costs while enabling microstructure and improved adhesive force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If teeth are formed by machining after centrifugal casting or ring mill processing, then the labyrinth sealing device can be manufactured, but material waste increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical machining processes with three-dimensional printing technology to form the teeth of the labyrinth sealing device. This substitution eliminates material removal and waste, allowing the teeth to be additively manufactured layer by layer from digital models, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and material waste
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing parameters and methods by adopting three-dimensional printing with vibration technology. This enables direct formation of complex tooth geometries without material removal, transforming the manufacturing approach from subtractive (machining) to additive (printing), thus eliminating material waste while maintaining manufacturing capability
2Ease of manufacture
If teeth are formed by machining after centrifugal casting or ring mill processing, then the labyrinth sealing device can be manufactured, but manufacturing time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces time-consuming mechanical machining operations with three-dimensional printing technology. The additive manufacturing process can form complex tooth geometries more rapidly than traditional machining, eliminating multiple setup and tool change operations, thereby improving productivity while maintaining manufacturing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies vibration during the three-dimensional printing process to prevent material accumulation and ensure proper layer bonding before the material fully solidifies. This preliminary action during manufacturing accelerates the printing process and improves quality, thereby enhancing productivity
3Strength
If vibration is applied during three-dimensional printing, then bonding strength increases and microstructure is achieved, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanical vibration during the three-dimensional printing process to enhance bonding between layers. The vibration prevents material accumulation, improves particle packing, and ensures proper adhesion as each layer is deposited, thereby increasing bonding strength and creating desirable microstructures despite adding process complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the printing process by introducing vibration frequency and amplitude control. These parameter changes enable precise control over material deposition and bonding characteristics, achieving superior adhesive force and microstructure while managing process complexity through systematic parameter optimization
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 productivity by reducing costs and enabling the creation of various shapes, achieving microstructure and improved bonding, thus minimizing friction and gas leakage between the turbine rotor and diaphragm.
Implementation Method 1
a labyrinth part which is a protrusion is stacked on the body by ultrasonic vibration using three-dimensional printing
Implementation Method 2
bonded to a ring-shaped body using ultrasonic vibration and far-infrared heating
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a labyrinth sealing device mounted between a diaphragm and a turbine rotor of a turbine in order to induce smooth rotation of the turbine rotor and prevent a leakage of gas by minimizing friction between a rotor, such as the turbine rotor, and a stator, such as the diaphragm, when the rotor rotates in the stator, wherein the labyrinth sealing device includes a ring-shaped body and a labyrinth part protruding from one surface of the ring-shaped body, the ring-shaped body is manufactured by centrifugal casting or ring mill, and the labyrinth part is manufactured by 3D printing.The method of manufacturing a labyrinth sealing can improve productivity by reducing material costs and machining costs by manufacturing the labyrinth part (or teeth) protruding from the ring-shaped body using three-dimensional printing after manufacturing the ring-shaped body by centrifugal casting or ring mill. Moreover, the method of manufacturing a labyrinth sealing device can manufacture the labyrinth part in various shapes according to usage environments since the labyrinth part is manufactured by three-dimensional printing. Especially, the method of manufacturing a labyrinth sealing device can achieve microstructure, reduce fusion defects, and improve an adhesive force by bonding the labyrinth part on the body through vibration and far-infrared heating when the labyrinth part is stacked on the body.