Laser Cooling Hole Breakthrough Detection via Air Change Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbine engine components with cooling holes drilled using lasers often suffer from undetected breakthrough, leading to potential damage to features beneath the outer surface due to the lack of effective breakthrough detection methods.
Innovation Solution
A detection system comprising a data acquisition system with sensors and a processor that monitors air changes near the cooling holes, allowing the laser device to stop drilling when a breakthrough is detected, thereby preventing damage to underlying features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If laser drilling continues without breakthrough detection, then drilling depth increases, but damage to underlying features occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors air pressure, flow, and temperature during laser drilling and feeds this information back to the control system. When breakthrough is detected through characteristic changes in these parameters, the system automatically stops drilling, preventing damage to underlying features while maintaining precise depth control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical depth measurement methods with sensor-based detection of air changes during drilling. By monitoring pneumatic and thermal parameters instead of mechanically measuring depth, the system achieves more accurate and reliable breakthrough detection.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If laser drilling stops early without breakthrough detection, then damage to underlying features is prevented, but drilling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The real-time monitoring system provides continuous feedback on drilling status through sensor data. By accurately detecting the precise moment of breakthrough based on air pressure, flow, and temperature changes, the system stops drilling at the optimal point, preventing both premature termination and excessive drilling, thereby maintaining high productivity while protecting underlying features.
Solution Approach 2:
The drilling process itself generates the detection signals through air changes that occur during breakthrough. The system uses the natural pneumatic and thermal effects produced during drilling to detect breakthrough, eliminating the need for separate detection mechanisms and maintaining drilling efficiency.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used for breakthrough detection, then detection accuracy improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines multiple sensor types (pressure, flow, and temperature sensors) into a unified breakthrough detection system. By merging these sensors and processing their signals together, the system achieves high detection accuracy while managing complexity through integrated control logic that analyzes the combined sensor data for breakthrough patterns.
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 the efficiency and accuracy of laser drilling by sensing breakthroughs through air pressure, flow, and temperature measurements, reducing damage to turbine engine components and improving cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
a laser device to drill a first of the cooling holes into the outer surface of the component, wherein the laser device emits a number of laser beam pulses during operation
Implementation Method 2
detect an air change in air proximate the first cooling hole from the air supply system based on data received from the at least one sensor, wherein the air change is indicative of a drilling breakthrough
Data Source
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AI summary
A detection system for use with a component is provided. The component includes a plurality of cooling holes located on an outer surface of the component and an air supply system coupled in flow communication to a back surface of each of the plurality of cooling holes. The detection system includes a data acquisition system including at least one sensor and a processor. The processor is configured to cause a laser device to drill a first of the cooling holes, detect an air change in air proximate the first cooling hole from the air supply system based on data received from the at least one sensor, wherein the air change is indicative of a drilling breakthrough of the back surface of the first cooling hole, and operate the laser device to stop drilling the first cooling hole based on the detected air change.