Rebonding Metallized Fabric to Ceramic Layers via Slit Insertion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Insulation blankets in gas turbine engines face challenges with large-scale disbonding of metallized fabric layers from underlying ceramic layers due to adhesive fatigue, making traditional repair methods infeasible and costly replacement necessary.

Innovation Solution

A method involving cutting slits in the metallized fabric to insert a repair material with a controlled adhesive, ensuring even bonding between the disbonded fabric and underlying layer, while maintaining porosity for air flow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional adhesive repair techniques are used on large disbonded areas, then the metallized fabric layer can be reattached, but the porous barrier function is compromised and air flow is obstructed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebond strengthVSAvoidair flow obstruction
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The repair material is inserted through slits that divide the repair area into multiple segments, allowing adhesive to be applied in a controlled, metered manner rather than as a continuous layer. This segmentation enables bonding while preserving porosity for air flow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The adhesive is applied locally at specific repair points rather than uniformly across the entire disbonded area. This localized application provides sufficient bonding strength at critical points while leaving other areas porous for air flow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If a large portion of the metallized fabric layer is reattached to maintain structural integrity, then bonding strength is improved, but the cost of repair increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebonding strengthVSAvoidrepair cost
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of reattaching the entire disbonded area, the repair method applies adhesive only at critical locations through the inserted repair material. This partial action provides sufficient bonding strength to restore structural integrity while minimizing material and labor costs compared to full reattachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If adhesive is applied generously to ensure complete bonding of large disbonded areas, then bonding coverage is improved, but adhesive distribution becomes uneven and porosity is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebonding coverageVSAvoidadhesive distribution uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The repair material acts as an intermediary carrier that delivers adhesive in a controlled, metered fashion. This intermediary mechanism ensures uniform adhesive distribution and complete bonding coverage without requiring generous adhesive application, thereby maintaining porosity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Stability of the object's composition

If the metallized fabric layer is completely reattached to eliminate disbonding, then structural integrity is improved, but the porous barrier function is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidloss of porous barrier function
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive is applied locally at specific points rather than uniformly across the entire fabric layer. This localized bonding maintains structural integrity at critical locations while preserving the porous barrier function in other areas, allowing air flow to continue.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

Effectively re-bonds large disbonded areas of metallized fabric to ceramic layers without obstructing porosity, providing a cost-effective alternative to blanket replacement by ensuring a controlled and uniform adhesive application.

Implementation Method 1

adhering both the disbonded fabric and the underlying layer to the repair material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP1903182B1Rebonding a metallized fabric to an underlying layer
Publication Date: 2012.05.16 UNITED TECH CORP
  • EP1903182B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1903182B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP1903182B1 patent drawingFigure 6

AI summary

A method and system for repairing an insulation blanket (24a) having a metallized fabric (26) that becomes disbonded from an underlying layer of the insulation blanket. The method includes cutting a first slit (40) in the metallized fabric near a disbonded portion of the fabric, inserting a repair material (52) through the first slit such that the repair material is between the disbonded portion of the fabric and the underlying layer, and adhering the disbonded fabric and the underlying layer to the repair material to restore the functionality of the metallized fabric.