Ni-Alloy Turbine Blades With Region-Specific Microstructure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing turbomachine components, such as rotating blades, from Ni-based alloys face challenges in achieving favorable fatigue and creep resistance properties due to structural inconsistencies caused by investment casting, which require complex and expensive heat treatment processes.
Innovation Solution
The use of additive manufacturing methods like selective laser beam melting or selective electron beam melting to build components layer-wise from powders with varying chemical compositions and process parameters, allowing for distinct microstructures and property profiles in different regions, such as fine-grained structures for fatigue strength in the blade root and coarse-grained structures for creep resistance in the blade element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If investment casting is used to produce rotating blades, then the component can be formed close to final contour, but the structural formation leads to unfavorable fatigue properties in the blade root region and unfavorable creep resistance in the blade element region
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by defining different component regions (blade root region and blade element region) with different desired property profiles. The blade root region is designated for fine-grained structure to improve fatigue properties, while the blade element region is designated for coarse-grained structure to improve creep resistance. This regional differentiation allows each part of the component to have the optimal microstructure for its specific functional requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by varying process parameters during additive manufacturing to achieve different microstructures in different regions. By adjusting parameters such as energy input, cooling rate, and layer thickness in different component regions, the method produces fine-grained structures in the blade root and coarse-grained structures in the blade element, thereby resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and component reliability.
2Reliability
If complex heat treatment methods are applied to eliminate unfavorable structural formation, then fatigue properties and creep resistance can be improved, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing the desired microstructural formation directly during the additive manufacturing process itself, rather than requiring subsequent heat treatment steps. The process parameters are optimized during manufacturing to produce fine-grained structures in the blade root and coarse-grained structures in the blade element, eliminating the need for complex post-manufacturing heat treatment operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the microstructure control function from the post-manufacturing heat treatment process and integrates it into the additive manufacturing process. By incorporating microstructure control directly into the manufacturing step, the method eliminates the separate heat treatment operation, thereby reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost while maintaining improved fatigue and creep properties.
3Reliability
If additive manufacturing is conducted with different powder particles and process parameters in different component regions, then different property profiles can be achieved, but the manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing region-specific manufacturing parameters within the additive manufacturing process. Different powder particles and process parameters are applied to different component regions: the blade root region receives parameters optimized for fine-grained structure formation, while the blade element region receives parameters optimized for coarse-grained structure formation. This localized approach achieves optimal property profiles while keeping the overall process integrated.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs segmentation by dividing the component into distinct regions (blade root and blade element) with different property requirements. This segmentation allows the manufacturing process to be optimized for each region independently, producing the appropriate microstructure in each area. The segmented approach to parameter control enables property profile optimization without requiring entirely separate manufacturing processes.
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 enables the production of turbomachine components with improved fatigue and creep resistance properties in a simple and reliable manner, eliminating the need for complex heat treatment processes while maintaining a homogeneous chemical composition.
Implementation Method 1
the component is built up layerwise from at least one powder, by joining the powder in a cohesive manner to a substrate or an already produced part of the component in correspondence with the cross-sectional form in the plane that is to be built up, particularly by melting the powder particles and subsequent solidification
Implementation Method 2
selective electron beam melting, selective electron beam sintering
Implementation Method 3
by melting the powder particles and subsequent solidification
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for producing a component of a turbomachine from a metal alloy as well as a correspondingly produced component, wherein the method includes defining at least one first component region that will have a first property profile, and at least one second component region that will have a second property profile which is different from the first property profile; providing at least one powder of the metal alloy or several different powders of constituents of the metal alloy; additive manufacture of the component from the at least one powder, wherein the powder is melted for cohesive joining of the powder particles to each other and to a substrate or to an already produced part of the component.