Resilient Vane Tip Machining Fixture for Gas Turbine Airfoils
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Solution Overview
Problem
Machining airfoil tips in gas turbine engines is complicated by non-uniform heating and cooling, movement, and potential eccentricities in the engine case, making it challenging to achieve precise radial tip spacing and alignment with rotor assemblies.
Innovation Solution
A machining fixture assembly with a clamp ring system, including a resilient ring made of rubber, is used to bias and secure cantilevered mounted stator vane airfoils, allowing for precise machining of tips by accommodating axial tolerances and simulating engine operation conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If rigid clamping is used to secure vane airfoils during machining, then positioning stability is improved, but the risk of damaging flexible airfoil structures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a resilient clamp ring with elastomeric material that flexes to accommodate the airfoil structure during clamping. This flexible clamping mechanism provides stable positioning while distributing pressure to avoid damaging the airfoil, resolving the contradiction between positioning stability and structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp ring's resilient properties allow it to change its mechanical parameters (flexibility, pressure distribution) to adapt to the airfoil's flexible nature. This parameter change enables effective clamping without exceeding the airfoil's structural tolerance, simultaneously achieving positioning stability and protecting structural integrity.
2Manufacturing precision
If precise radial tip spacing is achieved through rigid fixture, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the ability to accommodate thermal expansion and movement is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient clamp ring transforms the rigid fixture into a dynamic system that can adapt to thermal expansion and movement. The elastomeric material allows controlled deformation while maintaining precise radial tip spacing, enabling the fixture to accommodate thermal effects without sacrificing manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp ring is designed with pre-compression capability that anticipates thermal expansion. By pre-loading the airfoils with controlled force, the system compensates for anticipated thermal movement during machining, maintaining precision while accommodating future dimensional changes.
3Measurement precision
If multiple clamp rings are used to secure vane clusters, then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fixture is divided into multiple identical clamp ring modules, each responsible for securing a portion of the vane cluster. This segmentation allows positioning accuracy to be achieved through distributed clamping while keeping individual components simple and standardized, reducing overall system complexity despite multiple elements.
Solution Approach 2:
Each clamp ring is designed as a universal component that can be used on different vane cluster configurations. The standardized design of multiple identical rings reduces complexity compared to custom-designed single-piece fixtures, as the same component is replicated rather than creating a complex integrated structure.
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
The solution enables precise machining of airfoil tips, ensuring concentricity with the engine central longitudinal axis, reducing vibrations, and maintaining structural integrity by preloading vane clusters, thus improving engine efficiency and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a clamp ring including a rigid back ring mounted to a resilient ring
Implementation Method 2
maintaining structural integrity by preloading vane clusters, thus improving engine efficiency and reliability
Data Source
AI summary
A vane tip machining fixture assembly includes a first clamp ring mountable to a fixture, the first clamp ring includes a rigid back ring mounted to a resilient ring.