Single-Crystal Turbine Blade Casting with Linked Ceramic Cores
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and time-consuming nature of manufacturing single crystal turbomachine blades for gas turbine engines due to the lengthy solidification process and numerous processing steps in existing crystallographically-oriented casting methods.
Innovation Solution
A process involving a ceramic core piece with two or four ceramic core elements and a clamping part, coated with wax, which is then cast using a crystallographically-oriented metal casting process, allowing for efficient handling and separation of blades post-casting, reducing operational time and cost by half.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If single crystal casting process is used to manufacture turbomachine blades, then mechanical properties at high temperatures are improved, but manufacturing cost and time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is divided into multiple segments (first blade, second blade, etc.) that are cast simultaneously in a single crystal structure within one mold cavity. This segmentation allows multiple blades to be produced in parallel during one solidification cycle, dramatically increasing productivity while maintaining the mechanical properties of single crystal blades.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple blade segments are merged into a single cast piece during the crystallographically-oriented solidification process. The blades share a common crystal structure and are formed simultaneously from the same molten metal, allowing them to be manufactured together in one operation rather than individually, thus reducing total manufacturing time.
2Strength
If single crystal casting process is used to manufacture turbomachine blades, then mechanical properties at high temperatures are improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is designed with multiple cavities or compartments that can accommodate several blade segments simultaneously. This allows the production of multiple blades in one casting cycle, spreading the fixed costs of the single crystal casting process (such as mold preparation, heating, and solidification time) across multiple products, thereby reducing the cost per blade.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple blades are combined into a single cast piece that is processed together through the entire single crystal casting cycle. This merging eliminates the need for separate processing steps for each blade, reducing cumulative costs associated with multiple independent manufacturing operations.
3Productivity
If multiple blades are cast together as a single piece, then productivity is improved, but handling and processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A separable connection structure (such as a common platform or root structure) is designed into the cast piece that allows the individual blades to be easily separated after casting. This extraction mechanism enables the complex multi-blade assembly to be divided into manageable individual components without requiring complex separation processes, thus reducing handling complexity while maintaining the productivity benefits of simultaneous casting.
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 process enables the efficient manufacturing of turbomachine blades with reduced operational time and cost, while maintaining the mechanical properties required for high-temperature applications, by allowing secure handling and processing of complex-shaped blades as a linked cast piece before separation.
Implementation Method 1
a molten wax material is applied to the outside of the ceramic core piece in the wax forming device and the wax is allowed to solidify
Implementation Method 2
at least two turbomachine blades are cast using a crystallographically-oriented metal casting process
Data Source
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AI summary
A manufacturing process for blades (5) of a turbomachine, e.g. a gas turbine engine for an aircraft. In the process: a) a ceramic core piece (1) that comprises at least two ceramic core elements (1', 1", 1‴, 1ʺʺ) and a clamping part (2) that connects the ceramic core elements, is positioned in a wax forming device (100), subsequently; b) a molten wax material (W) is applied to the outside of the ceramic core piece (1) in the wax forming device (100) and the wax is allowed to solidify, and subsequently; c) at least two turbomachine blades (5) are cast using a crystallographically-oriented metal casting process and the wax (W) and the ceramic core piece (1) are removed.