Superalloy Brazing Fixture With Tab Lock Couplings

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing brazing fixtures face issues with thermal expansion mismatches between the fixture and the workpiece, leading to distortion and alignment problems during high-temperature brazing processes, particularly in precision parts like gas turbine components, which require exact tolerances and frequent rework or replacement.

Innovation Solution

A high-temperature brazing fixture made from superalloy with modular design using tab and tab lock couplings, allowing for reconfiguration and easy repair, and featuring flow holes for heat distribution, to support and position gas turbine components without welding, ensuring minimal thermal expansion mismatch and maintaining precise alignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional brazing fixtures are made using machined, formed, and welded components, then the fixture can support workpieces during brazing, but thermal expansion mismatches cause distortion and alignment problems of precision parts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment stabilityVSAvoidpart alignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The fixture members are constructed from the same superalloy material as the workpiece, ensuring identical thermal expansion characteristics. This material homogeneity eliminates differential thermal expansion between fixture and workpiece, preventing distortion and maintaining alignment precision during high-temperature brazing operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

Solution Approach 2:

The fixture is divided into modular members that can be independently manufactured and assembled using tab and tab lock couplings. This segmentation allows for easier replacement and reconfiguration of individual members while maintaining overall fixture integrity and alignment stability throughout the brazing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If the fixture is made from the same high temperature alloy as the workpiece to match thermal expansion rates, then alignment is maintained during brazing, but the fixture requires frequent rework or replacement over time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepart alignment precisionVSAvoidfixture service life

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The fixture is designed as an assembly of separate modular members connected by tab and tab lock couplings. When wear or damage occurs, only the affected individual members need to be replaced rather than the entire fixture, significantly extending the overall service life while maintaining alignment precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The modular design enables selective replacement of worn or damaged fixture members while retaining and reusing the remaining functional members. This approach recovers the value of undamaged components and reduces the frequency and cost of complete fixture replacement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Strength

If conventional welding methods are used to assemble fixture members, then the fixture has sufficient structural strength, but the welding process introduces additional thermal expansion mismatches and alignment issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefixture structural strengthVSAvoidalignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The welding process is replaced with a mechanical coupling system using tabs and tab lock couplings to join fixture members. This mechanical connection method eliminates the thermal effects of welding, preventing additional thermal expansion mismatches and alignment distortion while providing sufficient structural strength for high-temperature brazing applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 superalloy brazing fixture maintains precise alignment and tolerances during high-temperature brazing, reduces maintenance and rework costs, and extends the life of the fixture by allowing modular replacement and reconfiguration, effectively addressing thermal expansion issues and supporting complex geometries in gas turbine components.

Implementation Method 1

differences in thermal expansion rates between the parts and the fixture surface tend to distort and shift the parts with respect to each other

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Implementation Method 2

flow holes for heat distribution

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS9227276B2High temperature brazing fixture and method of manufacture

Publication Date: 2016.01.05 SOLAR TURBINES INC

AI summary

A high temperature brazing fixture and method of manufacture for a gas turbine component made of a superalloy is disclosed herein. The high temperature brazing fixture includes a first and second frame member, a support member, and positioning member, all of which are made from the superalloy and fastened together using tab and tab lock couplings. The support member is configured to interface with and support the gas turbine engine component, and the positioning member is configured to interface with and position at least a first location of or hold a first dimension of the gas turbine component.