Turbine Blade Core Position Monitoring via Planar Reference Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for producing turbine blades with outwardly open cavities face challenges in determining the position of casting cores non-destructively, leading to potential deviations in wall thickness and heat transfer zones, which reduces the service life and increases costs due to sub-optimal refurbishment processes.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced where casting cores have planar reference surfaces that form accessible scanning surfaces for coordinate measuring devices, allowing for precise determination of core position and orientation without destroying the turbine blade, enabling frequent monitoring and correction of core position deviations during production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If destructive testing is used to determine casting core position, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity is worsened due to limited testing frequency
Solution Approach 1:
Planar reference surfaces are incorporated into the casting cores during the casting process itself, preparing the measurement infrastructure in advance. This preliminary action enables non-destructive measurement later without requiring destructive testing, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and testing frequency.
Solution Approach 2:
The planar reference surfaces create a measurable copy or trace of the casting core position that remains in the turbine blade after casting. Instead of destroying the blade to measure core position, the reference surfaces provide a permanent geometric copy of the core location that can be measured repeatedly using coordinate measuring devices.
2Device complexity
If casting core position is not precisely controlled, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision is worsened due to wall thickness deviations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces complex mechanical positioning and control systems with a simpler geometric reference system. Instead of relying on complex mechanical devices to maintain precise casting core positions, planar reference surfaces provide a geometric basis for measurement and control, reducing manufacturing complexity while improving precision.
3Measurement precision
If destructive testing is performed frequently, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of substance is worsened due to blade destruction
Solution Approach 1:
The planar reference surfaces create a permanent geometric copy of the casting core position that can be measured infinitely without consuming or destroying the turbine blade. This copying approach eliminates the need to destroy blades for measurement, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and material loss.
Data Source
AI summary
A turbine blade has a blade geometry defined in a coordinate system and at least one cavity which is open to the outside and which has a blade internal surface. At least one planar detection surface, which is accessible for the measuring head of a coordinate measuring device, is formed in the blade internal surface, wherein the at least one planar detection surface is assigned a defined design position and/or a defined design orientation with respect to the coordinate system in which the blade geometry is defined.