Turbine Coating Injection Molding Thickness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for applying protective coatings to composite material pieces in gas turbine engines are difficult to reproduce due to complex geometry, require costly and polluting processes, and struggle to balance low temperature requirements with high adhesive properties, leading to inconsistent results and environmental concerns.
Innovation Solution
A tool and method for injection molding that includes movable impressions and a holding element to control the inner volume of the tool, allowing for precise application of a protective coating directly onto the piece, ensuring consistent thickness and improved cohesion without damaging the piece, while being more environmentally friendly and cost-effective.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a protective film is glued onto the surface, then the piece is protected from the environment, but the thickness of the film and glue is very hard to control, leading to great variation in dimensions of the final piece
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical gluing system with an injection molding system. Instead of applying adhesive and film manually or through gluing equipment, the protective coating is injected directly into the mold cavity where the piece is held. This substitution of the application mechanism enables precise thickness control through mold geometry while maintaining environmental protection functionality.
2Strength
If the surface is prepared by abrasion for gluing, then adhesion is improved, but the piece material tends to locally degrade, reducing reproducibility and increasing cost and duration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by preparing the surface through the injection molding process itself rather than through separate abrasion steps. The mold cavity is designed to create proper surface preparation during coating application, eliminating the need for pre-abrasion that causes material degradation. This preliminary integration of surface preparation into the coating process maintains both adhesion and surface integrity.
3Strength
If glue is used with high cross-linking degree for adequate adhesion, then mechanical properties are improved, but the use temperature must be kept below 100°C to avoid matrix degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the coating application method from adhesive-based to injection-molded coating. This parameter change eliminates the temperature restriction inherent in adhesive systems. The injection-molded coating can be applied and cured at higher temperatures suitable for composite material matrices, achieving both adequate adhesion and compatibility with the matrix temperature requirements without the 100°C limitation of glue systems.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional coating methods are used, then environmental regulations can be observed with proper equipment, but the process requires many expensive and bulky tools and is polluting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the coating application process with the existing injection molding process. By integrating the protective coating application into the mold cavity, the invention eliminates the need for separate coating equipment, spray guns, and environmental control systems. This merging of processes reduces device complexity and eliminates the pollution associated with traditional coating methods while maintaining regulatory compliance.
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 a reproducible, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly application of protective coatings with consistent thickness and improved adhesion, reducing the complexity and pollution associated with traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
a method for manufacturing a piece by injection molding in a tool (1)
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to equipment (1) for manufacturing a part (2) by injection moulding, including: a first cavity (10), a second cavity (20), and a supporting element (30), shaped such as to hold the part (2) in position in the equipment, and defining, together with the cavities (10, 20), an inner space of the equipment, the holding element (30) as well as the first cavity (10) and/or the second cavity (20) being movable relative to one another.