Variable-Strength Honeycomb Panel for Lightweight Turbine Structures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current metal honeycomb panels for gas turbine engines are complex and expensive to manufacture, and there is a need for a method to reduce weight without compromising strength for improved fuel economy.
Innovation Solution
A structural panel with a tailored hexagonal cell pattern and additive manufacturing process, where cell groups with varying strength are used to optimize weight distribution and cooling airflow, eliminating the need for brazing or welding individual tubes and sheets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If traditional metal honeycomb panels are used, then structural strength is maintained, but weight reduction opportunities are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the hexagonal cell dimensions across different regions of the panel. Cells in high-stress areas have smaller dimensions for increased strength, while cells in low-stress areas have larger dimensions for weight reduction. This gradient approach optimizes the strength-to-weight ratio by matching structural properties to local load requirements rather than using uniform cell sizes throughout the panel.
2Ease of manufacture
If individual hexagonal tubes are assembled and brazed or welded together, then a metal honeycomb panel is created, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple manufacturing steps into a single additive manufacturing process. Instead of separately creating individual tubes, assembling them into honeycomb patterns, and then brazing or welding the structure to sheet metal sections, the entire panel is built layer-by-layer in one continuous process. This eliminates assembly complexity and reduces manufacturing steps while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical assembly methods (brazing, welding, fastening) with additive manufacturing technology. The layered deposition process inherently creates strong bonds between structural elements without requiring separate joining operations, thereby eliminating the complexity of thermal processing and mechanical fastening systems.
3Weight of moving object
If uniform hexagonal cell patterns are used throughout the panel, then manufacturing is simplified, but weight optimization is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality through spatially varying cell dimensions in the hexagonal pattern. By programming the additive manufacturing process to deposit material with different cell sizes at different locations, the panel achieves optimized weight distribution without requiring complex post-processing or assembly operations. The variable geometry is directly built into the structure during manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the cell dimensions variable rather than static and uniform. The additive manufacturing process enables dynamic adjustment of cell size across the panel surface, allowing the structure to adapt its properties to local requirements. This dynamic geometry optimization is achieved through computer-controlled material deposition without increasing manufacturing complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A structural panel (10) for use with a gas turbine engine includes a first exterior wall (12), a second exterior wall (14), and interior walls (16). The first exterior wall (12) includes a first exterior surface (18) and a first interior surface (20) parallel to the first exterior surface (18). The second exterior wall (14) includes a second exterior surface (22) and a second interior surface (24) parallel to the second exterior surface (22). The interior walls (16) extend from the first interior surface (20) to the second interior surface (24). The interior walls (16) are arranged to form a pattern (32) of hexagonal cells (34). The pattern (32) of hexagonal cells (34) includes cell groups (36, 38, 40) having a variation in structural strength such that at least one of the cell groups (36, 38, 40) has a structural strength that is not the same as the remaining cell groups (36, 38, 40).