Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080230378 | Methods and systems for forming tapered cooling holes - A method for forming holes in an object is provided. The method includes providing an electrochemical machining (ECM) electrode including a first section having insulation that circumscribes the first section, and a second section having insulation that extends only partially around the second section. The method also includes inserting the electrode into the object, such that in a single pass the electrode forms a hole that includes a first portion having a first cross-sectional area and a second portion having a second cross-sectional area. | 09-25-2008 |
20080230379 | Methods and systems for forming cooling holes having circular inlets and non-circular outlets - A method for forming a hole in an object is provided. The method includes forming a starter hole in the object, providing an electrochemical machining electrode that includes insulation that extends only partially around the electrode, and inserting the electrode into the starter hole to form a hole in the object that has an inlet defined by a first cross-sectional area and an outlet defined by a second cross-sectional area. | 09-25-2008 |
20080230396 | Methods and systems for forming turbulated cooling holes - A method for forming holes in an object is provided. The method includes forming a starter hole in the object, providing an electrochemical machining electrode having at least one insulated section that substantially circumscribes the electrode and at least one uninsulated section, and inserting the electrode into the starter hole to facilitate forming a hole defined by at least one first section having a first cross-sectional area and at least one second section having a second cross-sectional area. | 09-25-2008 |
20080253922 | Method for roughening metal surfaces and article manufactured thereby - A method for surface roughening a metal work piece includes disposing the work piece proximate to a counter electrode. The work piece and the counter electrode are disposed in an electrolyte. An electric potential with current flow is applied between the work piece and the counter electrode to roughen the metal surface to a desired roughness. | 10-16-2008 |
20080264897 | Turbine component pattern forming method - A method of forming a pattern comprising a plurality of recesses within a turbine component is disclosed. The method includes simultaneously dissolving a plurality of portions of a selected section of the turbine component, thereby defining the plurality of recesses of the pattern. | 10-30-2008 |
20080277384 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HYBRID MACHINING A WORKPIECE - An apparatus and method for hybrid machining a workpiece is disclosed. The apparatus includes a mandrel for supporting the workpiece adjacent a cutter mounted on an arbor. A workpiece is powered as an anode and the cutter is powered as a cathode, and a cutting fluid or coolant is circulated therebetween. The cutter is made of a conductive material and a non-conductive abrasive material to maximize the amount of material removed from the workpiece. The coolant includes one or more additives to enhance the electrical discharge between the cutter and the workpiece. The cutter is moved relative to the workpiece to remove material from the workpiece at a predetermined depth of cut using an enhanced high-speed electro-erosion (HSEE) process in which both HSEE and abrasive machining processes are used. The workpiece may then be finish machined to a final shape of the titanium article, such as a dovetail of a turbine blade. | 11-13-2008 |
20090020509 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HYBRID MACHINING A CONTOURED, THIN-WALLED WORKPIECE - An apparatus and method for hybrid machining a workpiece is disclosed. The workpiece is powered as an anode, a cutter is powered as a cathode and a cutting fluid or coolant is circulated therebetween. The cutter is made of a conductive material and a non-conductive abrasive material. The hybrid machine performs a roughing pass machining operation in which material is removed from the workpiece at a relatively high rate using a high-speed electro-erosion (HSEE) process. Then, the hybrid machine performs a finish pass machining operation in which material is removed from the workpiece using precision electro-grinding (PEG) process at a different differential electrical potential and/or flushing rate than the roughing pass machining operation to provide a smooth finish without thermal effects on the workpiece. | 01-22-2009 |
20090277803 | METHOD AND TOOL FOR FORMING NON-CIRCULAR HOLES USING A SELECTIVELY COATED ELECTRODE - An electrochemical machining process for forming a non-circular hole from a substantially circular hole within a workpiece using an electrode. The electrode is made of an electrically conductive material and has insulated areas in which the electrically conductive material is coated with an insulating material, and exposed areas of metal or conductive material. The insulated areas and exposed areas extending in rows substantially along a longitudinal axis of the electrode. The electrode is first positioned in a substantially circular hole. An electric current is then applied to the electrode to electrochemically remove a predetermined amount of material from the substantially circular hole to form a non-circular hole. A variety of different non-circular shapes are achievable using the process. | 11-12-2009 |
20090308760 | ELECTROCHEMICAL DISSOLUTION OF CONDUCTIVE COMPOSITES - A method and apparatus separates recoverable components ( | 12-17-2009 |
20100051588 | ELECTRO DISCHARGE MACHINING APPARATUS AND METHOD - An electro discharge machining apparatus comprises an electrode configured to machine a desired feature in a workpiece, a pulse generator configured to energize the electrode and the workpiece to opposite electrical polarities, a machining solution source configured to pass a machining solution between the electrode and the workpiece, and a servomotor configured to drive the electrode to move relative to the workpiece. The electro discharge machining apparatus further comprises at least one detection element configured to detect machining signals, and a controller. The controller controls the pulse generator and the servomotor to machine the workpiece according to a plurality of first process parameters predetermined therein and analyzes the detected machining signals to generate a first response signal to activate a plurality of second process parameters predetermined therein and different from the first process parameters to machine the workpiece. An electro discharge machining method is also presented. | 03-04-2010 |
20100078333 | ELECTROEROSION MACHINING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ELECTRODE WEAR COMPENSATION - An electroerosion machining system comprises an electrode, a power supply, an electrolyte supply, an electroerosion controller connected to and monitoring the power supply, and a working apparatus configured to move the electrode relative to the workpiece. The electroerosion machining system further comprises a CNC controller configured to cooperate with the electroerosion controller to control the working apparatus, and to calculate a wear value of the electrode. Further, the CNC controller is configured to segment the toolpath of every layer into a plurality of segments, and to divide the compensation value for every layer to be machined into a plurality of value segments, and further to use the value segments to compensate for electrode wear along the respective toolpath segments during machining of the workpiece. An electroerosion machining method is also presented. | 04-01-2010 |
20100126877 | ELECTROCHEMICAL GRINDING ELECTRODE, AND APPARATUS AND METHOD USING THE SAME - An electrochemical grinding electrode comprises an electrically conductive material; an arc resistance material; and an abrasive material different from the arc resistance material. An electrochemical grinding apparatus and a method are also presented. | 05-27-2010 |
20110070096 | CURVED ELECTRODE AND ELECTROCHEMICAL MACHINING METHOD AND ASSEMBLY EMPLOYING THE SAME - An electrode for an electrochemical machining process is provided. The electrode comprises a curved, electrically conductive member, and an insulating coating covering at least a portion of a side surface of the curved, electrically conductive member. An electrochemical machining assembly is also provided for machining curved holes in a workpiece. The assembly includes at least one curved electrode and a power supply operatively connected to provide a pulsed voltage to the at least one curved electrode and to the workpiece. The assembly further includes a rotational driver operatively connected to move the at least one curved electrode along a curved path within the workpiece. The assembly is configured to remove material from the workpiece upon application of the pulsed voltage to the at least one curved electrode and to the workpiece. An electrochemical machining method is also provided for forming one or more curved holes in an electrically conductive workpiece. | 03-24-2011 |
20110185572 | PROCESS AND SYSTEM FOR FORMING SHAPED AIR HOLES - A process and system are provided for forming shaped air holes, such as for use in turbine blades. Aspects of the disclosure relate to forming shaped portions of air holes using a short pulse laser, forming a metered hole corresponding to each shaped portion, and separately finishing the shaped portion using a short-pulse laser. In other embodiments, the order of these operations may be varied, such as to form the shaped portions and to finish the shaped portions using the short-pulse laser prior to forming the corresponding metered holes. | 08-04-2011 |
20110223004 | APPARATUS FOR COOLING A PLATFORM OF A TURBINE COMPONENT - The present subject matter discloses a turbine component including a platform and an airfoil extending radially upward from the platform. A plurality of curved cooling passages may be defined in the platform. Each of the curved cooling passages may have at least one end disposed at an exterior surface of the platform. Additionally, each of the cooling passages may be configured to direct a cooling medium through the platform. | 09-15-2011 |
20110262771 | METHOD FOR ROUGHENING METAL SURFACES AND ARTICLE MANUFACTURED THEREBY - A method for surface roughening a metal work piece includes disposing a region of the workpiece to be roughened proximate to a counter electrode. The region of the workpiece to be roughened and the counter electrode are subsequently disposed together in an electrolyte. An electric potential with current flow is applied between the work piece and the counter electrode to roughen the metal surface to a desired roughness. | 10-27-2011 |
20120111545 | COMPONENTS WITH RE-ENTRANT SHAPED COOLING CHANNELS AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE - A method of fabricating a component is provided. The method includes forming one or more grooves in a surface of a substrate, where the substrate has at least one hollow interior space. Each of the one or more grooves extends at least partially along the substrate surface and has a base and a top. The base is wider than the top, such that each of the one or more grooves comprises a re-entrant shaped groove. The method further includes forming one or more access holes through the base of a respective groove, to connect the groove in fluid communication with respective ones of the hollow interior space(s), and disposing a coating over at least a portion of the substrate surface. The one or more grooves and coating define one or more re-entrant shaped channels for cooling the component. A component with one or more re-entrant shaped channels and a method of coating a component are also provided. | 05-10-2012 |
20120114868 | METHOD OF FABRICATING A COMPONENT USING A FUGITIVE COATING - A method of fabricating a component is provided. The method includes depositing a fugitive coating on a surface of a substrate, where the substrate has at least one hollow interior space. The method further includes machining the substrate through the fugitive coating to form one or more grooves in the surface of the substrate. Each of the one or more grooves has a base and extends at least partially along the surface of the substrate. The method further includes forming one or more access holes through the base of a respective one of the one or more grooves to connect the respective groove in fluid communication with the respective hollow interior space. The method further includes filling the one or more grooves with a filler, removing the fugitive coating, disposing a coating over at least a portion of the surface of the substrate, and removing the filler from the one or more grooves, such that the one or more grooves and the coating together define a number of channels for cooling the component. | 05-10-2012 |
20120124832 | TURBINE COMPONENTS WITH COOLING FEATURES AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - The present disclosure is directed to the use and manufacture of cooling features within a component used in a hot gas path, such as within a turbine. In one embodiment, channels are formed within an external surface of the component and filled with a removable material. The external surface and channels may then be coated with one or more layers, such as a structural layer and/or top coat. The removable material may then be removed to leave the channels free of the removable material. | 05-24-2012 |
20120211357 | ELECTROEROSION MACHINING SYSTEMS AND METHODS - An electroerosion machining system comprises one or more electrodes configured to machine a workpiece, a power supply configured to energize the workpiece and the respective one or more electrodes, an electrolyte supply configured to pass an electrolyte, and a working apparatus configured to move the respective one or more electrodes relative to the workpiece. The electroerosion machining system further comprises a controller configured to control the working apparatus to machine the workpiece, and a removal agent configured to cooperate with the electrolyte from the electrolyte supply for removal of removed material from the workpiece. An electroerosion machining method is also presented. | 08-23-2012 |
20120243995 | COMPONENTS WITH COOLING CHANNELS FORMED IN COATING AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE - A method of fabricating a component is provided. The method includes depositing a structural coating on an outer surface of a substrate, where the substrate has at least one hollow interior space. The method further includes forming one or more grooves in the structural coating. Each groove has a base and extends at least partially along the substrate. The method further includes depositing at least one additional coating over the structural coating and over the groove(s), such that the groove(s) and the additional coating together define one or more channels for cooling the component. The method further includes forming one or more access holes through the base of a respective groove, to connect the respective groove in fluid communication with the respective hollow interior space, and forming at least one exit hole through the additional coating for each channel, to receive and discharge coolant from the respective channel. A component with cooling channels formed in a structural coating is also provided. | 09-27-2012 |
20120244010 | ELECTRODE AND ELECTROCHEMICAL MACHINING PROCESS FOR FORMING NON-CIRCULAR HOLES - An electrode for an electrochemical machining process is provided. The electrode includes an electrically conductive member defining at least one passage and an insulating coating partially covering a side surface of the electrically conductive member. The insulating coating does not cover at least one of first and second exposed sections of the electrically conductive member, where the first and second exposed sections are separated by approximately 180 degrees and extend substantially along a longitudinal axis of the electrically conductive member. The insulating coating also does not cover an exposed front end of the electrically conductive member. An electrochemical machining method is also provided, for forming a non-circular hole in a workpiece using the electrode. | 09-27-2012 |
20120285820 | TOOL ADAPTER ASSEMBLY AND MACHINING SYSTEM - A machining system is provided and includes a machining tool comprising a spindle, one or more electrodes configured to perform the electromachining, and one or more tool holding elements configure to conductively hold the respective one or more electrodes and be assembled onto the spindle of the machining tool. The machining system further comprises one or more adapters and one or more power sources configured to electrically connect to the respective one or more adapters and the workpiece. The one or more adapters are configured to conductively contact the respective one or more tool holding elements. Further, the machining system comprises one or more machining solution sources provided to pass one or more machining solutions between the workpiece and the respective one or more electrodes. A tool adapter assembly is also presented. | 11-15-2012 |
20120295061 | COMPONENTS WITH PRECISION SURFACE CHANNELS AND HYBRID MACHINING METHOD - Methods of forming one or more grooves in a component are provided. One method includes using a first machining technique to form one or more preliminary grooves in an outer surface of a substrate. Each preliminary groove has a base and extends at least partially along the outer surface of the substrate, and the substrate has an inner surface that defines at least one hollow, interior space. The method further includes using a second machining technique to further machine the preliminary groove(s) to form the respective groove(s). In addition, the method includes forming one or more access holes through the base of a respective groove to connect the respective groove in fluid communication with the respective hollow interior space. Components with grooves characterized by a sidewall radius R in a range of 0≦R≦0.127 mm are also provided. | 11-22-2012 |
20130048612 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MONITORING AND CONTROLLING ELECTROEROSION - A method for monitoring machining in an electroerosion assembly having a power supply and an electrode arranged across a gap from a workpiece, includes measuring a voltage at a point in a voltage waveform after a time delay t | 02-28-2013 |
20130140007 | COMPONENTS WITH RE-ENTRANT SHAPED COOLING CHANNELS AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE - A method of fabricating a component is provided. The method includes forming one or more grooves in a surface of a substrate, where the substrate has at least one hollow interior space. Each of the one or more grooves extends at least partially along the substrate surface and has a base and a top. The base is wider than the top, such that each of the one or more grooves comprises a re-entrant shaped groove. The method further includes forming one or more access holes through the base of a respective groove, to connect the groove in fluid communication with respective ones of the hollow interior space(s), and disposing a coating over at least a portion of the substrate surface. The one or more grooves and coating define one or more re-entrant shaped channels for cooling the component. A component with one or more re-entrant shaped channels and a method of coating a component are also provided. | 06-06-2013 |
20150014281 | ELECTRODE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - An electrode applied in electro-machining processes is provided. The electrode comprises a main body portion and at least one built-in internal flushing passage for introducing a flushing liquid to a volume between the electrode and a workpiece to be machined. The electrode is made by an additive fabrication process that enables specialized flushing for enhancing waste material evacuation and incorporate special material properties like zones of high electrical conductivity and thermal resistance. The fabrication process produces materials and geometries that could not otherwise be made using conventional processing. | 01-15-2015 |