IP Library Granted Patent US 8,910,361
Granted Patent B2
US 8,910,361 · App. 13/365,282 · Granted Dec 16, 2014

Method for repairing or reconditioning a badly damaged component, in particular from the hot gas region of a gas turbine

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,910,361
App. No.
13/365,282
Granted
Dec 16, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for repairing or reconditioning a damaged component includes working the damaged component by removing a damaged region from the damaged component while creating a cutout corresponding to the damaged region so as to provide a worked component. The worked component is measured and a computer-aided design (CAD) model of a replacement piece based on the measuring and is configured to be inserted into the cutout of the worked component is created. The replacement piece is produced based on the CAD model. The replacement piece and the worked component are connected by joining.

Claims (33)

1. A method for repairing or reconditioning a damaged component comprising:

measuring the damaged component to provide pre-removal measurement data of the damaged component;

working the damaged component by removing a damaged region from the damaged component while creating a cutout corresponding to the damaged region so as to provide a worked component;

measuring the worked component;

creating a computer-aided design (CAD) model of a replacement piece based on the measuring of the damaged component and the measuring of the worked component, the replacement piece being configured to be inserted into the cutout of the worked component;

producing the replacement piece based on the CAD model;

connecting the replacement piece and the worked component by joining,

wherein the measuring of the worked component includes providing worked component measurement data, and wherein the creating of the CAD model includes virtually reconstructing an outer contour of the replacement piece by subtracting the worked component measurement data from the pre-removal measurement data.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein working includes removing the damaged region from a hot region of a gas turbine.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

defining an individual cutting line about the damaged region prior to the removing.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the individual cutting line is a complex line.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the working is performed using an electrical discharge machining (EDM) process.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the working is performed using a milling process.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the working is performed without retaining a geometry of a cutout of the cutout part.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the measuring of the damaged component is performed using at least one of a mechanical and an optical sensing technique.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the measuring of the damaged component is performed using a 3D scanning process.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the working includes obtaining a cutout part of the cutout and measuring the cutout part so as to determine a geometry of the cutout part.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the creating of the CAD model includes virtually reconstructing an inner contour of the replacement piece using at least one of the worked component measurement data, the pre-removal measurement data, and the geometry of the cutout part.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the creating of the CAD model includes virtually reconstructing the replacement piece by combining the outer contour and the inner contour.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the producing of the replacement piece is based on one of a created drawing and a digital model.

14. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the producing of the replacement piece is performed using at least one of casing, a generative process and a machining process.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the generative process includes selective laser melting.

16. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the machining process is performed using at least one of milling and electrochemical working.

17. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

re-working a contour of the replacement piece to prepare a contact surface before the joining.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein the re-working is performed using adaptive working depending on a required gap tolerance of the joining and a production tolerance of the replacement piece.

19. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the re-working includes creating geometrical structures that cannot be created during the producing using re-machining of the replacement piece.

20. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the connecting of the replacement piece and the worked component is performed using at least one of manual welding, automatic welding and high-temperature brazing with a material bond.

21. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

re-working a contour of at least one of the worked component and the replacement piece after the connecting by joining.

22. The method as recited in claim 21 , wherein the re-working is performed using at least one of adaptive machining and machining.

23. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the measuring of the worked component includes measuring an inner geometry of the worked component.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 16, 2017
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
To: ANSALDO ENERGIA IP UK LIMITED
Reel/Frame 041731/0626 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 22, 2016
From: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
Reel/Frame 038216/0193 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 19, 2012
From: RICKENBACHER, LUKAS EMANUEL; HOEVEL, SIMONE; SPIERINGS, ADRIAAN BERNARDUS; SCHMID, RAPHAEL; BUOB, STEFAN
To: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD
Reel/Frame 028072/0598 →