IP Library Patent Application 13477787
Patent Application
App. No. 13/477,787

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN AIRFOIL

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Patent No.
US None
App. No.
13/477,787
Abstract

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing an airfoil. The method includes establishing an Argon (Ar)-free environment, providing a bed within the Argon free environment, providing a set of data instructions for manufacturing the airfoil, and providing a powdered Nickel (Ni)-based alloy on the bed. In one example, the powdered Nickel (Ni)-based alloy consists essentially of about 4.8 wt. % Iron (Fe), about 21 wt. % Chromium (Cr), about 8.6 wt. % Molybdenum (Mo), about 0.07 wt. % Titanium (Ti), about 0.40% Aluminum (Al), about 5.01 wt. % Niobium (Nb), about 0.03 wt. % Carbon (C), about 0.14 wt. % Silicon (Si), and a balance Nickel (Ni). The method further includes fusing the powdered Nickel (Ni)-based alloy with an electron beam with reference to the data instructions to form the airfoil.

Claims (23)

1 . A method of manufacturing an airfoil, the method comprising:

forming an airfoil using a powdered Nickel (Ni)-based alloy in an additive manufacturing process, wherein the powdered Nickel (Ni)-based alloy includes Molybdenum (Mo) within a range of 7.7 to 9.5 wt. %, Titanium (Ti) within a range of 0.06 to 0.08 wt. %, Aluminum (Al) within a range of 0.3 to 0.5 wt. %, Niobium (Nb) within a range of 4.5 to 5.5 wt. %, Carbon (C) within a range of 0.02 to 0.04 wt. %, and a balance Nickel (Ni) and alloy elements.

2 . The method as recited in claim 1 , further including establishing an Argon (Ar)-free environment, providing a bed within the Argon free environment, and positioning the powdered Nickel (Ni)-based alloy on the bed.

3 . The method as recited in claim 2 , further including providing data instructions for manufacturing the airfoil, and fusing the powdered Nickel (Ni)-based alloy using an electron beam with reference to the data instructions.

4 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the airfoil is a turbine airfoil.

5 . The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the airfoil is one of a rotor blade and a stator vane.

6 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the alloy elements include about 4.9 wt. % Iron (Fe), about 21 wt. % Chromium (Cr), and about 0.14 wt. % Silicon (Si).

7 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the powdered Nickel (Ni)-based alloy consists of about 4.8 wt. % Iron (Fe), about 21 wt. % Chromium (Cr), about 8.6 wt. % Molybdenum (Mo), about 0.07 wt. % Titanium (Ti), about 0.40 wt. % Aluminum (Al), about 5.01 wt. % Niobium (Nb), about 0.03 wt. % Carbon (C), about 0.14 wt. % Silicon (Si), and a balance Nickel (Ni).

8 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the powdered Nickel (Ni)-based alloy consists essentially of about 4.8 wt. % Iron (Fe), about 21 wt. % Chromium (Cr), about 8.6 wt. % Molybdenum (Mo), about 0.07 wt. % Titanium (Ti), about 0.40 wt. % Aluminum (Al), about 5.01 wt. % Niobium (Nb), about 0.03 wt. % Carbon (C), about 0.14 wt. % Silicon (Si), and a balance Nickel (Ni).

9 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the airfoil exhibits a tensile ductility within a range of 33% to 38% at 1400° F.

10 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the powdered Nickel (Ni)-based alloy is substantially free of Aluminum (Al)-based oxides.

11 . A method of manufacturing an airfoil, the method comprising:

establishing an Argon (Ar)-free environment;

providing a bed within the Argon free environment;

providing a set of data instructions for manufacturing the airfoil;

providing a powdered Nickel (Ni)-based alloy on the bed, wherein the powdered Nickel (Ni)-based alloy consists essentially of about 4.8 wt. % Iron (Fe), about 21 wt. % Chromium (Cr), about 8.6 wt. % Molybdenum (Mo), about 0.07 wt. % Titanium (Ti), about 0.40% Aluminum (Al), about 5.01 wt. % Niobium (Nb), about 0.03 wt. % Carbon (C), about 0.14 wt. % Silicon (Si), and a balance Nickel (Ni); and

fusing the powdered Nickel (Ni)-based alloy with an electron beam with reference to the data instructions to form the airfoil.

12 . The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the powdered Nickel-based alloy consists of about 4.8 wt. % Iron (Fe), about 21 wt. % Chromium (Cr), about 8.6 wt. % Molybdenum (Mo), about 0.07 wt. % Titanium (Ti), about 0.40% Aluminum (Al), about 5.01 wt. % Niobium (Nb), about 0.03 wt. % Carbon (C), about 0.14 wt. % Silicon (Si), and a balance Nickel (Ni).

13 . The method as recited in claim 11 , further including removing excess, unfused powdered Nickel (Ni)-based alloy from the bed.

14 . A turbine airfoil comprising:

an electron beam formed component with a chemical composition consisting essentially of approximately 4.9 wt. % Iron (Fe), approximately 21 wt. % Chromium (Cr), approximately 8.6 wt. % Molybdenum (Mo), approximately 0.07 wt. % Titanium (Ti), approximately 0.4 wt. % Aluminum (Al), approximately 5.01 wt. % Niobium (Nb), approximately 0.03 wt. % Carbon (C), approximately 0.14 wt. % Silicon (Si), and a balance Nickel (Ni).

15 . The turbine airfoil as recited in claim 14 , wherein the component provides one of a turbine rotor blade and a turbine stator vane.

16 . The turbine airfoil as recited in claim 14 , wherein the component exhibits a tensile ductility within a range of 33% to 38% at 1400° F.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 5, 2016
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: AEROJET ROCKETDYNE OF DE, INC. (F/K/A PRATT & WHITNEY ROCKETDYNE, INC.)
Reel/Frame 039597/0890 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 30, 2013
From: PRATT & WHITNEY ROCKETDYNE, INC.
To: AEROJET ROCKETDYNE OF DE, INC.
Reel/Frame 030902/0313 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 21, 2013
From: PRATT & WHITNEY ROCKETDYNE, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 030656/0615 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 17, 2013
From: PRATT & WHITNEY ROCKETDYNE, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 030628/0408 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2012
From: MATEJCZYK, DANIEL EDWARD
To: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 028250/0479 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2012
From: BAMPTON, CLIFFORD C.; WOOTEN, JOHN R.
To: CALRAM INC.
Reel/Frame 028250/0497 →