Adaptive robotic thermal spray coating cell

1. A method of coating a component using a robotic spray system including a scanning apparatus operable to measure and store surface characteristics, a robotic arm operable to move the robotic spray system relative to a surface of the component, and a spray nozzle operable to deposit a sprayed coating onto the surface, the method comprising:

measuring and storing the surface characteristics of the component with the scanning apparatus and generating a three-dimensional pre-coat coating profile;

coating the component with the spray nozzle to form a coated component while the component is in a hot condition;

measuring and storing the surface characteristics of the coated component with the scanning apparatus and generating a three-dimensional post-coat coating profile while the component is still in the hot condition;

generating a three-dimensional coating thickness map in response to the pre-coat coating profile, the post-coat coating profile and a deformation compensation factor while the component is still in the hot condition, the coating thickness map displaying a coating thickness across the component;

determining a three-dimensional recoat profile in response to the coating thickness map and a reference deposition profile while the component is still in the hot condition, the recoat profile including a recoat area and an additional coating thickness; and

coating a portion of the component with the spray nozzle based on the recoat profile while the component is still in the hot condition,

wherein the component includes one or more reference features which remain uncoated during the coating, and

wherein the deformation compensation factor is a pre-calculated factor determined by adding internal deformations and external deformations of a development component, the internal deformations having been determined by comparing the post-coating profile of the development component in a hot condition after a development coating has finished and in a cold condition after the development component has cooled to ambient temperature and the external deformations having been determined by comparing development reference features of the development component before and after the development coating with a development scanning apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating thickness map is generated by subtracting the pre-coat coating profile from the post-coat coating profile and adding the deformation compensation factor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the recoat profile is determined by subtracting coating thickness map from the reference deposition profile.

4. The method of claim 1 , further providing a mapping module including circuitry configured to generate the coating thickness map in response to the pre-coat coating profile, the post-coat coating profile and the deformation compensation factor; and determine the recoat profile in response to the coating thickness map and the reference deposition profile.

5. The method of claim 4 , further providing a device driver module including circuitry to operate the robotic arm and the spray nozzle.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the device driver module receives the recoat profile from the mapping module, moves the robotic arm to move the robotic spray system and controls the spray nozzle to coat the portion of the component in response to the recoat profile.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the device driver module controls the robotic spray system and communicates with the mapping module.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the deformation compensation factor includes mechanical distortion, translation, tilt, thermal expansion, and thermal distortion.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising spraying experimental test plates and actual development components to pre-calibrate a relation between a number of coating passes and a coating thickness.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating the spray nozzle to coat the portion of the component does not affect other portions wherein the additional coating thickness is not desired.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface characteristics include a coating thickness and surface temperature.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hot condition is in the range from 400° F. to 1,400° F.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scanning apparatus determines the three-dimensional recoat profile within 30 seconds after the coating of the component to form the coated component.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component is a hot gas path turbine component.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the hot gas path turbine component is selected from the group consisting of buckets, nozzles, shrouds combustors, transition ducts, and combinations thereof.