IP Library Granted Patent US 12,296,400
Granted Patent B2
US 12,296,400 · App. 17/942,072 · Granted May 13, 2025

Additively depositing multiple braze materials

Inventors: Charles Trent Daulton (Burkburnett, TX); Kevin M. Tracy (Wichita Falls, TX)
Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
B23K1/0018B22F10/20B23K1/008B23P6/007B33Y10/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,296,400
App. No.
17/942,072
Granted
May 13, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method is provided during which first braze powder is deposited with a substrate. The first braze powder is sintered to the substrate during the depositing of the first braze powder to provide the substrate with sintered first braze material. Second braze powder is deposited with the substrate. The second braze powder is different than the first braze powder. The second braze powder is sintered to the substrate during the depositing of the second braze powder to provide the substrate with sintered second braze material. The sintered first braze material and the sintered second braze material are heated to melt the sintered first braze material and the sintered second braze material and to diffusion bond the sintered first braze material and the sintered second braze material to the substrate.

Claims (48)

1. A method, comprising:

depositing first braze powder with a substrate, the first braze powder comprising a metal alloy powder and a first braze material powder with a lower melting point than the metal alloy powder, the first braze material powder comprising a melting point suppressant to facilitate melting and diffusion of the first braze powder with the substrate, the first braze powder sintered to the substrate during the depositing of the first braze powder to provide the substrate with sintered first braze material;

depositing second braze powder with the substrate, the second braze powder different than the first braze powder and the second braze powder sintered to the substrate during the depositing of the second braze powder to provide the substrate with sintered second braze material; and

heating the sintered first braze material and the sintered second braze material to melt the sintered first braze material and the sintered second braze material and to diffusion bond the sintered first braze material and the sintered second braze material to the substrate;

wherein the second braze powder comprises second metal alloy powder and second braze material powder, the second braze material powder comprising the melting point suppressant to facilitate melting and diffusion of the second braze powder with the substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the first braze powder is deposited with the substrate to fill a void in the substrate; and

the second braze powder is deposited with the substrate to form a cladding on the substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the first braze powder is deposited with the substrate to repair a first type of defect of the substrate; and

the second braze powder is deposited with the substrate to repair a second type of defect of the substrate that is different than the first type of defect.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the first braze powder has a first ratio of the metal alloy powder to the first braze material powder; and

the second braze powder comprises the metal alloy powder and second braze material powder, the second braze powder has a second ratio of the metal alloy powder to the second braze material powder, and the second ratio is different than the first ratio.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein

the first braze powder is deposited with the substrate to fill a void in the substrate;

the second braze powder is deposited with the substrate to form a cladding on the substrate; and

the second ratio is greater than the first ratio.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy powder and the substrate comprise a common metal alloy.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first braze powder and the second braze powder are deposited with the substrate using an additive manufacturing device.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the depositing of the first braze powder includes

directing the first braze powder towards the substrate through a nozzle; and

sintering the first braze powder using a laser beam.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the depositing of the second braze powder includes

directing the second braze powder towards the substrate through the nozzle; and

sintering the second braze powder using the laser beam.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

selectively directing the first braze powder from a first reservoir to the nozzle during the depositing of the first braze powder; and

selectively directing the second braze powder from a second reservoir to the nozzle during the depositing of the second braze powder.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the laser beam is directed towards the substrate through an inner bore of the nozzle.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein

a laser beam sinters the first braze powder to the substrate as the first braze powder is deposited with the substrate; and

the laser beam sinters the second braze powder to the substrate as the second braze powder is deposited with the substrate.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating of the sintered first braze material and the sintered second braze material is performed in a vacuum furnace subsequent to the depositing of the first braze powder and the second braze powder.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is part of a stationary component of a gas turbine engine.

15. A method, comprising:

providing an additive manufacturing device including a first reservoir and a second reservoir, the first reservoir containing first braze powder, and the second reservoir containing second braze powder that is different than the first braze powder;

depositing the first braze powder with a substrate using the additive manufacturing device, wherein the first braze powder is sintered to the substrate during the depositing of the first braze powder to provide the substrate with sintered first braze material;

depositing the second braze powder with the substrate using the additive manufacturing device, wherein the second braze powder is sintered to the substrate during the depositing of the second braze powder to provide the substrate with sintered second braze material; and

heating the sintered first braze material and the sintered second braze material in a vacuum furnace to melt, wet, and flow the sintered first braze material and the sintered second braze material into at least one defect of the substrate by capillary action, and to diffusion bond the sintered first braze material and the sintered second braze material to the substrate.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein

the additive manufacturing device further includes a nozzle;

the first braze powder is directed from the first reservoir, through the nozzle, to the substrate during the depositing of the first braze powder; and

the second braze powder is directed from the second reservoir, through the nozzle, to the substrate during the depositing of the second braze powder.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein

the sintered first braze material fills a void in the substrate; and

the sintered second braze material forms a cladding on the substrate.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the melting point suppressant comprises at least one of boron and silicon.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2025
From: DAULTON, CHARLES TRENT; TRACY, KEVIN M.
To: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
Reel/Frame 070845/0278 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240082938A1 · Mar 14, 2024
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