IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,318,877
Granted Patent B2
US 12,318,877 · App. 17/730,086 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

Blend approach based inspection and analysis systems and methods

Inventors: Nigel David Sawyers-Abbott (South Glastonbury, CT); Ron I. Prihar (West Hartford, CT); Garrett Kernozicky (Mansfield, CT); Zhong Ouyang (Glastonbury, CT); Lawrence P Roberts (North Palm Beach, FL); Adam F. Knapp (Manchester, CT)
Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
B23P6/002G05B19/4099G06F30/20G06F2113/10G06F2119/02G06F2119/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,318,877
App. No.
17/730,086
Granted
Jun 3, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of determining a repair method for a defect in a bladed rotor can comprise comparing the defect in a three-dimensional model of an inspected integrally bladed rotor (IBR) to a plurality of known defects from a repair database; determining the defect is matching a known defect in the plurality of known defects in the repair database; and generating a repair process associated with the known defect in response to determining the defect is matching the known defect. A method can also comprise determining a potential repair process; performing a structural simulation of a finite element model for the inspected IBR with the potential repair; performing an aerodynamic simulation of an aerodynamic model for the inspected IBR with the potential repair; and generating the potential repair process for the defect in response to determining the inspected IBR with the potential repair meets structural and the aerodynamic criteria.

Claims (15)

1. A method of determining a repair method for a defect in a bladed rotor, the method comprising:

comparing the defect in a three-dimensional model of an inspected integrally bladed rotor (IBR) to a plurality of known defects from a repair database;

determining the defect is matching a known defect in the plurality of known defects in the repair database;

generating a repair process associated with the known defect in response to determining the defect is matching the known defect;

comparing a second defect in the three-dimensional model to the plurality of known defects in the repair database;

determining, the second defect does not match any of the plurality of known defects; and

generating a second repair process associated with a second repaired defect shape based on a structural analysis and an aerodynamic analysis of the three-dimensional model of the inspected IBR with a first repaired defect shape of the defect associated with the repair process for the known defect and the second repaired defect shape.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the defect is matching the known defect in response to having between 90% and 100% similarity to a defect shape and a defect size based on a tolerance threshold.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the defect is further matching the known defect in response to being in a location that is a same location as the known defect.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the location and the same location are one of a leading edge, a trailing edge, a tip, and a transition from an airfoil to a platform.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing the repair process associated with the repaired defect on the defect of the inspected IBR.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the repair process further comprises generating instructions to be performed by a computer numerical control (CNC) machine.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the repair process further comprises generating instructions to an additive manufacturing machine.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising iterating the second repaired defect shape until a structural criteria for the structural analysis and an aerodynamic criteria for the aerodynamic analysis are met.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising scaling a structural results from the structural analysis based on test engine test data for a tested IBR associated with the inspected IBR.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064402/0837 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 26, 2022
From: SAWYERS-ABBOTT, NIGEL DAVID; PRIHAR, RON I.; KERNOZICKY, GARRETT; OUYANG, ZHONG; ROBERTS, LAWRENCE P.; KNAPP, ADAM F.
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 060030/0928 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63327748 · Apr 5, 2022
Related Publication 20230311252A1 · Oct 5, 2023
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