Product Code: ICAL07_105

Adaptive Metal Deposition and Data Management for Automated Overhaul of Complex Turbine Components
Authors:
Claus Bremer, BCT GmbH; USA
Presented at ICALEO 2007

The automated overhaul of turbine components consist of a chain of different processes as inspection, material addition and re-shaping. The direct metal deposition methods have been improved by employing adaptive machining technology. The adaptation algorithms make use of the geometrical information provided by optical scanning systems or in-process measuring equipment and compensate for the part-to-part variation of the turbine components to be overhauled. With this approach, the metal deposition of the individually worn and deformed turbine components is reliably near-net-shape. A web-based data management system handles the logistics of the components and the accompanying data sets. With this concept, the single repair processes are integrated to build an automated repair system. In addition, the different repair processes can be carried out at different facilities without any loss of information, efficiency or quality ("worldwide distributed workshop"). The various types of damage have to be taken into account for compressor components as well as for turbine components. This results in different innovative repair methods.