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Five Axis Laser Welding for Repair of Turbine Engine Components

NCMS/CTMA Symposium: Track 1Terry L. VanderWert

PRIMA North America, Inc.

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Outline

Laser welding technology overview A History of success Applications and benefits

Repair applications Potential benefits Barriers

Potential projects

Summary

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Laser Welding – A History of Success

Automotive – Body-in-White, Gear box, Sensors

Medical – Pacemakers, Implants, Surgical Instruments

Electronics – Hybrid packages, Sensors, Transducers

Military – Microwave devices, IR Sensors, Gyroscope

Aerospace – Fuselage Panels, SensorsTurbine Engine Components

70 m laser welded joint

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Application – Repair of Turbine Engine Components

• Weld repair of worn blade tips, knife edge seals, rotary seals

• Weld new sections of blades, NGVs

• Weld sheet metal sections of combustors

Growing Success in Aerospace

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• Reduced weight• 1 lb on the engine = 5-10 lbs

on the wing structure

Growing Success in Aerospace

Source: Mendez, P. F., Eagar, T. W., “New Trends in Welding in the Aeronautic Industry”, 2nd Conference of New Manufacturing Trends, Bilbao, Spain, November 19-20, 2002.

Application - Aircraft Fuselage Panel Stringer Welding

Military jets: $2,000/lb/100,000 hours

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Applications and Benefits for AircraftFuselage Panel Stringer Welding

• Reduced weight (fuel savings)• Eliminate fasteners and sealing material• Modify designs to account for lower heat affected zone.

• Reduced costs – Welded joint made in half the time of a riveted joint.

• Improved reliability• No rivets to corrode or fatigue• No moisture traps

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Potential Benefits of Laser Welding for Repair Depots

Flexible Applicable to a wide range of metals and alloys and to a wide

range of components Sheet metal welding (+ cutting + drilling)

Low distortion produces ‘near net shape’ - means minimum post-weld machining and blending operations for repaired components

Readily automated – addresses growing shortage of skilled labor/welders

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Barriers to Laser Welding in Repair Applications

Process not qualified

Highly concentrated beam creates demand for good joint fit-up prior to and during welding.

Penetration limited by laser power for autogenous welding processes.

High capital equipment costs most often demands high utilization – requires ‘high volume’ applications or multiple applications

Source: Industrial Laser Processes – An Introduction, AMT Laser Systems Product Group, 1999.

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Potential Projects

• Baffle plate welding

• Automated seam tracking/in-situ weld quality monitoring

• Hybrid laser/arc welding

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Baffle Plate Welding

• Objective – Extend laser welding of baffle plates to repair applications.

• Challenges – Tooling designed to address design (joint fit-up; joint type that changes with location)

• Potential return• Improved yield – less scrap, rework• Improved process repeatability • Reduced cost

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Automated Seam Tracking -Weld Quality Monitoring

• Objective – Integrate adaptive tools to reliably track the weld joint and monitor weld quality

• Challenges• High speed machine motion • Varying surface conditions • Laser weld plume and ejection of material

• Potential return• Greatly reduced set-up times - greater equipment

utilization • Higher reliability - reduced inspection costs• Reduced tooling costs

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Hybrid Laser/Arc Welding

• Objective – Adapt hybrid laser + arc welding process to repair applications.

• Challenges – Integration and control of the laser and arc welding equipment; develop weld process.

Source: Moore, P.L., et. al., “Development of Laser, and Laser/Arc Hybrid Welding for Land Pipeline Applications”.

• Potential return• Greater flexibility – wider range of

applications• Higher weld speeds • Improved tolerance to joint fit-up

Arc

Laser

Laser/Arc Hybrid

Arc

Laser

Laser/Arc Hybrid

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• Laser welding is gaining traction as a means for aircraft and turbine engine manufacturers to reduce weight and production costs, and increase product quality.

• Consistent quality = reduced scrap, rework, inspection.   • Low distortion and high quality welds. • Fast relative to conventional joining processes.

• Multi-axis laser welding systems with adaptive controls can provide maximum versatility and minimum set-up times.

• PRIMA North America’s experience in laser welding and integrated multi-axis laser systems can be valuable in adapting this technology to repair depots.

SummaryLaser Welding - An Enabling Technology