Removal of material from a surface of a dual walled component

• US 10,162,331 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2016
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Henderkott, Joseph Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Jami V
• Application Number:
  US15/045,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20160259322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 700 98
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/404 characterised by control arrangements for compensation, e.g. for backlash, overshoot, tool offset, tool wear, temperature, machine construction errors, load, inertia G05B19/19, G05B19/41 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37206 Inspection of surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45147 Machining blade, airfoil
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49223 Remove workpiece portions left uncut, unmachined by tool with suitable shape

Abstract

A system may include at least one sensor, at least one machining device, and a computing device. The computing device may be operable to control the at least one sensor to inspect at least a portion of a coversheet of a dual walled component to generate dimensional surface data for the at least a portion of the coversheet and compare the dimensional surface data to surface model data. The comparison may indicate portions of the coversheet that include additional material. The computing device also may be operable to generate a compromise surface model based on the comparison between the dimensional surface data and the surface model data and control the at least one machining device to machine the dual walled component based on the compromise surface model to remove the additional material.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

controlling, by a computing device, at least one sensor to inspect at least a portion of a coversheet of a dual walled component to generate dimensional surface data for the at least the portion of the coversheet;

comparing, by the computing device, the dimensional surface data to surface model data, wherein the comparison indicates portions of the coversheet that include additional material, wherein the additional material comprises material from a compliant layer that contacted the coversheet during a process of joining the coversheet of the dual walled component to a spar of the dual walled component;

generating, by the computing device, a compromise surface model based on the comparison between the dimensional surface data and the surface model data; and

controlling, by the computing device, at least one machining device to machine the dual walled component based on the compromise surface model to remove the additional material.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a non-contact sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

comparing the dimensional surface data to surface model data indicates that additional material is occluding a film cooling hole of the coversheet; and

controlling the at least one machining device to machine the dual walled component based on the compromise surface model to remove the additional material comprises controlling the at least one machining device to machine the film cooling hole to remove additional material from the film cooling hole.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the dimensional surface data to surface model data utilizes contrast detection to determine the presence of additional material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the dimensional surface data to surface model data includes identifying a pattern in deviation of dimensional surface data from the surface model data, wherein the pattern in deviation is the indicative of additional material.

6. A system comprising:

at least one sensor;

at least one machining device; and

a computing device operable to;

control the at least one sensor to inspect at least a portion of a coversheet of a dual walled component to generate dimensional surface data for the at least the portion of the coversheet;

compare the dimensional surface data to surface model data, wherein the comparison indicates portions of the coversheet that include additional material, wherein the additional material comprises material from a compliant layer that contacted the coversheet during a process of joining the coversheet of the dual walled component to a spar of the dual walled component;

generate a compromise surface model based on the comparison between the dimensional surface data and the surface model data; and

control the at least one machining device to machine the dual walled component based on the compromise surface model to remove the additional material.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a non-contact sensor.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the comparison of the dimensional surface data to surface model data indicates that additional material is occluding a film cooling hole of the coversheet; and

the computing device is operable to control the at least one machining device to machine the dual walled component based on the compromise surface model to remove the additional material from the film cooling hole.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the computing device is operable to utilize contrast detection to determine the presence of additional material.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the computing device is operable to identify a pattern in deviation of dimensional surface data from the surface model data, wherein the pattern in deviation is the indicative of additional material.

11. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to:

control at least one sensor to inspect at least the portion of a coversheet of a dual walled component to generate dimensional surface data for the at least the portion of the coversheet;

compare the dimensional surface data to surface model data, wherein the comparison indicates portions of the coversheet that include additional material, wherein the additional material comprises material from a compliant layer that contacted the coversheet during a process of joining the coversheet of the dual walled component to a spar of the dual walled component;

generate a compromise surface model based on the comparison between the dimensional surface data and the surface model data; and

control at least one machining device to machine the dual walled component based on the compromise surface model to remove the additional material.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a non-contact sensor.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein:

comparing the dimensional surface data to surface model data indicates that additional material is occluding a film cooling hole of the coversheet; and

controlling the at least one machining device to machine the dual walled component based on the compromise surface model to remove the additional material comprises controlling the at least one machining device to machine the film cooling hole to remove additional material from the film cooling hole.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein comparing the dimensional surface data to surface model data utilizes contrast detection to determine the presence of additional material.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein comparing the dimensional surface data to surface model data includes identifying a pattern in deviation of dimensional surface data from the surface model data, wherein the pattern in deviation is the indicative of additional material.