METHOD FOR AUTOMATED SUPERALLOY LASER CLADDING WITH 3D IMAGING WELD PATH CONTROL
First Claim
1. A method for welding turbine components, comprising:
- providing a work table, laser profilometer and laser welding apparatus under common control by a control system, for providing controlled relative motion between the work table and either of the profilometer or welding apparatus;
coupling a turbine component having a substrate to the work table;
scanning a surface of the turbine component substrate in real time by operating the laser profilometer and work table apparatus under control of the control system and acquiring component dimensional data;
comparing component dimensional data with specification dimensional data in real time with the control system and determining a welding pattern for building up component substrate surface portions to conform welded component dimensions to the specification dimensional data; and
welding the component substrate surface in real time by operating the laser welding and work table apparatuses in conformity with the determined welding pattern under control of the control system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Superalloy components, such as service-degraded turbine blades and vanes, are clad by laser beam welding. The welding/cladding path, including cladding application profile, is determined by prior, preferably real time, non-contact 3D dimensional scanning of the component and comparison of the acquired dimensional scan data with specification dimensional data for the component. A welding path for cladding the scanned component to conform its dimensions to the specification dimensional data is determined The laser welding apparatus, preferably in cooperation with a cladding filler material distribution apparatus, executes the welding path to apply the desired cladding profile. In some embodiments a post-weld non-contact 3D dimensional scan of the welded component is performed and the post-weld scan dimensional data are compared with the specification dimensional data. Preferably the welding path and/or cladding profile application are modified in a feedback loop with the pre- and/or post-welding 3D dimensional scanning.
31 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for welding turbine components, comprising:
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providing a work table, laser profilometer and laser welding apparatus under common control by a control system, for providing controlled relative motion between the work table and either of the profilometer or welding apparatus; coupling a turbine component having a substrate to the work table; scanning a surface of the turbine component substrate in real time by operating the laser profilometer and work table apparatus under control of the control system and acquiring component dimensional data; comparing component dimensional data with specification dimensional data in real time with the control system and determining a welding pattern for building up component substrate surface portions to conform welded component dimensions to the specification dimensional data; and welding the component substrate surface in real time by operating the laser welding and work table apparatuses in conformity with the determined welding pattern under control of the control system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for welding turbine components, comprising:
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providing a work table, laser profilometer and laser welding apparatus under common control by a control system, for providing controlled relative motion between the work table and either of the profilometer or welding apparatus; coupling a turbine component having a substrate to the work table; scanning a surface of the turbine component substrate by operating the laser profilometer and work table apparatus under control of the control system and acquiring component dimensional data; comparing component dimensional data with specification dimensional data with the control system and determining a welding pattern for building up component substrate surface portions to conform welded component dimensions to the specification dimensional data; and welding the component substrate surface by operating the laser welding and work table apparatuses in conformity with the determined welding pattern under control of the control system. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for welding turbine components, comprising:
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providing a work table, laser profilometer , welding powder filler dispenser, and galvanometer laser welding apparatus under common control by a control system, for providing controlled relative motion between the work table and either of the profilometer or welding apparatus, the galvanometer laser welding apparatus having; a welding laser generating a welding laser beam for transferring optical energy to the turbine component substrate and filler material on the substrate that fuses the filler material to the substrate as a filler layer without causing thermal degradation to the substrate, at least one movable mirror intercepting the welding laser beam, for orienting the laser beam on the substrate, and at least one drive system coupled to each of the respective control system, at least one movable mirror and welding the laser, for causing relative motion between the welding laser beam and substrate; coupling a turbine component having a substrate to the work table; scanning a surface of the turbine component substrate by operating the laser profilometer and work table apparatus under control of the control system and acquiring component dimensional data; comparing component dimensional data with specification dimensional data with the control system and determining a welding pattern for building up component substrate surface portions to conform welded component dimensions to the specification dimensional data; and welding the component substrate surface by; introducing filler material on the component substrate surface with the welding powder filler dispenser at a selected feed rate and dispersal pattern determined by the control system; focusing a welding laser beam on the filler material and substrate; transferring optical energy from the welding laser to the filler material and substrate that fuses the filler material to the substrate as a filler layer without causing thermal degradation to the substrate; and moving the substrate and welding laser beam relative to each other while maintaining uniform energy transfer by operating the laser welding and work table apparatuses in conformity with the determined welding pattern under control of the control system. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification