METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CUTTING A PREFORM INTENDED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A TURBOMACHINE PART

• US 20180304421A1
• Filed: 06/26/2018
• Published: 10/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snecma (Safran SA)
• Original Assignee: Snecma (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Marchal, Yann, Marolle, Philippe, Rousseau, Claire
• Granted Patent: US 10,456,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/02 turbine or like blades from one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 11/16 comprising fillers or reinforcement non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00, D04H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/282 Selecting composite materials, e.g. blades with reinforcing filaments
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49332 Propeller making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49995 Shaping one-piece blank by removing material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/141 With means to monitor and control operation [e.g., self-regulating means]

Abstract

A method for cutting a preform usable for production of a turbomachine part and including a weaving of a plurality of threads, the threads including single threads that are visually identifiable, along a cutting contour calculated based on a preform model in which the threads have a reference arrangement, the method including: taking an image of the preform; processing the image to determine a deviation in an arrangement of the threads which are visually identifiable relative to the reference layout; correcting the cutting contour according to the deviation; and cutting the preform along the corrected cutting contour.

Claims

1. A cutting system of a preform comprising visually identifiable weaving threads, the preform being usable to produce a turbomachine part, the system comprising:

a cutting machine of the preform;

a memory, in which a pre-calculated cutting contour of the preform is recorded;

an imaging device of the preform;

a processing unit, configured to control the cutting machine and the imaging device for execution of the following steps;

taking an image of the preform;

processing the image to determine a deviation in a layout of the visually identifiable weaving threads relative to a reference layout;

correcting the cutting contour as a function of the deviation, and saving the corrected cutting contour in the memory; and

cutting the preform according to the corrected cutting contour.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the reference layout is a layout wherein the longitudinal threads are arranged orthogonally to the transversal threads.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to determine a curve of one of the visually identifiable threads in the preform, and to compare the curve of the one of the visually identifiable threads in the preform to a theoretical curve of the reference layout to determine the deviation.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processing unit is further configured to implement a calculation by finished elements to determine the deviation of the preform relative to the reference layout.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to calculate a corrected cutting contour taking into account the deviation, and to deform the corrected cutting contour according to a deformation of the visually identifiable threads,

such that no manual adjustment by an operator is necessary prior to the cutting of the preform.

6. A cutting system of a preform comprising visually identifiable weaving threads, the preform being usable to produce a turbomachine part, the system comprising:

a cutting machine of the preform;

a memory, in which a pre-calculated cutting contour of the preform is recorded;

an imaging device of the preform;

a processing unit, configured to control the cutting machine and the imaging device for execution of the following steps;

taking an image of the preform;

processing the image to identify at least one point of reference in the weaving of the preform, said point of reference corresponding to an intersection of visually identifiable threads in the preform, the cutting machine automatically correcting its position relative to the preform, from the identification of the point of reference; and

cutting the preform according to the cutting contour.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the processing unit is further configured to automatically compare the position of a pre-recorded point of reference of the cutting machine with the position of the point of reference of the preform, and to control the cutting machine so that the cutting machine aligns its point of reference to the point of reference of the preform,

such that no manual adjustment by an operator is necessary prior to the cutting of the preform.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the processing unit is further configured to control the cutting machine and the imaging device for execution of the following steps:

processing the image of the preform to determine a deviation in a layout of the visually identifiable weaving threads relative to a reference layout;

correcting the cutting contour as a function of the deviation, and saving the corrected cutting contour in the memory; and

cutting the preform according to the corrected cutting contour.