Method of inspecting turbine internal cooling features using non-contact scanners

• US 7,578,178 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Joyner, Randall W., Boyer, Jesse R., Doll, Stephen D., Meissner, Benjamin W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo; Lisa M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kirkland, III; Freddie
• Application Number:
  US11/906,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20090089020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 731/120.1, 731/160.3, 731/160.4
• US Class Current: 73/112.01
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/285 Temporary support structures, e.g. for testing, assembling, installing, repairing; Assembly methods using such structures
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/14 Testing gas-turbine engines or jet-propulsion engines

Abstract

A method of inspecting an internal feature of a gas turbine component includes removing a portion of the turbine component to expose the internal feature, treating the surfaces of the internal feature to provide the surfaces with a substantially uniform coloration, generating an electronic model of the internal feature, analyzing the electronic model generated with reference to a nominal electronic model, and providing an output based on the analysis of the electronic model generated.

Claims

1. A method of inspecting an internal feature of a gas turbine component, the method comprising:

removing a portion of the turbine component to expose the internal feature;

treating surfaces of the internal feature to provide the surfaces with a substantially uniform coloration;

generating an electronic model of the internal feature using a non-contact scanner to optically scan the surfaces after treating;

analyzing the electronic model generated with reference to a nominal electronic model; and

providing an output based on the analysis of the electronic model generated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein removing a portion of the turbine component comprises filleting the turbine component in half.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an electronic model of the internal feature comprises:

generating a point cloud of the internal feature using the non-contact scanner; and

transforming the point cloud into a facet body of the internal feature.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

orienting the electronic model generated with reference to the nominal electronic model of the turbine component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the electronic model generated comprises analyzing a location of the internal feature in the electronic model with reference to a location of the internal feature in the nominal electronic model.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the electronic model generated comprises analyzing one or more dimensions of the internal feature in the electronic model with reference to one or more dimensions of the internal feature in the nominal electronic model.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more dimensions of the internal feature analyzed are selected from a group of dimensions comprising lengths, heights, and radii of the internal feature.

8. A method of inspecting an internal feature of a gas turbine component, the method comprising:

removing a portion of the turbine component to expose the internal feature;

treating surfaces of the internal feature to provide the surfaces with a substantially uniform coloration, wherein treating the surfaces of the internal feature comprises grain etching the surfaces of the internal feature;

generating an electronic model of the internal feature;

analyzing the electronic model generated with reference to a nominal electronic model; and

providing an output based on the analysis of the electronic model generated.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein grain etching the surfaces of the internal feature comprises:

submerging the turbine component in a caustic solution for a first time period;

removing the turbine component from the caustic solution; and

rinsing the turbine component to substantially remove the caustic solution.

10. A method of inspecting an internal feature of a gas turbine component, the method comprising:

removing a portion of the turbine component to expose the internal feature;

treating surfaces of the internal feature to provide the surfaces with a substantially uniform coloration, wherein treating the surfaces of the internal feature comprises coating the surfaces of the internal feature with a powder;

generating an electronic model of the internal feature;

analyzing the electronic model generated with reference to a nominal electronic model; and

providing an output based on the analysis of the electronic model generated.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the powder comprises hydrated magnesium silicate.

12. A method of inspecting an internal feature of a gas turbine component, the method comprising:

filleting the turbine component in half to expose the internal feature;

grain etching surfaces of the internal feature;

generating a point cloud of the turbine component including the internal feature using a non-contact scanner;

transforming the point cloud into an electronic model of the turbine component including the internal feature;

analyzing the electronic model with reference to a nominal electronic model of the turbine component including the internal feature; and

providing an output based on the analysis of the electronic model of the turbine component including the internal feature.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein grain etching the surfaces of the internal feature comprises:

submerging the turbine component in a caustic solution for a first time period;

removing the turbine component from the caustic solution; and

rinsing the turbine component to substantially remove the caustic solution.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein transforming the point cloud into an electronic model comprises:

transforming the point cloud into a facet body of the turbine component including the internal feature; and

orienting the facet body with reference to the nominal electronic model of the turbine component including the internal feature.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein analyzing the electronic model comprises analyzing a location of the internal feature in the electronic model with reference to a location of the internal feature in the nominal electronic model.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein analyzing the electronic model comprises analyzing one or more dimensions of the internal feature in the electronic model with reference to one or more dimensions of the internal feature in the nominal electronic model.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more dimensions of the internal feature analyzed are selected from a group of dimensions comprising heights, lengths, and radii of the internal feature.

18. A system for inspecting one or more internal features of a gas turbine component, the system comprising:

a material removal apparatus configured to remove a portion of the turbine component to expose the internal features of the gas turbine component;

a surface treatment apparatus configured to treat surfaces of the internal features to provide the surfaces with a substantially uniform coloration;

a non-contact scanner configured to optically scan the surfaces after treatment and generate an electronic model of the turbine component including the internal features based upon the scan; and

at least one computer including one or more software components configured to;

analyze the electronic model generated with reference to a nominal electronic model of the turbine component including the internal features; and

provide an output based on the analysis of the electronic model generated.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein analyzing the electronic model generated comprises analyzing a location of each of the internal features in the electronic model with reference to a corresponding location of each of the internal features in the nominal electronic model.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein analyzing the electronic model generated comprises analyzing one or more dimensions of each of the internal features in the electronic model with reference to one or more corresponding dimensions of each of the internal features in the nominal electronic model.