Control of white-etched layer during machining

• US 7,736,102 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Wayde R., Burlatsky, Sergei F., Guo, Changsheng, El-Wardany, Tahany Ibrahim
• Primary Examiner(s): Cadugan; Erica E
• Application Number:
  US12/186,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20100031790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 409/244, 409/249, 409/258, 409/293, 409131-132, 409135-136, 409139-140, 408/1.R, 82/11.1, 829/00, 83 15- 16, 831/70, 219/121.66, 219/121.65, 219/121.69, 219/121.67, 219/121.68, 451/7, 451/53, 29557-558, 298/89, 298/891, 298/892.1, 298/892.3, 298/897
• US Class Current: 409/244
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 2043/025 for producing grooves in turbines, e.g. for the insertion of blades
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 37/22 for special purposes B23D37/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 43/04 having inserted cutting edges
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 25/006 Heating the workpiece by laser during machining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49316 Impeller making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49321 Assembling individual fluid flow interacting members, e.g., blades, vanes, buckets, on rotary support member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49995 Shaping one-piece blank by removing material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5147 including composite tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5176 including machining means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 407/16 Rectilinear broach
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/400175 Process
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/40105 with means to clean, lubricate, or modify temperature of work or cutter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/405775 with means to hold work during cutting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0414 At localized area [e.g., line of separation]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/283 With means to control or modify temperature of apparatus or work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/293 Of tool

Abstract

A machining system includes a support configured to retain an article, such as a rotor disk, having an area, such as a surface of a slot in the disk. A cutting tool, for example, a broach, is movable relative to the support to cut the area. A heating member, such as a laser, is configured to locally heat the area of the article. In one example, the cutting tool includes a body having a cutting edge. The heating member is supported by the body and is configured to provide heat adjacent to the cutting edge. The cutting edge cuts the locally heated area while the area is still heated.

Claims

1. A method of machining an article comprising the steps of:

locally heating an area of the article with a heating device; and

cutting the locally heated area with a cutting tool while the area is heated, wherein the area includes a white-etched layer, and the cutting step includes cutting the white-etched layer.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the locally heating step includes locally heating the article to a depth of approximately 20 microns or less.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the locally heating step includes locally heating the area immediately preceding and adjacent to the tool.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the locally heating step includes directing a laser beam onto the area.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cutting tool is a broaching tool having a tooth, and wherein the cutting step includes cutting the area with the tooth of the broaching tool.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the article is a rotor disk.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cutting step occurs in an environment having a gas with a thermal conductivity greater than that of air.