Method of fabricating integrally bladed rotor using surface positioning in relation to surface priority

• US 9,498,857 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2014
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Bellerose, Michel, Blais, Mario
• Primary Examiner(s): Bryant, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): YOO, JUN S
• Application Number:
  US14/532,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20150052749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 53/78 propeller blades; turbine blades
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/04 turbine or like blades from several pieces
• 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 29/49764 with testing or indicating

Abstract

A method of fabricating an integrally bladed rotor for gas turbine engines according to one aspect includes a step of positioning a blade on a hub in a joining procedure by using a priority surface of the blade as a reference surface. The priority surface is determined in relation to importance of surface functionality of the blades during engine operation.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating an integrally bladed rotor of a gas turbine engine, the integrally bladed rotor including a hub with an array of airfoil blades welded to the hub, the method comprising:

a) determining a priority aerodynamic-functional surface of the respective blades in relation to importance of surface functionality of the blades during engine operation;

b) positioning the respective blades onto the hub by using an entire finished surface of the determined priority aerodynamic-functional surface of the blades as a reference surface in order to locate a position of the respective blades on the hub; and

c) welding the respectively positioned blades to the hub.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein step (b) is conducted by defining a position of the entire finished surface of the determined priority aerodynamic-functional surface of the respective blades substantially in accordance with nominal surface design data of the determined priority aerodynamic-functional surface of the respective blades in the integrally bladed rotor.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein an entire finished surface on a suction side of the respective blades is used as the reference surface.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein an entire finished surface on a pressure side of the respective blades is used as the reference surface.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein an entire finished surface on a leading edge of the respective blades is used as the reference surface.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein an entire finished surface on a trailing edge of the respective blades is used as the reference surface.