Methods and systems for fabricating components

• US 20070050064A1
• Filed: 09/01/2005
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Martini, Michael, Graham, John, Keating, Michael, Burgess, Steven, Carter, Stephen, Elman, Larisa
• Granted Patent: US 7,366,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/95
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35016 Analyse model, decide on number of sections to take
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35159 With nominal blank and model in memory define tool path and machine workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37345 Dimension of workpiece, diameter
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37404 Orientation of workpiece or tool, surface sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45147 Machining blade, airfoil

Abstract

A method for fabricating a component using a tool includes determining an actual property of a region of the component, comparing the actual property of the region of the component with an expected property of the region to determine a difference between the actual property and the expected property, and updating a path of the tool that is electronically stored in a memory and executable by a processor for fabricating the component based on the difference between the actual property and the expected property of the region.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a component using a tool, said method comprising:

determining an actual property of a region of the component;

comparing the actual property of the region of the component with an expected property of the region to determine a difference between the actual property and the expected property; and

updating a path of the tool that is electronically stored in a memory and executable by a processor for fabricating the component based on the difference between the actual property and the expected property of the region.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

creating a model of an expected geometry of the component; and

defining the expected property of the region based on the model of expected geometry of the component;

generating a surface to be fabricated on the component on the model of the component based on the expected property; and

generating the path of the tool based on the surface to be fabricated prior to said updating the path of the tool.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said updating a path of the tool comprises:

updating a geometry of a surface to be fabricated on the component based on the difference between the actual property and the expected property; and

updating the path of the tool based on the updated geometry of the surface to be fabricated.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising at least partially fabricating the component using the updated path of the tool.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the actual property of the region comprises at least one of an actual shape, an actual size, an actual orientation, and an actual location of the region, and wherein the expected property of the region comprises at least one of an expected shape, an expected size, an expected orientation, and an expected location of the region.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the path of the tool is a computer numerical control path and the tool is a machining tool.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the region is a first region of the component and the path of the tool corresponds to a second region of the component.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the region is a first region of the component, the component includes a second region, and the path of the tool corresponds to a third region of the component located at least partially between the first and second regions.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 further comprising blending the third region into the first and second regions using the updated path of the tool.

10. A method in accordance with claim 8 further comprising dividing the first, second, and third regions into a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections forms a portion of each of the first, second, and third regions, said comparing the actual property of the region of the component with an expected property of the region comprising comparing an actual location of a control point located within the first region to an expected location of the control point to determine a displacement of the control point from the expected location.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said comparing an actual location of a control point located within the first region to an expected location of the control point comprises determining a displacement of the control point and determining a displacement of any portion of the component from an expected location based on the displacement of the control point.

12. A method in accordance with claim 10 further comprising determining an actual location of a control point within the third region based on the displacement of the control point located within the first region.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein the first region includes a plurality of control points located therein, said determining an actual location of a control point within the third region comprising determining a displacement of the actual location from an expected location of the control point within the third region based on an average displacement of at least two of the plurality of control points located within the first region.

14. A system for fabricating a component using a fabricating tool, said system comprising:

at least one measuring tool for measuring an actual property of a region of the component; and

a processor operatively connected to the measuring tool for receiving measurements therefrom, said processor configured to;

determine the actual property of the region of the component using the measuring tool;

compare the actual property of the region of the component with an expected property of the region that is based on a model of an expected geometry of the component to determine a difference between the actual property and the expected property;

update a geometry of a surface to be fabricated on the component based on the difference between the actual property and the expected property; and

update a path of the fabricating tool that is electronically stored in a memory and is executable to fabricate the surface to be fabricated based on the updated geometry of the surface to be fabricated.

15. A system in accordance with claim 14 wherein the actual property of the region comprises at least one of an actual shape, an actual size, an actual orientation, and an actual location of the region, and wherein the expected property of the region comprises at least one of an expected shape, an expected size, an expected orientation, and an expected location of the region.

16. A system in accordance with claim 14 wherein the region is a first region of the component, the component includes a second region, and the path of the tool corresponds to a third region of the component located at least partially between the first and second regions.

17. A system in accordance with claim 16 wherein the processor is further configured to:

divide the first, second, and third regions into a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections forms a portion of each of the first, second, and third regions;

compare an actual location of at least one control point located within the first region to an expected location of the control point located within the first region to determine a displacement of the control point located within the first region from the expected location; and

determine an actual location of a control point located within the third region based on the displacement of the control point located within the first region.

18. A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said processor is configured to determine the actual location of the control point located within the third region based on an average displacement of a plurality of control points located within the first region, and wherein the average displacement is weighted based on a distance between the control point located within the third region and each of the plurality of control points located within the first region.

19. A method for fabricating a component using a tool, said method comprising:

determining an actual location of a control point located within a first region of the component;

comparing the actual location of the control point located within the first region with an expected location of the control point that is based on a model of an expected geometry of the component to determine a displacement of the actual location of the control point from the expected location;

updating a geometry of a surface to be fabricated on the component within a second region of the component based on the difference between the actual location and the expected location of the control point; and

updating a path of the tool that is electronically stored in a memory and is executable to at least partially fabricate the surface to be fabricated based on the updated geometry of the surface to be fabricated.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein the first region includes a plurality of control points located therein, said updating a geometry of a surface to be fabricated on the component within a second region of the component comprising updating a geometry of the surface to be fabricated on the component within the second region based on an average displacement of at least two of the plurality of control points located in the first region.