HYBRID WELDING/PRINTING PROCESS

摘要

A method (50) of installing a tip cap (42) onto a turbine blade (20). An open tip is prepared (52) by removing a tip cap from a used blade or during original blade manufacture. A tip cap base sheet (24) is formed (54) to cover at least most of the blade tip surface except for a margin (22). A root pass weld (28) is performed (58) around the periphery of the base sheet, thus welding the base sheet onto the blade tip surface. Cladding (34) is applied (60) to the base sheet and the blade tip surface, thus building and fusing the tip cap onto the blade tip, the tip cap formed of cladding and the base sheet. A squealer ridge (44) may then be formed on the tip cap by additive welding.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
preparing a turbine blade comprising an open blade tip; forming a tip cap base sheet to cover at least a portion of the blade tip; placing the base sheet to cover said at least a portion of the blade tip; performing a root pass weld around a periphery of the base sheet, welding the base sheet onto surfaces of the blade tip; and cladding the base sheet and the blade tip surfaces with metal layers, forming the tip cap comprising cladding fused to the base sheet.