Process and apparatus for selectively electroplating an airfoil

摘要

A process for electroplating a portion of an airfoil comprises the following steps; providing an airfoil having a root portion and a blade portion, the blade portion having a tip remote from the root portion; coating at least part of the blade portion including the tip with an insulating material to produce a partially insulated coated airfoil; removing the insulating material from the tip of the blade portion to be electroplated; mounting the airfoil with exposed tip in a fixture wherein the airfoil contacts an electrical contact; immersing the fixture with airfoil in a sealing bath so as to sealingly encase the fixture and at least a portion of the insulated coated airfoil while leaving the tip exposed to form a fixture assembly with a partial sealant coating; immersing the fixture assembly in an electroplating bath for electroplating the tip of the airfoil; and removing the fixture assembly from the bath. Therefore is used an apparatus for selectively electroplating the tip portion of an airfoil.