This invention concerns improvements in the inspection, assessment and re-working of manufactured components such as nozzle guide vanes (NGVs) and blades, in particular by improving the comparison of the component with nominal data. Dimensional data of a physical component is obtained and used to create a virtual digitized model of the component which is aligned with a nominal CAD model of the component in a virtual space. The correspondence is assessed and used to adjust weightings of different regions of the digitized model to improve the alignment. This process is repeated within the digital space until either conformance is reached or it is determined that this is not possible.

A method is provided to assist adjustment for a movement path of a probe. A coordinate measuring machine includes a probe having a tip for detecting a surface of an object, and a movement mechanism for moving the probe, and measures a shape of the object by allowing the probe tip to scan the surface. A controller controls operation of the coordinate measuring machine by calculating a scanning path for allowing the probe tip to perform scanning movement and the movement path followed by the probe when the probe tip moves along the scanning path, setting control points on a line connecting each position of the probe tip and each corresponding position of the probe accepting a change in position of the control points by a user, and changing the movement path accordingly. An adjustment guide unit in the controller allows the control points to move collectively.

Controlling the position of a tool mounted on a robotic arm comprising projecting an image onto the workpiece from a projector and detected using a camera. The camera and projector are mounted on the tool or robotic arm. The image is used to determine a relative position of the tool with respect to a workpiece and the relative position is provided as an input to a controller which is configured to compare the relative position to a predetermined value. If the relative position is not equal to the predetermined value, a control signal is issued to a position controller to move the tool to a new position in which the relative position of the tool is closer to the predetermined value. Or, if the relative position is equal to the predetermined value, a control signal is issued to the position controller to maintain the tool in its current position.

A method is provided to assist adjustment for a movement path of a probe. A coordinate measuring machine includes a probe having a tip for detecting a surface of an object, and a movement mechanism for moving the probe, and measures a shape of the object by allowing the probe tip to scan the surface. A controller controls operation of the coordinate measuring machine by calculating a scanning path for allowing the probe tip to perform scanning movement and the movement path followed by the probe when the probe tip moves along the scanning path, setting control points on a line connecting each position of the probe tip and each corresponding position of the probe accepting a change in position of the control points by a user, and changing the movement path accordingly. A guide point allows the control points to move collectively.

A method for manufacturing a turbine engine blade including an airfoil with a profile defined by a theoretical digital model, the method including: manufacturing a blank having a thickened portion along a trailing edge of the airfoil relative to the theoretical profile; removing the thickened portion by adaptive machining, including: positioning the blank in a reference frame; acquiring, by probing at a predetermined number of points on a first surface of the blank along the trailing edge, positions of the points in the reference frame; determining differences, in one direction, in position from corresponding points of the theoretical model; producing machining grids on the blank surface, peaks of the grids determined from the points; determining an amount of material to be removed from the surface of the grids, based on the position of the points relative to the peaks and the deviations in position; and machining the airfoil.

A method is provided to assist adjustment for a movement path of a probe. A coordinate measuring machine includes a probe having a tip for detecting a surface of an object, and a movement mechanism for moving the probe, and measures a shape of the object by allowing the probe tip to scan the surface. A controller controls operation of the coordinate measuring machine by calculating a scanning path for allowing the probe tip to perform scanning movement and the movement path followed by the probe when the probe tip moves along the scanning path, setting control points on a line connecting each position of the probe tip and each corresponding position of the probe accepting a change in position of the control points by a user, and changing the movement path accordingly. An adjustment guide unit in the controller allows the control points to move collectively.

Producing a component having an in use gas washed surface includes: obtaining a reference component having a reference shape with an in use gas washed surface; setting one or more performance threshold for the reference shape, the threshold defining an acceptable performance for the reference shape; obtaining a manufactured component made to the reference shape; measuring the manufactured component and determining a displacement distribution indicative of the geometric deviation of the manufactured component from the reference shape; determining a performance sensitivity distribution for the reference component, the sensitivity distribution having a plurality of points, each point indicative of a performance factor for the reference component; combining the sensitivity distribution and displacement distribution to determine a performance prediction for the manufactured component; determining whether the performance prediction is within the performance threshold; accepting or rejecting the component for use if the predicted performance is within or outside the performance threshold, respectively.

A system for adaptively machining a shroud of a blade used in a turbomachine is provided. The system may include a computer system including a module(s) configured to: extract geometric location data from a 3D model of the shroud after use in the turbomachine, the 3D model created by digitizing using a digitizing device. The geometric location data includes geometric location data of a hard face plane of the shroud exposed to wear during turbomachine operation and of a non-worn surface adjacent to the hard face plane substantially unexposed to wear during turbomachine operation. Comparing the geometric location data of the non-worn surface from the three-dimensional model to a manufacturing model of the blade determines a change in position of the non-worn surface from use of the blade in the turbomachine. The change in position is used to modify a machining instruction used by a machining device to repair the hard face plane.

In a conventional CAM apparatus, cutting regions and a tool axis angle by which the cutting time is minimized cannot be automatically set for a finish shape having a free formed surface shape. Accordingly, the CAM apparatus generates quadrangle-shaped patterns of cutting regions using coordinate data of a finish shape and an initial shape. Triangle-shaped cutting regions are generated for concave-convex faces of the finish shape. For cutting regions generated by subtraction by boolean operation with a subtract shape calculated by subtraction by boolean operation between the initial shape and the finish shape, the tool axis angle is set so that the tool does not interfere and the face is maximized. For other regions, the tool axis is set so as to satisfy a remainder standard and to minimize a tool path length.

A system for adaptively machining a shroud of a blade used in a turbomachine is provided. The system may include a computer system including a module(s) configured to: extract geometric location data from a 3D model of the shroud after use in the turbomachine, the 3D model created by digitizing using a digitizing device. The geometric location data includes geometric location data of a hard face plane of the shroud exposed to wear during turbomachine operation and of a non-worn surface adjacent to the hard face plane substantially unexposed to wear during turbomachine operation. Comparing the geometric location data of the non-worn surface from the three-dimensional model to a manufacturing model of the blade determines a change in position of the non-worn surface from use of the blade in the turbomachine. The change in position is used to modify a machining instruction used by a machining device to repair the hard face plane.