Post processing of components that are laser peened

Abstract

A method of post processing a laser peened component to remove a laser remelt layer is proposed. The post processing includes a series of steps including grit blasting, chemical etching and mechanical finishing the component. This will ensure that the mechanical property (i.e., damage tolerance) benefit of laser peening is restored to the surface of the component.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a gas turbine component having an airfoil comprising: a) laser shock peening a base metal surface of the component; b) then grit blasting the surface; c) then chemically etching the surface after the grit blasting; and d) then mechanically finishing the surface after the chemical etching.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the component has sides, and a depth of a laser re-melt layer removed is less than 1 mil (0.0254 mm) per side.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the component is a vane.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the component is a blade.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 illustrates an example gas turbine engine;

(2) FIG. 2A illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a turbine airfoil of the engine shown in FIG. 1;

(3) FIG. 2B illustrates the turbine airfoil being laser peened;

(4) FIG. 2C illustrates the turbine airfoil being grit blasted;

(5) FIG. 2D illustrates the turbine airfoil being chemically etched;

(6) FIG. 2E illustrates the turbine airfoil being mechanically finished;

(7) FIG. 3 is a flowchart for a finishing process;

(8) FIG. 4 illustrates a before view of a turbine airfoil prior to the step illustrated in FIG. 2C; and

(9) FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a view of the turbine airfoil shown in FIG. 4 after step 2E.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a gas turbine engine 20. The gas turbine engine 20 is disclosed herein as a two-spool turbofan that generally incorporates a fan section 22, a compressor section 24, a combustor section 26 and a turbine section 28. Alternative engines might include an augmentor section (not shown) among other systems or features. The fan section 22 drives air along a bypass flowpath B while the compressor section 24 drives air along a core flowpath C for compression and communication into the combustor section 26 then expansion through the turbine section 28. Although depicted as a turbofan gas turbine engine in the disclosed non-limiting embodiment, it should be understood that the concepts described herein are not limited to use with turbofans as the teachings may be applied to other types of turbine engines including three-spool architectures.

(11) The engine 20 generally includes a low speed spool 30 and a high speed spool 32 mounted for rotation about an engine central longitudinal axis A relative to an engine static structure 36 via several bearing systems 38. It should be understood that various bearing systems 38 at various locations may alternatively or additionally be provided.

(12) The core airflow is compressed by the low pressure compressor 44 then the high pressure compressor 52, mixed and burned with fuel in the combustor 56, then expanded over the high pressure turbine 54 and low pressure turbine 46. The mid-turbine frame 57 includes airfoils 59 which are in the core airflow path. The turbines 46, 54 rotationally drive the respective low speed spool 30 and high speed spool 32 in response to the expansion.

(13) FIG. 2A schematically shows a base metal surface 25 of an engine blade airfoil 21 for use in gas turbine engine 20. The airfoil 21 may be a turbine or compressor blade or vane. The surface 25 is being laser peened using a laser peening system 100. The laser peening of base metal surface 25 is not sequenced with an ablative medium.

(14) FIG. 2B shows an engine blade airfoil 21 that has been laser peened. A laser remelt layer 23 results due to the creation of plasma with a portion of the base metal surface 25 in direct contact with the laser. It should be understood that the remelt layer 23 may extend over a greater surface than is illustrated.

(15) FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a magnified view of the laser remelt layer 23 of the engine blade airfoil 21 post laser peening. The laser remelt layer 23 has a damaged area 47. This damaged area 47 may be brittle and/or micro-cracked.

(16) As will be described below, the laser remelt layer 23 will undergo a removal and finishing method at the damaged area 47 to improve the condition of the base metal surface 25. As illustrated, the damage area 47 is over a small thickness shown as d.sub.1. In practice, d.sub.1 may be less than 1 mil (0.0254 mm).

(17) Referring to FIG. 2C, a grit blasting tool 102, shown schematically, is used to grit blast the remelt layer 23. This is the first step used to remove the laser remelt layer 23 and prepare the surface 25 for chemical etching. By usage of known process controls, the grit blasting tool 102 can target a specific depth of the damaged area 47 on the engine blade airfoil 21 for removal.

(18) The airfoil 21 is next subjected to a chemical removal process 104, as shown schematically in FIG. 2D. The chemical removal process 104 etches the base metal surface 25 and removes some or all of the damaged area 47, depending on the process parameters utilized.

(19) The base metal surface 25 of an airfoil 21 is then finished using a mechanical removal operation 106, as shown schematically in FIG. 2E. The mechanical removal process may be similar to those in media finishing techniques. Medial finishing techniques are known to workers of ordinary skill in this art. The finishing process parameters and controls ensure full removal of the remelt layer 23 while also removing any surface attack that might have resulted from the chemical etching process.

(20) In one example, the specific depth of the damaged area 47 removed across steps 2C-2E is less than 1 mil (0.0254 mm) total per side of the base metal surface 25.

(21) Post processing of the above described of the base metal surface 25 removes the damaged area 47. FIG. 5 schematically shows an area similar to that shown in FIG. 4, after processing.

(22) While this disclosure is specifically directed to airfoils, other components such as vanes, disks, shafts, etc. . . . may benefit from this invention.

(23) Although an embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention. In addition, this invention is not limited to application to gas turbine airfoils, though this article was used for illustration purposes.