PEELING TEST COUPON

Abstract

A coupon suitable for peeling tests, derived from a vane and comprising: (i) a portion of blade that comprises a frontside surface, a backside surface and a leading edge and/or trailing edge and (ii) a vane reinforcement that covers and is glued to at least a part of the frontside surface, a part of the backside surface and which extends beyond the leading and/or trailing edge. The reinforcement is split over the entire length of the leading edge and/or trailing edge such that the reinforcement is separated into two plates separate from one another and facing each other on either side of the slit beyond the leading and/or trailing edge. Furthermore, at least one of the plates furthermore comprises, beyond the leading and/or trailing edge, fastening means providing a hold to this same plate.

Claims

1. Coupon suitable for peeling tests, wherein the coupon is derived from a vane and comprising a portion of blade of the vane that comprises a frontside surface (42a), a backside surface and a leading edge and/or trailing edge and a vane reinforcement that covers and is glued to at least a part of the frontside surface, a part of the backside surface and which extends beyond the leading and/or trailing edge, wherein the reinforcement is split over the entire length of the leading edge and/or trailing edge such that the reinforcement is separated into two plates separate from one another and facing each other on either side of the slit beyond the leading and/or trailing edge, and wherein at least one of the plates furthermore comprises, beyond the leading and/or trailing edge, fastening means providing a hold to this same plate for traction.

2. Coupon according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means comprise notches formed on opposite edges of the plate.

3. Coupon according to claim 1, wherein the frontside and backside faces are not parallel, with the thickness between these faces and their respective curvatures being furthermore variable along the blade.

4. Coupon according to claim 1, wherein the blade comprises an organic matrix composite and the reinforcement comprises titanium.

5. Coupon according to claim 1, wherein the coupon is derived from a turbine engine vane.

6. Method of manufacturing a coupon according to claim 1, comprising the stages involving: supplying a vane comprising: a blade that comprises a frontside surface, a backside surface, a leading edge and a trailing edge and a reinforcement formed of a single piece that covers and is glued to at least a part of the frontside surface, a part of the backside surface and the entire leading and/or trailing edge, sampling a portion of this vane, wherein the portion comprises at least a part of the leading edge or trailing edge of the blade covered with the reinforcement, splitting the reinforcement over the entire length of the leading or trailing edge such that the reinforcement is separated into two plates separate from one another and facing each other on either side of the slit beyond the leading or trailing edge of the blade and forming on at least one of the plates, beyond the leading or trailing edge of the blade, fastening means providing a hold to this same plate for means of attachment, for the purpose of traction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0063] The invention will be better understood, and other details, characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear upon reading the following description given by way of a non-restrictive example while referring to the appended drawings wherein:

[0064] FIG. 1, already described, shows a diagrammatic view of a peeling test device according to the proposals of standard NF EN 1464;

[0065] FIGS. 2 and 3 show side and front views of a peeling test coupon derived from a vane, according to the invention;

[0066] FIG. 4 shows a perspective diagram of a peeling test device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0067] According to FIGS. 2 and 3, a coupon 40 derived from a vane can be seen, which has been cut along planes perpendicular to its leading edge. Such a vane comprises a blade 42 made of organic matrix composite material, which forms the support for the coupon according to the invention. It also comprises a reinforcement 44, made of titanium, which covers the upstream part of the vane and which constitutes the adhesive of the coupon according to the invention. In the following, reference will be made to the coupon, by continuing to use the notion of blade to designate the support and the notion of reinforcement to denote the adhesive. As can be seen, the blade presents a frontside surface 42a, a backside surface 42b and a leading edge 46, from which the reinforcement 44 projects. The leading edge 46 is metallic. It may be made of titanium. Its thickness e along the general axis 40a of elongation of the coupon 40 will typically be included between 50 and 100 mm. The glued frontside and backside surfaces of the reinforcement 44 are curved differently from one another and the thickness of the blade 42 varies between these surfaces. Although the reinforcement 44 is originally formed of a single piece covering the entire leading edge 46 of the blade, in addition to a part of its frontside and backside surfaces, the reinforcement comprises at this point a through slit 48 exposing the entire leading edge 46 of the coupon blade. In this way, the reinforcement 44 is separated into two distinct plates 44a and 44b facing each other on either side of the slit 48 beyond the leading edge 46. The reinforcement 44 still extends however over the entire width of the coupon, even if it is not present up to the trailing edge of the blade 42.

[0068] The plates 44a and 44b comprise, between the leading edge 48 of the blade and its end, opposite and substantially symmetrical notches 50 machined on their side edges. These notches 50 serve as holds for a looped cable that can be passed through the slit 48 between the plates 44a and 44b and subsequently engaged in the notches 50. Alternatively, the plates 44a, 44b comprise, beyond the leading edge 46, respective holes 52 that may also serve to provide a hold; for example by inserting and blocking the end of a cable.

[0069] The vane thus cut and prepared becomes a coupon utilisable for peeling tests, since it comprises a separate adhesive on each of its faces, embodied by each plate 44a, 44b, one end of which is freed from the support, embodied by the blade 42 and features fastening means 50, 52 that can be easily grasped.

[0070] By reference to FIG. 4, an example of a peeling test device according to the invention is described, comprising the coupon illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. As explained above, the peeling test device according to the invention can be used with a wide range of coupons with complex or simple shapes, other than that shown here.

[0071] A frame 60 is fixed. This frame comprises a vertical wall 62 comprising two lumens 64, 66, one 64 oblong in shape with a major horizontal axis 64a and the other 66 substantially isometric with a major vertical axis 66a. The dimensions of the two lumens may however be entirely different.

[0072] The lumen 64 serves for passage of a shaft 68 perpendicular to the wall 62, with a diameter corresponding to the minor axis of the lumen 64. This shaft 68 is translationally adjustable in the lumen 64 in the horizontal direction of the major axis 64a. A hollow guide roller 70 is mounted on the shaft 68 on one side of the wall 62. This roller is free to rotate around the shaft 68. The guide roller 70 has an external local annular bearing surface with a linear appearance, as described in detail above in this document. Although illustrated in the figure as having a toric surface, the roller 70 might therefore equally have a completely spherical surface for example.

[0073] The lumen 66 serves for passage of a shaft 72 perpendicular to the wall 62, with a diameter corresponding to the minor axis of the lumen 66. This shaft 72 is translationally adjustable in the lumen 66 in the vertical direction of the major axis 66a. A hollow front roller 74 is mounted on the shaft 72 on the same side of the wall 62 as the guide roller 70. This front roller is free to rotate around the shaft 72. The front roller 74 has a cylindrical surface.

[0074] The guide roller 70 is in translation throughout its entire adjustment range, offset horizontally and vertically from the front roller 74.

[0075] A second wall, not illustrated in the figures, is conventionally fixed opposite the first wall 62 on the other side of the rollers. This second wall comprises lumens symmetrical to the lumens 64, 66 of the first wall 62 in which the shafts 68, 72 are secondarily supported on the other side of the rollers. The loads are thus distributed equally over the shafts on either side of the rollers 70, 74, which are subject to transversal stresses during operation. This avoids distortion of the shafts.

[0076] Means of traction 76 are located under the frame 60, comprising a vertical jack 78, a vertical axis 78a tangent to the surface of the front roller 74, on the side of the front roller opposite the guide roller 70. A force sensor 80 is incorporated in the jack 78 and measures the vertical traction force exerted by the jack. It should be noted that the force sensor may equally be mounted anywhere along the traction chain. A yoke 82a and axis 82b assembly is arranged on the top end of the jack 78. A cable loop 84, made for example of Kevlar™, i.e. poly (p-phenylene terephthalamide), is mounted in the yoke 82a and around the axis 82b.

[0077] The coupon 40 described while referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 has been arranged between the guide roller 70 and the front roller 74. The split end of the reinforcement 44 slightly projects from the front roller 74. The loop 84 is engaged in the slit 48 of the coupon and in the notches 50, such that one of the plates 44b is engaged with the loop 84.

[0078] The loop 84 is tensioned by the jack 78 and presses the lower face of the coupon 40 against the front roller 74. The coupon subsequently tends to pivot around the front roller 74 and its upper face is pressed against the guide roller 70. It is therefore clearly seen that the coupon will not have the same orientation depending on the relative position of the two rollers. On the other hand, regardless of the position of the front roller 74 in the vertical lumen 66, the loop 84 will always be tensioned vertically and tangentially in relation to the front roller 74.

[0079] During operation, the loop 84 pulls the plate 44b downwards and detaches the latter from the blade 42. The coupon 40 is free to move by rolling along the rollers 70, 74, such that the rolling front is always located substantially at the vertical of the loop 84. The peeling test is performed by recording the data delivered by the force sensor 80 when the jack 78 moves downwards at constant speed.

[0080] It is easy to automate the translational movement of the rollers 70, 74 in the lumens 64, 66 during movement of the jack 78, so that at all times, depending on the variations in curvature and thickness of the coupon 40, the orientation of the coupon tangentially to the front roller 74 is maintained.

[0081] It will of course be possible to modify the attachment system consisting of the notches 50, the loop 84, the yoke 82a and the axis 82b by any other known attachment system capable of effectively grasping the coupon adhesive and pulling the latter downwards.