Overview
The project addresses the issue of cost and lead time for the manufacturing of functional prototypes used in R&D for the new products required by the transport sector and especially by industries working in gas turbines.
In collaboration with PEP, TURBOMECA has recently succeeded in manufacturing a complex-shaped rough part by the laser sintering of metal powder (i.e. without tools).
However, because of sintering limits, finishing techniques are necessary to meet market technical requirements for the following aspects:
- surface condition and size tolerance;
- thermo-mechanical properties.
From both an economical and technical point of view, finishing processes for these will have to be developed due to the differences in surface condition and in porosity of the rough parts, obtained either by rapid prototyping or by conventional machining.
The RC2 aimed at developing a manufacturing process which will lead to a reduction in the time taken to design and to fabricate a functional prototype by 50%, involving a reduction in time to market by 10%. The application of RC2 results would lead to a 20% reduction in time to market in the maritime sector. The RC2 process will also reduce the waste linked with conventional manufacturing process.
The main research strategy of the RC2 project was to focus on developing the finishing techniques applicable to parts manufactured with laser sintering/melting technologies. Contrary to many other projects, RC2 did not focus on developing laser sintering and melting technologies but on implementing them as soon as they become fully operational.
The research activities in the RC2 project focused on:
- selection and modification of parts to be manufactured with future RC2 processes;
- development of an original experimental method based on the optimised combination of the techniques of rapid prototyping, and innovative and usual finishing techniques;
- manufacturing of selected components through rapid prototyping;
- development of innovative machining, thermo-chemical and mechanical finishing on selected parts;
- validation of the new manufacturing process capability to meet thermo-mechanical requirements for functional prototype applications;
- development of parameters for the rapid prototyping (RP) machine in order to obtain rough parts using raw materials through a single operation;
- development and adaptation of the usual finishing techniques for parts made by RP;
- development of a MMP process specific to parts made by RP;
- development of the process that associates RP and the most suitable finishing process permitting a reduction in cost and lead time by 50%, while obtaining final parts which respond to engine manufacturers' requirements.
This work is completed by detailed researches on the correlation between the matter phase and surface quality.
The consortium worked on several gas turbine components but more specifically on static and rotating complex-shaped parts of the gas path (for compressor and cold turbine test bench), and of the fuel system. These components are parts of helicopter, train or vessel engines.
Funding
Results
The first year of RC2 project was focused on the choice and realisation of the different references chosen. Nine different references corresponding to four different families of turbine parts were chosen.
The second year of RC2 project focused on the conformance of the part in order to realise testing on them. Dimensional results obtained during the first year productions led to an adaptation of the supports and tolerances in CAD definitions to take into account the impact of rapid manufacturing and finishing process on the final dimension.