Multi-density, multi-property turbine component
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsShawn J. Gregg, Alexander Staroselsky, Gajawalli V. Srinivasan
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Abstract
A method of forming a metal component having different regions containing different grain sizes and in porosities is by additive manufacturing. The method includes spreading a layer of starting powder on a temperature controlled moveable platform in a heated chamber with atmosphere and temperature control. Selected areas of the powder are melted and solidified with a computer controlled focused energy beam. The cooled platform is then indexed down and the process repeated. The grain size of the melted and solidified region can be controlled by the cooling rate during solidification which, in turn is controlled by the temperature of the chamber and the temperature of the cooled moveable platform.
Claims20
A metal component formed by additive manufacturing, the component comprising:
- a first region with a first grain size and first porosity;
- and
- a second region with a second grain size and second porosity that are different than the first grain size and first porosity.
A method of forming a metal component with different regions having different grain sizes and porosities by additive manufacturing comprising:
- preparing starting powder;
- spreading a layer of powder on a temperature controlled, cooled moveable platform in a heated chamber with atmosphere and temperature control;
- melting and solidifying selected areas of the powder layer with a computer controlled focused energy beam according to a 3-D design of the component in a memory of the computer;
- forming open channels in the solidified powder layer that may act as interconnected porosity;
- indexing the temperature controlled platform down one layer of thickness;
- spreading another layer of powder on the melted and solidified layer;
- melting and solidifying selected areas of the powder layer with the computer controlled focused energy beam according to the 3-D design of the component in the memory of the computer;
- forming open channels in the solidified powder layer that may act as interconnected porosity;
- and
- repeating the process until the component is formed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.