Methods of making and monitoring a component with an integral strain indicator
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsBryan Joseph Germann, Gregory Lee Hovis
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Abstract
Methods of making a component with an integral strain indicator and methods of monitoring such components are provided. A method for making a component includes forming the component, the component including an internal volume and an outer surface. The method further includes forming a plurality of fiducial markers on the component, wherein each of the plurality of fiducial markers is a depression defined in the component. The plurality of fiducial markers are positioned in an analysis region of the component.
Claims15
A method of making a gas turbine component with an integral strain indicator, the method comprising:
- forming the gas turbine component, the gas turbine component comprising an internal volume and an outer surface;
- and
- forming a plurality of fiducial markers on the gas turbine component, wherein forming the plurality of fiducial markers does not affect a grain structure of the gas turbine component, wherein each of the plurality of fiducial markers is a concave depression defined in and extending into the gas turbine component, and wherein the plurality of fiducial markers are positioned in an analysis region of the gas turbine component, the analysis region defining a gauge length, wherein the analysis region includes a life-limiting region of the gas turbine component, wherein each of the plurality of fiducial markers has a maximum diameter of between one-tenth and one-twentieth of the gauge length,
- wherein the step of forming the plurality of fiducial markers occurs after the step of forming the gas turbine component.
A method of monitoring a gas turbine component, the gas turbine component comprising an internal volume and an outer surface, the method comprising:
- initially measuring a plurality of fiducial markers formed on the gas turbine component, wherein each of the plurality of fiducial markers is a concave depression defined in and extending into the gas turbine component, wherein the plurality of fiducial markers do not affect the grain structure of the gas turbine component, wherein the plurality of fiducial markers are positioned in an analysis region of the gas turbine component, and wherein the analysis region includes a life-limiting region of the gas turbine component;
- creating a three-dimensional model of the gas turbine component based on the initial measurement;
- subjecting the gas turbine component to at least one duty cycle;
- subsequently measuring the plurality of fiducial markers after the at least one duty cycle;
- creating a three-dimensional model of the gas turbine component based on the subsequent measurement;
- and
- comparing the three-dimensional model based on the initial measurement to the three-dimensional model based on the subsequent measurement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.