# US 11,077,512 B2 · Manufactured article and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,512 B2 - Document ID: US11077512B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/270,107 - Filed: 2019-02-07 - Published: 2020-08-13 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2019-02-07 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Sabrina Michelle Puidokas; Matthias Hoebel; Jan Vladimir Schwerdtfeger; Thomas Etter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077512B2 ## CPC - B23K 26/342: Build-up welding - B22F 3/24: After-treatment of workpieces or articles {(B22F3/1146 takes precedence)} - B22F 5/009: {of turbine components other than turbine blades (of turbine blades B22F5/04)} - B22F 5/04: of turbine blades - B22F 10/28: Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] - B22F 10/62: by chemical means - B22F 10/64: by thermal means (control of energy beam parameters for post heating B22F10/364) - B23K 1/0008: {specially adapted for particular articles or work} - B23K 1/0018: {Brazing of turbine parts} - B23K 15/0086: {welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. build-up welding} - B23K 26/703: {Cooling arrangements (by using a fluid stream B23K26/14)} - B23K 35/0222: {for use in soldering or brazing (B23K35/0205 takes precedence)} - B23K 35/0244: {Powders, particles or spheres; Preforms made therefrom} - B23K 35/30: with the principal constituent melting at less than 1550°C - B23K 35/3033: {Ni as the principal constituent} - B23K 35/3046: {Co as the principal constituent} - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 40/00: Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling - B33Y 40/20: Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing - B33Y 70/00: Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - F01D 5/005: {Repairing methods or devices} - B22F 3/26: Impregnating {(making ferrous alloys by impregnation C22C33/0242)} - B22F 10/25: Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS] - B22F 2003/242: {Coating} - B22F 2003/248: {Thermal after-treatment} - B22F 2007/066: {using impregnation} - B22F 2007/068: {repairing articles} - B22F 2301/15: Nickel or cobalt - B22F 2998/10: Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps - B23K 2101/001: {Turbines} - B23K 2103/08: Non-ferrous metals or alloys - B23K 2103/24: Ferrous alloys and titanium or alloys thereof - B23K 2103/26: {Alloys of Nickel and Cobalt and Chromium} - B23P 6/045: {of turbine components, e.g. moving or stationary blades, rotors, etc.} - F05D 2230/232: by welding - F05D 2230/237: Brazing - F05D 2230/31: Layer deposition - Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM - B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A manufactured article is comprised of an additively manufactured component having sequentially joined layers of metallic powder. A braze material is disposed on at least a portion of an outer surface of the component. The braze material is located in expected crack locations in the outer surface. At least one crack formed in the outer surface, during a heat treatment, is filled with the braze material. The additively manufactured component comprises a metallic material from a precipitation hardened nickel-based superalloy, which forms a γ′ phase. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for fabricating a component, comprising the steps of: forming an additively manufactured component having sequentially joined layers of a metallic powder by an additive manufacturing process; applying a braze material to an expected crack location on a surface of the additively manufactured component; heating the additively manufactured component to one or more heating temperatures for one or more heating dwell time periods, wherein the heating includes: heating the additively manufactured component to a first temperature and maintaining the additively manufactured component at the first temperature for a first dwell time period; and heating the additively manufactured component to a second temperature and maintaining the additively manufactured component at the second temperature for a second dwell time period, wherein the first temperature is lower than the second temperature, and wherein the second temperature is at a temperature level where the braze material remains in a solid state; cooling the additively manufactured component to a cooling temperature for a cooling dwell time period; and wherein the braze material fills in a crack formed during the heating. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 1, wherein the metallic powder is selected from the group consisting of: a nickel-based superalloy, a cobalt-based superalloy, an iron-based superalloy, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 1, wherein the additively manufactured component is formed from a precipitation hardened nickel-based superalloy, which forms a γ′ phase. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 3, wherein the first temperature is about 20-100K below an onset of formation of the γ′ phase. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 1, wherein the braze material is comprised of a nickel-based alloy or a cobalt-based alloy. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 1, wherein the braze material is only applied to the expected crack location. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 1, wherein the braze material is applied to an entire surface of the component. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 1, wherein the heating step heats the additively manufactured component to the first temperature and then subsequently heats the additively manufactured component to the second temperature, and then subsequently heats the additively manufactured component to a third temperature, and wherein the second temperature is lower than the third temperature and where the third temperature is kept at 30K to 100K below a recrystallization temperature of the additively manufactured component. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 1, wherein the heating step heats the additively manufactured component to the first temperature and then subsequently heats the additively manufactured component to the second temperature, and then subsequently heats the additively manufactured component to the third temperature, and then subsequently heats the additively manufactured component to a fourth temperature and wherein the third temperature is lower than the fourth temperature and wherein recrystallization of the additively manufactured component occurs at the fourth temperature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 9, wherein the braze material remains in a liquid state during a fourth dwell time period at the fourth temperature where the recrystallization of the additively manufactured component occurs. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 1, wherein the additive manufacturing process is selected from the group consisting of direct metal laser melting, direct metal laser sintering, selective laser melting, electron beam melting, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 1, wherein the additive manufacturing process is selected from the group consisting of laser cladding, laser powder fusion, direct metal laser deposition, laser metal deposition, and laser metal forming. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 1, wherein the additively manufactured component includes a gas turbine component or a steam turbine component. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 13, wherein the additively manufactured component is selected from the group consisting of a combustor, a combustion liner, a combustion flex tip, a transition piece, a hot gas path component, a shroud, a blade, a nozzle, and a seal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 1, the method further including applying a spray to cover the brazing material and constraining a flow of the braze material to the expected crack location. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 1, the method further including: selectively applying the braze material only on the expected crack location, and filling the crack with the braze material and simultaneously healing the crack during the heating. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 1, wherein after the first dwell time period passes, the method further includes increasing the first temperature to the second temperature at a rate of greater than 20K per minute. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 1, wherein the second temperature is greater than or equal to about 850° C., and is below a solidus temperature of the braze material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method for fabricating a component according to claim 1, wherein after the second dwell time period passes, the method further includes increasing the second temperature to the third temperature, where the third temperature is greater than a liquidus temperature of the braze material. ### Claim 20 A method for fabricating a component, comprising the steps of: forming an additively manufactured component having sequentially joined layers of a metallic powder by an additive manufacturing process, wherein the metallic powder includes a nickel-based superalloy or a cobalt-based superalloy or an iron-based alloy, and the additive manufacturing process is selected from the group consisting of direct metal laser melting, direct metal laser sintering, selective laser melting, and electron beam melting; applying a braze material to an expected crack location on a surface of the additively manufactured component, the braze material includes a nickel-based superalloy material or a cobalt-based superalloy material; heating the additively manufactured component to one or more desired heating temperatures for one or more heating dwell time periods, wherein the heating includes: heating the additively manufactured component to a first temperature and maintaining the additively manufactured component at the first temperature for a first dwell time period; and heating the additively manufactured component to a second temperature and maintaining the additively manufactured component at the second temperature for a second dwell time period, wherein the first temperature is lower than the second temperature, and wherein the second temperature is at a temperature level where the braze material remains in a solid state; cooling the additively manufactured component to a cooling temperature for a cooling dwell time period; and wherein the braze material fills in a crack formed during the heating, and the additively manufactured component is a gas turbine component or a steam turbine component, and wherein the metallic powder includes a precipitation hardened nickel-based superalloy, which forms a γ′ phase.