Methods for the repair of gas turbine engine components using additive manufacturing techniques

A method for repairing a damaged gas turbine engine component using additive manufacturing techniques, the method comprising the steps of:

• evaluating a damaged gas turbine engine component to determine an extent of damage to the gas turbine engine component;
• separating a damaged portion of the gas turbine engine component from an undamaged portion of the damaged gas turbine engine component;
• further separating areas of the metallic component in the undamaged portion that are adjacent to the damaged portion to form recesses in the undamaged portion of the metallic component adjacent to the damaged portion;
• measuring the undamaged portion to determine the dimensions of the removed damaged portion and the removed recesses from the undamaged portion;
• fabricating a replacement portion using additive manufacturing techniques in accordance with the determined dimensions of the removed damaged portion and the removed recesses from the undamaged portion, wherein the replacement portion includes a locking feature that comprises flanges that correspond in shape with the recesses, and further wherein the replacement portion is fabricated using a first material at a first end thereof and a second material at a second end thereof that is opposite the first end, wherein the first end comprises the locking feature and the first material comprises a joining material that differs from a material of the metallic component, and wherein the second end comprises the material of the metallic component;
• subjecting the replacement portion to a post-processing operation;
• and
• joining the replacement portion with the undamaged portion of the damaged gas turbine engine component to form a repaired gas turbine engine component, wherein the joining further comprises joining the flanges of the locking feature with the recesses in the undamaged portion.

A method for repairing a damaged metallic component using additive manufacturing techniques, the method comprising the steps of:

• separating a damaged portion of the damaged metallic component from an undamaged portion of the damaged metallic component;
• further separating areas of the metallic component in the undamaged portion that are adjacent to the damaged portion to form recesses in the undamaged portion of the metallic component adjacent to the damaged portion;
• measuring the undamaged portion to determine the dimensions of the removed damaged portion and the removed recesses from the undamaged portion;
• fabricating a replacement portion using additive manufacturing techniques in accordance with the determined dimensions of the removed damaged portion and the removed recesses from the undamaged portion, wherein the replacement portion includes a locking feature that comprises flanges that correspond in shape with the recesses, and further wherein the replacement portion is fabricated using a first material at a first end thereof and a second material at a second end thereof that is opposite the first end, wherein the first material differs from the second material;
• and
• joining the replacement portion with the undamaged portion of the damaged metallic component to form a repaired metallic component, wherein the joining further comprises joining the flanges of the locking feature with the recesses in the undamaged portion.