AV&R has developed a new surface finishing process for gas turbine components. This new robotic technology, unprecedented in the aeronautical industry, makes it possible to automate the blending of a complex zone, more precisely the junction between three surfaces, characteristic of variable blades and compressor airfoils. AV&R calls this process: tri-blend.
Currently carried out manually by manufacturers of gas turbine parts, the automation of the airfoil tri-blend process thus makes it possible to correct surface defects, or even to create dimensional requirements.
With an average cycle time of 60 seconds, the tri-blend process is customizable to each manufacturer’s needs:
- The process adapts to the state of the manufacturer’s part, whether it already has a radius created or not.
- It can be coupled with other finishing processes on the same part: polishing, deburring or profiling.
Typical Area of a Variable Vane for Tri-blend:
Technologies and Tools:
- Radius creation
- Complex surface blending (tri-surface)
- Robot ©Fanuc 6-axis
- Mix of abrasive tools ©3M: belts and wheels
- Dust collector (wet and dry) – connected to the factory system
- BrainWave software by ©AV&R – the software simplifies the programming and use of the robotic system
Offline programming option available - Process available in the BF-X 200-c system: Compact, closed cell, part loading with trays, respect safety standards (RIA, CSA, CE…)
Benefits:
- Automate a difficult manual operation that generates additional production operations, all in a context of labor shortage.
- Ensure consistency in the quality of the blending of this complex area
- Decreased human subjectivity influencing the quality of the part produced
- Decreased amount of abrasives used
- Decreased risk of operators’ injury
Would you like to know more about this innovative process? Our team of experts is there to answer you.