System and method for machining workpiece and article machined therefrom

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745279-B2
Application number	US-201716302809-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2017
Priority date	Jun 17, 2016
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A system is configured for machining a workpiece (100), the workpiece includes an interior surface (110) that defines an internal passage (112). The system includes an electrode (116) located within the internal passage and electrically isolated from the workpiece, an electrolyte supply, a power supply, and a remover. The electrolyte supply is configured for circulating an electrolyte in a gap between the electrode and the workpiece. The power supply is configured for applying a voltage between the electrode and the workpiece to facilitate smoothing the interior surface. The remover is configured for completely removing the electrode from within the internal passage after smoothing the interior surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for machining a workpiece, the workpiece comprising an interior surface that defines an internal passage, the system comprising:
an electrode located within the internal passage and electrically isolated from the workpiece, the electrode comprising:
a plurality of first portions comprising an electrically non-conductive material and an electrically conductive coating, the electrically conductive coating formed on the electrically non-conductive material of the respective first portions; and
a plurality of second portions comprising an electrically non-conductive material and an electrically conductive strip, the electrically conductive strip formed on the electrically non-conductive material of the respective second portions;
an electrolyte supply configured to supply an electrolyte in a gap between the electrode and the workpiece;
a power supply configured to supply a voltage between the electrode and the workpiece to obtain a smoothed interior surface on the interior surface; and
a remover configured to remove the electrode from within the internal passage after the smoothed interior surface is obtained, the remover comprising a corrosion resistant coating and an etching solution supply, the etching solution supply configured to supply an etching solution configured to chemically dissolve the electrode for removal of the electrode from within the internal passage.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is formed within the internal passage using an additive manufacturing apparatus, and the etching solution supplied into the internal passage completely dissolves the electrode formed within the internal passage without contacting the smoothed interior surface.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the corrosion resistant coating of the remover is configured to protect the smoothed interior surface from being dissolved by the etching solution; and wherein the corrosion resistant coating is configured to be removed from within the internal passage after the etching solution is removed from within the internal passage.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the corrosion resistant coating is a build up from a slurry.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the corrosion resistant coating is a deposit from an aqueous solution.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrode comprises a solid electrode, a hollow electrode, or a combination thereof.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first portions and the plurality of second portions are formed together using an additive manufacturing apparatus, the electrically conductive coatings and the electrically conductive strips are coupled together to provide electrical conductivity to the electrode.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first portions and each of the second portions are assembled next to each other.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first portions is made from a rigid electrically non-conductive material, the plurality of second portions is made from a soft electrically non-conductive material; the plurality of first portions and the plurality of second portions being sized to provide electrical isolation between the electrode and the workpiece.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first portions is made from a rigid plastic material, and each of the second portions is made from a soft plastic material.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive coatings comprise metal coatings, the metal coatings are formed on the respective first portions using electroplating; and wherein the electrically conductive strips comprise metal strips, the metal strips are formed on the respective second portions using electroplating.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is a plurality of electrodes located within the internal passage and electrically isolated from the workpiece; and
wherein the electrolyte supply is configured to supply the electrolyte in the gap between each electrode of the plurality of electrodes and the workpiece; the power supply is configured to supply the voltage between each electrode of the plurality of electrodes and the workpiece to smooth the interior surface to obtain a smoothed interior surface; and the remover is configured to completely remove the plurality of electrodes from within the internal passage after the smoothed interior surface is obtained.

13. A system for machining a workpiece, the workpiece comprising an interior surface that defines an internal passage, the system comprising:
an electrode located within the internal passage and electrically isolated from the workpiece, the electrode comprising
a plurality of first portions comprising an electrically non-conductive material and an electrically conductive coating, the electrically conductive coating formed on the electrically non-conductive material of the respective first portion, and
a plurality of second portions comprising an electrically non-conductive material and an electrically conductive strip, the electrically conductive strip formed on the electrically non-conductive material of the respective second portion;
an electrolyte supply configured to supply an electrolyte in a gap between the electrode and the workpiece;
a power supply configured to supply a voltage between the electrode and the workpiece to obtain a smoothed interior surface on the interior surface; and
a remover configured to remove the electrode from within the internal passage after the smoothed interior surface is obtained, the remover comprising a corrosion resistant coating and an etching solution supply, the etching solution supply configured to supply an etching solution configured to chemically dissolve the electrode for removal of the electrode from within the internal passage;
wherein the electrode is flexible to ensure the electrode is capable of being inserted into the internal passage, and a leader is connected to the electrode, the leader configured to pull the electrode into the internal passage.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the internal passage is a spiral or twisted internal passage or has varying cross-sectional dimensions in an axial direction.

15. A method for machining a workpiece, the workpiece comprising an interior surface that defines an internal passage, the method comprising:
locating an electrode within the internal passage, the electrode comprising
a plurality of first portions comprising an electrically non-conductive material and an electrically conductive coating, the electrically conductive coating formed on the electrically non-conductive material of the respective first portion, and
a plurality of second portions comprising an electrically non-conductive material and an electrically conductive strip, the electrically conductive strip formed on the electrically non-conductive material of the respective second portion,

the located electrode being electrically isolated from the workpiece;
circulating an electrolyte in a gap between the electrode and the workpiece;
applying a voltage between the electrode and the workpiece to facilitate smoothing of the interior surface to obtain a smoothed interior surface; and
removing the electrode from within the internal passage via a remover after obtaining the smoothed interior surface, the remover comprising a corrosion resistant coating and an etching solution supply, and removing the electrode via the remover comprises
applying the corrosion resistant coating as a build up or a deposit on the smoothed interior surface,
supplying an etching solution to the internal passage via the etchin

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Yang Yong
• Wei Bin
• Salahshoor Pirsoltan Meisam
• Jia Ming
• Xu Huiyu
• Gao Yibo
• Carter William T
• Trimmer Andrew L
• Singh Prabhjot
• Yang Pinghai
• Yang Yanzhe

Classifications

• Y02P10/25

  Process efficiency · CPC title

• B23H11/00 Primary

  Auxiliary apparatus or details, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B22F3/24

  After-treatment of workpieces or articles {(B22F3/1146 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B22F5/10

  of articles with cavities or holes, not otherwise provided for in the preceding subgroups · CPC title

• B22F10/12

  by photopolymerisation, e.g. stereolithography [SLA] or digital light processing [DLP] · CPC title