Material repair process using laser and ultrasound

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016228995-A1
Application number	US-201514614767-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 5, 2015
Priority date	Feb 5, 2015
Publication date	Aug 11, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A process for repair of a surface ( 32 ) of a substrate ( 30 ) including the application of an energy beam ( 40 ) and vibratory mechanical energy ( 42 ) to the surface in a region of a discontinuity ( 34 ) in order to form a renewed surface ( 48 ) on the substrate. A powdered flux material ( 36 ) may be disposed over the discontinuity and melted in order to trap and remove contaminants ( 28 ) into a layer of slag ( 46 ). The vibratory mechanical energy may be applied to dislodge contaminants within the discontinuity, to add friction heat to the discontinuity, to assist in the flotation of the slag, to remove solidified slag, and/or to provide stress relief of the renewed surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A process for repair of a surface of a substrate, the process comprising:
imparting mechanical vibratory energy to the surface in a region of a discontinuity; melting a portion of the surface including the discontinuity with an energy beam to form a melt pool; and allowing the melt pool to solidify to form a renewed surface on the substrate without the discontinuity.

2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical vibratory energy is imparted to the surface at least prior to the step of melting.

3 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical vibratory energy is imparted to the surface at least during the step of melting.

4 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical vibratory energy is imparted to the surface at least after the step of melting.

5 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising imparting the mechanical vibratory energy as ultrasonic energy and melting the portion of the surface with a laser beam.

6 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising:
depositing flux onto the surface over the discontinuity; melting the flux during the step of melting a portion of the surface, the melted flux forming a layer of slag over the melt pool; and removing the layer of slag to reveal the renewed surface.

7 . The process of claim 6 , further comprising applying the flux as a paste or liquid effective to infiltrate the discontinuity prior to the step of melting.

8 . The process of claim 6 , further comprising applying a filler material powder with the flux over the discontinuity, the filler material powder contributing to the melt pool upon being melted by the energy beam.

9 . The process of claim 6 , further comprising applying the flux to comprise an additive constituent, the additive constituent contributing to the melt pool upon being melted by the energy beam.

10 . The process of claim 6 , further comprising applying the flux to comprise a composition that is exothermic during the melting step.

11 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a superalloy material, and further comprising:
applying a flux material to the superalloy surface over the discontinuity; melting the flux material with the portion of the surface to form a layer of slag over the melt pool; and removing the layer of slag to reveal the renewed superalloy surface.

12 . A process for repair of a surface of a substrate, the process comprising:
applying a material over the surface in a region of a discontinuity; applying both mechanical vibratory energy and an energy beam to the substrate in the region of the discontinuity to melt at least the applied material; and allowing the melted material to solidify to from a repaired surface on the substrate.

13 . The process of claim 12 , further comprising:
applying the material as a flux material; applying the mechanical vibratory energy and energy beam such that a portion of the substrate containing the discontinuity melts with the flux material to form a melt pool with an overlying layer of slag; and removing the layer of slag to reveal the repaired surface.

14 . The process of claim 12 , further comprising:
applying the material as a flux material; applying the energy beam to heat the substrate proximate the discontinuity to a temperature below its melting temperature; applying the mechanical vibratory energy effective to generate heat within the discontinuity as a result of friction sufficient to cause melting of the substrate at the discontinuity to form a melt pool, with melted flux material forming a layer of slag on the melt pool; and removing the layer of slag to reveal the repaired surface.

15 . A process for repair of a surface of a substrate comprising the application of an energy beam and vibratory mechanical energy to the surface in a region of a discontinuity.

16 . The process of claim 15 , further comprising applying the vibratory mechanical energy at least prior to the application of the energy beam.

17 . The process of claim 15 , further comprising applying the vibratory mechanical energy at least during the application of the energy beam. The process of claim 15 , further comprising applying the vibratory mechanical energy at least after the application of the energy beam.

19 . The process of claim 15 , further comprising:
depositing flux onto the surface over the discontinuity; melting the flux and a portion of the surface containing the discontinuity with the energy beam to form a melt pool with a layer of slag over the melt pool; and removing the layer of slag to reveal a renewed surface on the substrate.

20 . The process of claim 15 , further comprising:
depositing a filler material over the surface; and melting the filler material with at least one of the energy beam and vibratory mechanical energy to form a renewed surface.

Assignees

• Siemens Energy Inc

Inventors

• Bruck Gerald J
• Kamel Ahmed

Classifications

• B23K28/02

  Combined welding or cutting procedures or apparatus · CPC title

• B23K2101/001

  Turbines · CPC title

• B23K31/02 Primary

  relating to soldering or welding · CPC title

• B23K26/34

  Laser welding for purposes other than joining · CPC title

• B23K20/10 Primary

  making use of vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic welding · CPC title