Vacuum degassing laser-blocking material system and process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9862057-B2
Application number	US-201314104648-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2013
Priority date	Dec 12, 2012
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

A method of injecting laser-blocking material into a workpiece includes communicating molten laser-blocking material through the workpiece as the workpiece is subjected to at least a partial vacuum within an enclosed environment such that the partial vacuum expands any air bubbles in the laser-blocking material and transports the air bubbles out of the workpiece.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of injecting laser-blocking material into a workpiece comprising:
placing a workpiece in an enclosed environment of a container;
connecting a laser-blocking material inlet connection and outlet connection to the workpiece;
subjecting the workpiece to an at least partial vacuum within the enclosed environment through a vacuum outlet orifice in the container that is discrete from the laser-blocking material outlet connection; and
communicating a molten laser-blocking material into the workpiece through the laser-blocking material inlet connection while subjecting the workpiece to the at least partial vacuum such that air bubbles in the laser-blocking material are expanded and transported out of workpiece through the laser-blocking material outlet connection, wherein the communicating of the molten laser-blocking material into the workpiece subjects the workpiece to a running flow of the laser-blocking material that exits the workpiece through the laser-blocking material outlet connection.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the workpiece is an airfoil.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the workpiece is a blade.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the workpiece is a High Pressure Turbine blade.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that the molten laser-blocking material within the workpiece is air bubble free; and
shutting down the flow of laser-blocking material once the molten laser-blocking material within the workpiece is air bubble free.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 , further comprising:
hardening the laser-blocking material; and
laser drilling the workpiece.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 , further comprising
removing the hardened laser-blocking material from the laser drilled workpiece.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the laser-blocking material comprises a wax composition.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the laser-blocking material comprises an epoxy resin.

10. A method of injecting laser-blocking material into a workpiece, comprising:
placing a workpiece in a container;
connecting a laser-blocking material inlet connection and a laser-blocking material outlet connection to the workpiece;
subjecting the workpiece to an at least partial vacuum within the container; and
communicating a molten laser-blocking material into the workpiece through the laser-blocking material inlet connection while subjecting the workpiece to the at least partial vacuum such that air bubbles in the laser-blocking material are expanded and transported out of workpiece through the laser-blocking material outlet connection;
wherein the laser-blocking material comprises a wax composition; and
wherein the workpiece is subjected to the at least partial vacuum within the container independent of the laser-blocking material outlet connection and through a vacuum outlet orifice in the container that is discrete from the laser-blocking material outlet connection.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the workpiece comprises an airfoil.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the workpiece comprises a blade.

13. The method as recited in claim 10 , further comprising:
determining that the molten laser-blocking material within the workpiece is air bubble free; and
shutting down the flow of laser-blocking material once the molten laser-blocking material within the workpiece is air bubble free.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 , further comprising:
hardening the laser-blocking material; and
laser drilling the workpiece.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 , further comprising removing the hardened laser-blocking material from the laser drilled workpiece.

16. A method of injecting laser-blocking material into a workpiece, comprising:
placing a workpiece in a container;
connecting a laser-blocking material inlet connection and a laser-blocking material outlet connection to the workpiece;
subjecting the workpiece to an at least partial vacuum within the container; and
communicating a molten laser-blocking material into the workpiece through the laser-blocking material inlet connection while subjecting the workpiece to the at least partial vacuum such that air bubbles in the laser-blocking material are expanded and transported out of workpiece through the laser-blocking material outlet connection;
wherein the laser-blocking material comprises an epoxy resin; and
wherein the workpiece is subjected to the at least partial vacuum within the container independent of the laser-blocking material outlet connection and through a vacuum outlet orifice in the container that is discrete from the laser-blocking material outlet connection.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the workpiece comprises an airfoil.

18. The method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising:
determining that the molten laser-blocking material within the workpiece is air bubble free; and
shutting down the flow of laser-blocking material once the molten laser-blocking material within the workpiece is air bubble free.

19. The method as recited in claim 18 , further comprising:
hardening the laser-blocking material; and
laser drilling the workpiece.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 , further comprising removing the hardened laser-blocking material from the laser drilled workpiece.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Cheah Kim Wei

Classifications

• B23K26/18 Primary

  using absorbing layers on the workpiece, e.g. for marking or protecting purposes · CPC title

• F05D2230/13

  using lasers · CPC title

• B29C70/745

  Filling cavities in the preformed part (for joining B29C70/84) · CPC title

• B29L2031/08

  Blades for rotors, stators, fans, turbines or the like, e.g. screw propellers · CPC title

• F01D5/005

  Repairing methods or devices · CPC title