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Rapid Prototyping Technology for Manufacturing GTE Turbine Blades

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MEACS 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 327 (2018) 022025 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/327/2/022025
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Rapid Prototyping Technology for Manufacturing GTE

Turbine Blades

A V Balyakin, E M Dobryshkina, R A Vdovin, V P Alekseev

Samara National Research University, 34, Moscovskoye shosse, Samara, 443086

Russia

E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract. The conventional approach to manufacturing turbine blades by investment casting is

expensive and time-consuming, as it takes a lot of time to make geometrically precise and
complex wax patterns. Turbine blade manufacturing in pilot production can be sped up by
accelerating the casting process while keeping the geometric precision of the final product.
This paper compares the rapid prototyping method (casting the wax pattern composition into
elastic silicone molds) to the conventional technology. Analysis of the size precision of blade
casts shows that silicon-mold casting features sufficient geometric precision. Thus, this method
for making wax patterns can be a cost-efficient solution for small-batch or pilot production of
turbine blades for gas-turbine units (GTU) and gas-turbine engines (GTE). The paper
demonstrates how additive technology and thermographic analysis can speed up the cooling of
wax patterns in silicone molds. This is possible at an optimal temperature and solidification
time, which make the process more cost-efficient while keeping the geometric quality of the
final product.

1. Introduction
Blades are one of the most massive and high-loaded parts of GTU and GTE [1,2]. They face higher
requirements for geometric precision and surface quality. Due to the lack of developed surfaces for
precise basing, one of the most efficient ways (and sometimes the only possible way) to make such
blades is the casting of heat-resistant nickel alloys into ceramic molds. Turbine blades are mostly
machined by grinding [3], which enables manufacturers to meet high precision and surface roughness
requirements [4]. Another, and the most expensive way to machine heat-resistant alloys is dimensional
electrochemical machining [5-7]. Making geometrically complex parts by investment casting implies
making workpieces with zero stock removal for the airfoil profile and the inner surfaces. Laser melting
of heat-resistant composition powders has competitive advantages over casting technology [8]. The
main process component that determines the final geometric precision of casting is the wax pattern
making process; such models can be produced differently: by using metal [8], FDM [9], or elastic
silicone forms [10]. wax pattern making parameters such as casting time, solidification time, and
casting temperature are crucial. Thus, controlling these parameters helps avoid defects related to
dimensional deviations. One of the biggest disadvantages of investment casting is its high general
costs. This is due to the necessity of special machinery, heat-resistant binding materials, and the labor
intensity of making molds. Besides, making the metal molds for wax casting is time-consuming.
Given all the problems of pilot and small-batch multiple-item manufacturing, making wax patterns for

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MEACS 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 327 (2018) 022025 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/327/2/022025
1234567890‘’“”

turbine blades conventionally by using metal molds seems to be a very long and costly process as well.
This is why the authors believe the rapid prototyping technology to be promising, as it reduces costs
and simplifies the process. Fast prototyping is primarily discrepant from the classical approach in the
following:
− far lesser mold costs and production time values (usually five times less);
− far less usage cycles compared to metal molds.
Fast prototyping is more cost-efficient when one has to make small batches of wax patterns for
investment casting [10]. Silicone molds are usually made by using a 3D-printed master pattern. The
paper describes the development and use of this technology for making geometrically complex and
highly precise products for the aerospace industry. The method can be used for making wax turbine-
blade models using silicone molds for subsequent investment casting. The goal of the research is to
show how rapid prototyping can be used at a manufacturing facility to make geometrically complex
castings of required precision and surface quality.

2. Materials and methods

A blade of an auxiliary GTE power unit turbine was chosen as the object of study. Such blades are
made of nickel-based heat-resistant alloy. Table 1 describes the chemical composition of the alloy.
The manufacturing process is staged as follows [11,12]:
− 3D modeling in CAD with due account of shrinkage and stock to be removed when polishing
the inner surfaces of the blade;
− growing the master pattern;
− making a silicone mold;
− making wax patterns in the silicone mold;
− assembling the wax patterns using a sprue system (SS);
− applying refractory ceramics and removing the wax;
− casting metal into the ceramic shell;
− removing the SS.
Table 1. Chemical composition of the heat-resistant alloy
Elements % content Elements % content
Ni Base C 0.13÷0.20
Cr 9.5÷12.0 Si ≤0.4
Al 5.0÷6.0 Mn ≤0.4
W 4.5÷5.5 B ≤0.02
Co 4.0÷5.5 Ce ≤0.015
Mo 3.5÷4.8 S ≤0.015
Ti 2.5÷3.2 P ≤0.015

3. 3D model design
When making the master pattern, it is first 3D-modeled with due account of all the drawing-specified
technical requirements. The master pattern was built in Siemens NX, a CAD/CAM/CAE package [13].
The authors first formed 2D section profiles, then built their corresponding surfaces that pass through
such profiles. One of the obvious advantages of the design process is that when modeling, one can
take into account all the stock to be removed in machining, as well as the shrinkage of all the
components, i.e.:
− the shrinkage of the wax casting after cast into the silicone mold; this shrinkage depends on the wax in
use.
− the shrinkage of the heat-resistant alloy when solidified in the ceramic mold.
− the shrinkage of the ceramic mold itself.

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IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 327 (2018) 022025 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/327/2/022025
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The shrinkage factor was determined based on the following dependencies:

Lw=Lm - Lm·β = Lm · (1 - β)
Lb=Lw - Lw·α=Lw (1 - α) = Lm · (1 - α) · (1 - β)
Lb=Lm - Lm · (α + β) – Lm · αβ
where α is the metal shrinkage factor, β is the wax pattern composition shrinkage factor, Lw is the overall
dimension of the wax pattern, Lb is the overall dimension of the cast blade, Lm is the overall dimension of the
model.
Given the low values of α and β, the product Lм ·αβ can be deemed negligibly small. Thus, the correction
factor for the master pattern is the sum of wax and metal shrinkage factors. When using the heat-resistant alloy
per Table 1 as well as the wax pattern composition, α = 0.5% and β = 1%. One should keep in mind that this
formula ignores the ceramic mold shrinkage, which is approximately 0.1%. Thus, total shrinkage factor equals
1.5%. 0.2 mm of stock is to be removed when polishing the inner surfaces of the blade.

4. Making the master pattern

Fast prototyping quickly and easily produces a 3D physical object based on the 3D CAD model. 3D printer Objet
Eden 350 made this master pattern from a photopolymer by means of layer growth. PolyJet-grown products have
the following advantages: 3D-model-based production of parts is fast, and such parts can be made large enough.
One notable con is the high roughness of the prototype surface.
Before silicone molds were made, the geometry of the master pattern were checked using a DEA GLOBAL
Performance coordinate-measuring machine at 20 °С ± 2 °С and a relative humidity of 80%. To control the
geometry, the authors used the PC-DMIS СAD ++ Ver. 4.3 MR1 software package.
The master pattern was fixed on the CMM table with a grip at the blade root trim surface, see Figure 1a.
Basing was done at the root surfaces. Coordinate location per the 3D model of the workpiece. The master pattern
airfoil was measured in three sections, sec_31, sec_50, sec_76, see Figure 1b, which are located 31 mm, 50 mm,
and 76 mm away from the blade sole per the 3D model.
As Objet EDEN 350 cannot reach an airfoil profile roughness Ra =1.25…2.5 µm. When modeling, the
authors added 0.2 mm of stock to the inner surface and the airfoil of the blade to be removed in polishing. To
make wax patterns and metal castings of required precision and roughness, the authors added a master pattern
polishing operation to the process. 3D-printed master pattern had a roughness Ra = 3.2 µm, see Figure 2b,
whereas design documentation requires an airfoil profile surface roughness Ra=1.6 µm.

a b
Figure 1. CMM measurements of the master pattern

Airfoil and inner surface polishing was done manually in multiple runs. In the first run, the authors
removed the initial layer using a Р1200 sandpaper; for every consecutive run, finer sandpaper was
used until they reached a fineness of Р2500. After the airfoil and the inner surfaces were polished, the
authors checked the surface roughness using a Hommel-EtamicTesterW55 profilograph, whereas
geometry was controlled using the CMM (see Figure 2a). When the master pattern matches the design

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IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 327 (2018) 022025 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/327/2/022025
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requirements in terms of geometry and roughness, the next step is to make silicone molds and wax
patterns.

a b
Figure 2. Master patterns: a - before polishing, Ra 3.2;
b - after polishing, Ra 1.25

According to the authors’ checks, the master pattern made matched the requirements for airfoil
profile geometry deviations. The deviations did not exceed the allowance of +0.2 mm -0.15 mm.

5. Making an elastic silicone mold

After the sprue system was fully assembled, the authors began making a silicone mold. The first stage
for that is to assemble a Plexiglas container for the master pattern. The container is filled with silicone,
vacuumed and placed in a climatic cabinet to solidify, where it is kept for 4 hours at 40°С. The
chemical reactions thus triggered result in the solidification of the mold. After the mold is fully
solidified and cooled down, the Plexiglas container is disassembled along the joint lines, and the
master pattern is taken out. The mold is then assembled, and wax is liquated and vacuumed in a
vacuum chamber; it is then cast into the silicone mold. After the wax solidifies, the mold is
disassembled, and the finished wax pattern is taken out. A silicone mold can survive about 80-100
castings depending on the geometric complexity of the pattern. This process is significantly cheaper
than conventional mold making.
The precision of the wax pattern depends on the casting parameters, i.e. the melting temperature,
the exposure time, and the mold temperature. The casting temperature and the exposure time are more
important for dimension-related precision. Exposure time must be selected based on the cooldown
rate, the wax pattern shape, and the wax composition casting temperature. As a part of this
thermographic experiment, the authors studied the effect of exposure time and casting temperature on
the shrinkage and the final geometric precision of the wax pattern, with a goal of optimizing the
casting parameters. For that purpose, the authors did a series of test castings. Casting was done at
various temperatures. Silicone molds were cooled down by forced cooling (blowing) and without it.
Thermographic experiment results showed that when using forced blowing, the wax pattern in a
silicone mold cools down to room temperature in 2.5 hours; without forced cooling, it takes 4 hours, or
1.7 times more time, see Figure 3.

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IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 327 (2018) 022025 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/327/2/022025
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Figure 3. Thermographic analysis of the silicone mold cooldown

Forced blowing of the silicone molds resulted in lesser shrinkage of the wax pattern. To sum up, it
should be noted that forced blowing is necessary for saving time when making a single wax pattern
with lesser shrinkage.
CMM was then used to measure the inner surfaces of the wax patterns made; the procedure was the
same as for the master pattern. The model was checked for shape and surface positions relative to the
blade root.
Figure 4 shows the bladee airfoil profile control process by measuring the drawing-specified
drawing
sections with a CMM.

Figure 4. CMM measurement of the wax pattern

Table 2 specifies maximum errors in the airfoil profiles of the wax pattern relative to the master
pattern depending on the wax composition casting temperature.

Table 2. Maximum error

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3
section
# of

°С 95 °С 100 °С 105 °С 110 °С

Total error, mm
Max

0.25

0.29

0.25

0.64

0.64

0.90

0.84

1.13

1.46

1.06

1.73
1.2

According to the data in Table 2, casting at a temperature of 95°С

95° results in the least shrinkage
shrinkage-
related dimensional deviations. As the upper parts of the blade have less stock and are thinner, they
cool down faster. A shrinkage cavity emerges in the blade
blade root as it is the most massive part of the

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IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 327 (2018) 022025 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/327/2/022025
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wax pattern. The emergence of the shrinkage cavity is confirmed by wax pattern measurements and is
compensated by the implied removal of stock in subsequent machining at the modeling stage, see
Figure 5.

a b
Figure 5. Cooldown thermography: a - at the onset of cooldown; b - when the wax pattern is
removed from the silicone mold

Based on the results of these experiments, the authors have optimized the following parameters of
casting wax into silicone forms: cooldown (the best option is forced blowing), exposure time (2.5
hours), and casting temperature (95°С).

6. Ceramic mold making and casting

Wax patterns produced were assembled into casting blocks, 4 patterns per block. The sprue system
(SS) components were designed using ProCast software per the methodology described in [14].
Casting blocks were cast using the conventional investment casting technology [15-21].

7. Economic comparison of wax pattern making technologies

To analyze the cost and time of making wax patterns by rapid prototyping and by using metal
molds on a CNC machining center, the authors calculated time consumption, see Figure 3.

Table 3. Comparison of GTE blade wax pattern production methods

Name Making wax patterns by Making wax patterns by
additive technology conventional technology
Prototype printing 7807.27 -
Making a mold 13964.2 58011
Making wax patterns 239532.5 237950
Total time 10 days 30 days
Total 265029.98 295961

8. Results
DEA Global Performance was used to measure 220 wax patterns and castings. Analysis of data
obtained by comparison to the 3D model showed that the blade geometry and the airfoil twist angle
were within the allowed range.
The authors have determined the optimal conditions for casting wax into silicone molds and for
making wax patterns.
Silicone molds can be used to make geometrically complex wax patterns for multiple-item small-
batch or pilot manufacturing, thus eliminating the need for CNC production of metal molds.

9. Conclusions
Fast prototyping is a cost-efficient solution for small-batch manufacturing of GTE blades. Silicone
molds have a number of advantages over the conventional technology, mainly faster production and
lower costs. Studies have shown that silicone molds can be used to make blades as they provide
necessary accuracy. However, the conventional metal-mold technology is still better for large-scale

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IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 327 (2018) 022025 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/327/2/022025
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manufacturing as metal molds survive longer and have a greater output rate

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