Adaptive Machining of Turbine Blades

[Mick]

I'm curious. Is anyone using this method here? I have been talking to an associate, and they are potentially looking at this, and they were keen on some feedback.

 

They're especially interested to hear if anyone is using this method with Mastercam, and the process. Renishaw mentions it, and there appear to be some specialised applications out there.

[Tyler Robertson]

By adaptive machining what do you mean specifically. There's an adaptive option in the multiaxis paths and I like using it - but I'm unsure if what you're referring to is different, especially with regard to Renishaw

[Mick]

By adaptive machining what do you mean specifically. There's an adaptive option in the multiaxis paths and I like using it - but I'm unsure if what you're referring to is different, especially with regard to Renishaw

 

When I was asked about this, the adaptive option with the toolpaths is what I thought they meant too. However, this adaptive machining is specifically for the repair of turbine blades, as shown in this article:

 

http://www.mmsonline.com/articles/adaptive-machining-for-turbine-blade-repair

 

It looks to be very interesting, and I am keen to know if anyone here is using a system like that.

[Guest]

Kind of sort of but not exactly. We helped a customer that had a part on an HMC that took 5 OPS to complete, moved that part to a 5-Axis machine and now it's done complete in 1 op. The "Adaptive" part of this was it was a casting so no two parts were alike, it required extensive probing in two separate planes. In the probing we checked and compensated for rotational error in A, B, and C axes as well as positional errors in X, Y, and Z. FANUC's WSEC Option (Work Setting Error Compensation - G54.4 P1~P8) was used to correct the errors.

[Mick]

Kind of sort of but not exactly. We helped a customer that had a part on an HMC that took 5 OPS to complete, moved that part to a 5-Axis machine and now it's done complete in 1 op. The "Adaptive" part of this was it was a casting so no two parts were alike, it required extensive probing in two separate planes. In the probing we checked and compensated for rotational error in A, B, and C axes as well as positional errors in X, Y, and Z. FANUC's WSEC Option (Work Setting Error Compensation - G54.4 P1~P8) was used to correct the errors.

 

Ok, that is sounding like kind of sort of not exactly . A turbine blade would require extensive extensive probing, plus the ability to be able to transfer the data back to the workstation and then process the information, create the necessary toolpaths, and then send it back. I'm almost certain the machine would require some major retrofitting, in terms of probe capability, plus the necessary software at the workstation end.

 

I don't know of any software addons for Mastercam that provide this, other than reverse engineering. I'll keep doing some research though

[GoetzInd]

Take a look at Renishaw's new sprint probe. Not familiar with the software but it may be capable of something like this.

 

Mike

[YoDoug®]

I have seen applications where the CNC program is a parametric program that is adjusted on the fly from the probed data. In turbine blade application a base program could be output from Mastercam and then reconfigured take incremental additions to the toolpath in the CNC by variable table from the inspected data. However I think that because of the shear volume of probe point vs the numbers of variables that you would need to drive the tool with some sort of a parametric spline formula vs point to point output from mastercam.

[Guest]

Ok, that is sounding like kind of sort of not exactly . A turbine blade would require extensive extensive probing, plus the ability to be able to transfer the data back to the workstation and then process the information, create the necessary toolpaths, and then send it back. I'm almost certain the machine would require some major retrofitting, in terms of probe capability, plus the necessary software at the workstation end.

 

I don't know of any software addons for Mastercam that provide this, other than reverse engineering. I'll keep doing some research though

There should be no need to send anything back to the workstation. For blades, you'll need to have 3 programs; a min, a mean, and a max. You probe for the conditions first to determine if it can be reworked in the first place, then if it can, which condition fits best, then probe for location, pitch, roll and yaw. Not as extensive as you think. The machine's control can comp for all the error (as long as you have a few select controls), otherwise yeah, you're in for the nightmare of your life.

[gaijin_2007]

I remembered reading something about this and Delcam being involved in this a while back.

Googling gave me the following links, maybe its's more what you're looking for?

 

http://www.delcamconsulting.com/adaptive-manufacturing/adaptive-machining.asp

http://www.delcam.com/news/press_article.asp?releaseId=1664#.UupYx7tdXh4

http://www.delcam.com/languages/de/news/press_article.asp?releaseId=1459

[Mick]

I remembered reading something about this and Delcam being involved in this a while back.

Googling gave me the following links, maybe its's more what you're looking for?

 

http://www.delcamcon...e-machining.asp

http://www.delcam.co...64#.UupYx7tdXh4

http://www.delcam.co...?releaseId=1459

 

That is indeed the kind of thing I was looking for. I found a company that is specializing in it too:

 

http://www.ttl-solutions.com/adaptive_machining.html

 

Sure looks interesting. I would expect it to be $$$$ too

[guypb]

Both Delcam & TTL are established players in this field, however both are reliant on touch trigger probe technology (discrete points rather than profile scans).

As suggested earlier, Renishaw are in the process of launching SPRINT which will be a game changer in this field. They even have a specific "Blade toolkit" for what you are discussing.

http://www.renishaw....-toolkit--20909

[Tyler Robertson]

Ok, that is sounding like kind of sort of not exactly . A turbine blade would require extensive extensive probing, plus the ability to be able to transfer the data back to the workstation and then process the information, create the necessary toolpaths, and then send it back. I'm almost certain the machine would require some major retrofitting, in terms of probe capability, plus the necessary software at the workstation end.

 

I don't know of any software addons for Mastercam that provide this, other than reverse engineering. I'll keep doing some research though

 

 

That's funny! - I've been involved in a number of adaptive machining robotic projects then without even knowing that terminology ... mostly for deburring edges, removing flashing, etc.

 

I used mastercam but we always made our own probing routines on the machine and did tied everything in to the post-processor. Just did it as a custom drill cycle for the probing

[Mick]

That's funny! - I've been involved in a number of adaptive machining robotic projects then without even knowing that terminology ... mostly for deburring edges, removing flashing, etc.

 

I used mastercam but we always made our own probing routines on the machine and did tied everything in to the post-processor. Just did it as a custom drill cycle for the probing

 

I'm the same. I had never heard that terminology. When I was asked about adaptive machining, I thought of adaptive toolpaths, that adapted to the changing stock of the component....