Rapid prototyping in manufacturing of core models of aircraft engine blades
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the advantages of computer-aided design/rapid prototyping (CAD/RP) usage in designing and manufacturing of the core models used for precise casting with direct and single solidification of aircraft engine turbine blade cores.
Design/methodology/approach
The process of modelling three-dimensional CAD geometry of research blade in relation to the model of the core was presented with different wax types used in the RP technique.
Findings
The geometry of the blade model has been designed in a way which allows making a silicon mould on the basis of a base prototype in the process of rapid tooling (RP/RT). Filing by different wax types was investigated in mean of the impact on filling accuracy of the mould cavity.
Originality/value
The resulting models were used to make ceramic moulds and carry further work on the development of casting technology in the process of directional solidification and single crystal solidification of core blades of aircraft engines.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Financial support of Structural Funds in the Operational Programme - Innovative Economy financed from the European Regional Development Fund – Project “Modern material technologies in aerospace industry”, No POIG.0101.02-00-015/08, is gratefully acknowledged.
Citation
Rokicki, P., Budzik, G., Kubiak, K., Bernaczek, J., Dziubek, T., Magniszewski, M., Nowotnik, A., Sieniawski, J., Matysiak, H., Cygan, R. and Trojan, A. (2014), "Rapid prototyping in manufacturing of core models of aircraft engine blades", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 86 No. 4, pp. 323-327. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-10-2012-0192
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited