General Electric Company

General Electric Technology Gmbh

Christopher Edward Thompson

Graham David Sherlock

Thomas James Batzinger

John David Ward, Jr

Paul Lawrence Kalmar

Todd Moran

Yong Wu

Gregory Lee Hovis

Jonathan Matthew Lomas

Mark Lawrence Hunt

Bryan Joseph Germann

Jason Lee Burnside

Mark Samuel Bailey

Liming Zhang

James Ryan Connor

Jamison William Janawitz

Daniel Howard Tragesser

Gareth William David Lewis

Blake Allen Fulton

John D Ward

Ian Darnall Reeves

Kemal Mehmet Coskun

Birol Turan

Benjamin Erick Baker

Limin Wang

Onur Onder

Guoshuang Cai

Robert Trent Hullender

Kemel Mehmet Coskun

Robert Edward Hullender

David Glenn Craft

Kerem Torun

Matthew Stephen Gutschow

John David Ward

John David Ward Jr

Methods for preparing a hybrid article include disposing an additive structure comprising a plurality of layers on a build surface of a part, the build surface being defined based on x, and y coordinates, and the additive structure being defined by a three dimensional model defined by a series of planes based on x, y and z coordinates that define a plurality of layers, one layer comprising an interface surface having a contour being defined by x, and y coordinates. When the build surface and the interface surface are both oriented in space according to corresponding x, y and z coordinates, a cladding system is directed to deposit each of the sequential layers of the additive structure according to toolpaths that correspond with each of the plurality of layers of the three dimensional model.

Methods for preparing a hybrid article

A process for providing a manufacturing modality for a hybrid article includes defining a model for a build surface on a part in a three dimensional space, and defining a model for an additive structure, the model including an interface surface of the additive structure that corresponds with the build surface in the three dimensional space. The process further includes orienting the x, y and z coordinates of each of the build surface of the part and the interface surface of the model in relation to a three dimensional work space, aligning contours of each of the build surface and the interface surface relative to the work space, and directing a cladding system to define toolpaths for two or more cladding layers that are defined by vertical planar segments or slices of the additive structure model.

Process for preparing an additive toolpath for a hybrid article

A coating process for applying a bifurcated coating to an article is disclosed including applying an aluminizing slurry to a first portion of the article, applying a chromizing slurry to a second portion of the article, and simultaneously heat treating the article, the aluminizing slurry, and the chromizing slurry. Heat treating the aluminizing slurry forms an aluminide coating on the first portion of the article and an aluminide diffusion zone between the article and the aluminide coating. Heat treating the chromizing slurry forms a chromide coating on the second portion of the article and a chromide diffusion zone between the article and the chromide coating. The first portion and the second portion are both maintained in an unmasked state while applying the aluminizing slurry and the chromizing slurry and during the heat treating.

Coating process for applying a bifurcated coating

An unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to inspect equipment and a method of inspecting equipment with the UAS are described. The UAS includes a scanner to obtain images of the equipment and a memory device to store information for the UAS. The UAS also includes a processor to determine a real-time flight path based on the images and the stored information, and a camera mounted on the UAS to obtain camera images of the equipment as the UAS traverses the real-time flight path.

Wind tower and wind farm inspections via unmanned aircraft systems

A modification process and modified article are disclosed. The modification process includes locating an area in an article, removing the area by machining to form a machined region, inserting a modification material into the machined region, securing the modification material to the article, machining the modification material flush with a geometry of the article, and applying a coating over at least a portion of the article. Another modification process includes locating an area under a suction side leading edge tip shroud fillet of an airfoil, removing the area by machining to form a hole, inserting a modification material having improved material properties as compared to an original base material into the hole, securing the modification material in place, machining the modification material and the airfoil to form a new fillet contour, and applying a coating over at least a portion of the airfoil. Also disclosed is the modified article.

Modification process and modified article

Methods for manufacturing strain sensors on turbine components include providing a turbine component comprising an exterior surface, depositing a ceramic material onto a portion of the exterior surface, and ablating at least a portion of the ceramic material to form a strain sensor comprising at least two reference points.

Methods for producing strain sensors on turbine components

The invention relates generally to the measurement and dimensional analysis of an object and, more particularly, to the correction of distortion in volumetric data of the object using dimensional data of the object. In one embodiment, the invention provides a method of analyzing an object, the method comprising: acquiring volumetric data of an object using an X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging system; acquiring dimensional data of the object using a vision-based system; determining whether the volumetric data include a distortion; and in the case that the volumetric data are determined to include a distortion, correcting the distortion in the volumetric data using the dimensional data.

Method and system for dimensional analysis of an object

The present application further describes a method for extending the operating life of a tip shrouded turbine blade that includes the steps of: 1) removing an end located cutter tooth from a seal rail of a tip shroud, the end located cutter tooth including a cutter tooth located at the end of one of the suction side and pressure side of the seal rail of the tip shroud; and 2) attaching a center located cutter tooth to the seal rail of the tip shroud, the center located cutter tooth including a cutter tooth that is located in the approximate center of the seal rail of the tip shroud. In such method, the center located cutter tooth may be attached to the seal rail such that the center located cutter tooth is inside the airfoil if it were projected radially outward from the narrowest point below a tip shroud fillet.

Method to center locate cutter teeth on shrouded turbine blades

A visual inspection device for inspecting interior passages of a system is disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the visual inspection device includes a visual inspection tool and a tube having a lumen disposed therein, the visual inspection tool being disposed at a distal end of the tube. A plurality of actuators are disposed along an axial extent of an exterior of the tube, and a locomotor is disposed on an exterior of the tube. A locator for tracking a location of the visual inspection tool is also provided as part of the visual inspection device.

Actuatable visual inspection device

A method for fabricating a nozzle segment for use within a turbine nozzle assembly. The method comprises providing a nozzle segment including an outer band, an inner band, and at least one vane extending there between, wherein at least one of the inner band and the outer band is formed with a transition piece groove defined therein, positioning an inspection tool in contact with the nozzle assembly such that the inspection tool is aligned relative to the nozzle segment using at least one datum, and verifying an alignment of each transition piece groove using the inspection tool.

Methods and apparatus for fabricating a turbine nozzle assembly

A vane doublet for a turbine nozzle includes a radially inner band; a radially outer band; and a pair of airfoils extending between the inner band and the outer band. One of the inner and outer bands is split in a generally axial direction along a split line passing between the pair of airfoils, and a seal is secured between or adjacent to facing edges of the split line.

Split doublet power nozzle and related method

A method for water jet stripping and recontouring of a coated article of manufacture is provided. The method includes dimensionally scanning the coated article and establishing a three-dimensional model for the coated article. The method further includes establishing a set of reduced dimensional profiles for recontouring and then analyzing whether the reduced profiles are satisfactory for subsequent operation. A jet spraying program is established for removal of the coating and the surface base material to each predetermined reduced dimensional profile.

Water jet stripping and recontouring of gas turbine buckets and blades

An inspection tool for a turbine bucket shroud includes: a clamp device for clamping a dovetail portion of a turbine bucket; a template plate provided with an aperture defined by a edge shaped to conform to a specified shape of the turbine bucket shroud, wherein the template is moveable to a location over the turbine bucket shroud in a direction toward the clamp device, and wherein, at the location, the aperture represents a design specification location for the turbine bucket shroud relative to the dovetail portion of the bucket. A measurement gauge is provided for measuring gaps between edges of the shroud and edges of the template aperture.

Growing community of inventors

Greenville, SC, United States of America

Christopher Edward Thompson