Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing of Cast Turbine Components

This proposal addresses the high cost and long leadtimes associated with developing advanced gas turbine engines IGCC power plants. The current processing method based on lost wax investment casting, is a significant barrier to turbine engine innovation. Streamlining the development process for advanced airfoils and other cast components will lead to more efficient turbine based power generation plants, and aircraft engines. This Phase I SBIR project will demonstrate the feasibility of using ceramic stereolithography for direct fabrication of integrally cored ceramic molds used in investment casting of turbine components. The process eliminates the need for long lead time and high cost injection mold tooling used to produce the ceramic cores and wax patterns used in investment casting. The process will utilize ceramic material that is currently used for investment casting to ensure casting compatibility. This technology is estimated to provide >75% cost savings to fabricate a set of prototype airfoils for engine testing and reduce airfoil development time from 12