AN INNOVATIVE AND ECONOMICAL PROCESSING SCHEME TO FABRICATE COMPLEX NEAR-NET SHAPE ENGINE COMPONENTS

THE ARMY AVIATION SYSTEMS COMMAND NEEDS AN INNOVATIVE AND ECONOMICAL PM PROCESS TO FORM NEAR-NET SHAPE TURBINE ENGINE COMPONENTS. THE KEY ISSUES ARE CAPABILITY TO FORM AXI-SYMMETRIC THICK AND THIN SECTIONS, MAINTAIN DIMENSIONAL TOLERANCE, ACHIEVE FULL DENSITY, AND MAINTAIN MICROSTRUCTURAL ADVANTAGES OF PM. INJECTION MOLDING (IM) PROCESS HAS SHOWN THE CAPABILITY TO ADDRESS VERY COMPLEX-SHAPED SMALL SIZED PARTS INCLUDING TURBOCHARGER ROTORS. BUT A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THE INJECTION MOLDING PROCESS IS THAT IN LARGER SIZE PARTS, ACHIEVING FULL DENSITY HAS BEEN A PROBLEM. CERACON'S RAPID CONSOLIDATION PROCESS HAS EMERGED AS A LOWCOST PROCESS FOR PRODUCING FULL DENSITY PARTS OF MODERATE COMPLEXITY UP TO 50 POUNDS IN WEIGHT. A FEASIBILITY DEMONSTRATION OF A PROCESSING SCHEME THAT INVOLVES COUPLING OF ADVANCED METAL INJECTION MOLDING AND CERACON RAPID CONSOLIDATED PROCESS TO ACHIEVE FULL DENSITY WILL BE PROVIDED IN PHASE I. IN PHASE II THIS METHODOLOGY WILL BE EXTENDED TO MORE COMPLEX BLADED-RING COMPONENTS. IN PHASE III COMMERCIALIZATION OF THIS TECHNOLOGY WILL BE PURSUED FOR ARMY USE AND COMMERCIAL AEROSPACE COMPONENT APPLICATIONS.