Patent Application
20090068349
This invention relates to a method of repairing a turbine engine component, such as a high pressure turbine nozzle segment.
A turbine engine has a number of components, such as a fan, a low pressure compressor, a high pressure compressor, a combustor, a low pressure turbine, a high pressure turbine, and an exhaust nozzle. Any one of these components as well as others may require repair following their operation in a particular environment.
One such type of repair involves re-coating the component. Generally, these parts are coated by the engine manufacturer with a coating designed to operate in a wide variety of environmental conditions. Because these conditions may be very hostile, the manufacturer may use a more durable coating suited for the most difficult environment that may be encountered by the turbine engine, which could be more expensive based upon increased durability. However, the turbine engine may operate in a less hostile environment for which a less durable coating would suffice, which could be less expensive. Nevertheless, when a turbine engine component comes in for repair, the repair organization will coat the turbine engine component with the same coating previously provided on the part. Such a coating may be uneconomical to the customer and more time consuming to apply.
A need therefore exists for a method of repairing a turbine engine component that accommodates a customer's need as occasioned by the operating environment of the turbine engine and reducing turnaround time.
A method of repairing a turbine engine involves offering a customer at least two repair options. A first repair option is based on the operating environment of the turbine engine component while the second repair option is based on cost. The first repair option is priced higher than the second repair option. A customer may then select the repair option best suited for its needs. The turbine engine component is then repaired based on the selected repair option.
The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows.
The first repair option 14 may be based on an operating environment for the turbine engine component 10, while the second repair option 18 may be based on cost. In the embodiments, the first repair option 14 may be priced higher than the second repair option 18. For example, first repair option 14 may include preparing turbine engine component 10 to operate in a hostile corrosive environment. The second repair option 18 may involve a lower cost repair sufficient for a less hostile environment where corrosion is less of a concern. First repair option 14 allows turbine engine component 10 to have better wear characteristics for the hostile environment than second repair option 18.
Following application of the selected coating, any pre-existing part number is replaced by a new part number indicating the selected coating option. As indicated by step 425, first part number 30 is assigned to turbine nozzle segment 12 if first coating option 38 is selected. If second coating option 42 is selected, then second part number 34 is assigned to turbine nozzle segment 12, as indicated by step 450. If there is no change in coating, then there is no change in part numbering.
Because the customer has first repair option 14, such as first coating option 38, and second repair option 18, such as second coating option 42, the customer may choose between the more environmentally robust first coating 46 and the cheaper second coating 50. The customer will generally know the operating environment for turbine engine component 10. By permitting the customer the option to choose between two different coatings with two different prices, the customer has the freedom to select the repair option best suited for its needs. Accordingly, when a turbine engine component 10 comes in for repair, the turbine engine component 10 is examined and repaired according to the selected repair option: either first repair option 14 or second repair option 18.
Another aspect of the invention is illustrated by
As explained previously, following the repair of the turbine engine component 10, a part number is assigned to turbine engine component 10 based on the selected repair option. Because of the great variety of components coming in with subtle variations in geometry, the inventive technique also reduces the number of part numbers by associating only two different part numbers based on the selected repair option to the repair of the turbine engine component 10. In this way, a large number of part numbers associated with a turbine engine component can be reduced greatly, resulting in easier tracking and inventorying of parts.
The foregoing description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense. A worker of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the follow claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.
