Increased throughput in laser drilling gas turbine engine components through a holistic approach to process engineering

Abstract

Laser drilling has enabled designs that now incorporate more holes, tens of thousands per workpiece in some gas turbine engine combustor designs. Producing these holes by laser drilling has now been made faster with higher quality results through advanced control capability. Using integrated workpiece sensing and mapping, we have shown the ability to increase throughput in laser drilling by 1.5 to more than 2 times.Laser drilling has had significant influence on the design and manufacturing of gas turbine engines for aircraft, power generation, and oil and gas pumping. It provides a productive way to add small, cylindrical and shaped, cooling holes at shallow angles in un-coated as well as thermal barrier coated (TBC) high temperature metals and alloys [1].Throughput in laser drilling turbine engine components is influenced by several factors related to: • Programming • Setup of the workpiece on the laser system • Laser drilling process parameters • Motion/control system performance • Workpiece sensing To make laser drilling even more cost effective, a program to evaluate the influence of these factors and to develop features and capabilities for increasing throughput in laser drilling was launched. As we learned in this study, throughput is influenced to some degree by each of the above factors. This paper summarizes results of this program which in some cases led to throughput increases of more than two times the original.Laser drilling has enabled designs that now incorporate more holes, tens of thousands per workpiece in some gas turbine engine combustor designs. Producing these holes by laser drilling has now been made faster with higher quality results through advanced control capability. Using integrated workpiece sensing and mapping, we have shown the ability to increase throughput in laser drilling by 1.5 to more than 2 times.Laser drilling has had significant influence on the design and manufacturing of gas turbine engines for aircraft, power generation, and oil and gas pumping. It provides a productive way to add small, cylindrical and shaped, cooling holes at shallow angles in un-coated as well as thermal barrier coated (TBC) high temperature metals and alloys [1].Throughput in laser drilling turbine engine components is influenced by several factors related to: • Programming • Setup of the workpiece on the laser system • Laser drilling process parameters • Motion/control system performance • Workpiece sensing T...