Session: 24-01: Emerging Methods in Engine Design and Life Assessment

Paper Number: 154132

Towards a Cyber-Physical Production System With Digital Workpiece Twin for Automated Turbine Blade Repair 

Remanufacturing and repair processes are key to circularity in manufacturing. Especially in Aircraft Engine Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO), process set-up is highly challenging due to the strong individuality of wear and damage of the used turbine blades. Within this paper a novel method is presented that combines the cyber-physical production system with a digital twin to optimize planning in the process chain of automatic turbine blade repair. The contribution focuses on the capability of the digital twin to react to uncertainties given by the varying geometry of degenerated turbine blades as well as process variances during additive manufacturing. Therefore, a Dexel-based NC simulation of the additive and subtractive processes is realized by using real machine kinematics and axis data. Physical models were developed and integrated to realize a technological simulation that predicts the geometry, hardness, and porosity of the deposited material during the process. Based on this, the influence of the additive process on the subtractive process is investigated by considering relevant uncertainties. The presented method contributes to the automated process set-up in the cyber-physical production system for individual parts to ensure qualified and efficient processes, hence the manual effort is reduced due to a high degree of automation.

Presenting Author: Hans-Henrik Westermann MTU Maintenance Hannover GmbH

Presenting Author Biography: Hans-Henrik Westermann studied industrial engineering with a focus on manufacturing technology and received his Ph.D. in Engineering Science at Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA) in Stuttgart and Bayreuth, Germany. After professional positions in manufacturing technology at Robert Bosch GmbH, he has become the responsible process expert for additive manufacturing at MTU Maintenance GmbH in Hannover since 2018.

Authors:

Berend Denkena Institute of Production Engineering and Machine Tools, Leibniz University, Hannover, Germany
Hans-Henrik Westermann MTU Maintenance Hannover GmbH
Sven Friebe MTU Aero Engines AG