Distributions of Grain Parameters on the Surface of Aircraft Engine Turbine Blades

Abstract

In the quality assurance system for components cast using the lost wax method, the object of evaluation is the grain size on the surface of the casting. This paper describes a new method for evaluating the primary grain parameters on the surface of aircraft engine turbine blades. Effectiveness of the method has been tested on two macrostructures distinguished by a high degree of diversity in the grain size. The grounds for evaluating the grain parameters consist of geometric measurement of the turbine blade using a laser profilometer and of approximation of the measurement results using a polynomial of a proper degree. The so obtained analytical non-planar surface serves as a reference point for an assessment of the parameters of grains observed on the real blade surface of a variable curvature. The aspects subjected to evaluation included: the grain areas, shape and elongation coefficients of grains on a non-planar surface of the blade airfoil, using measurements taken on a perpendicular projection by means of a stereoscopic microscope and image analysis methods, and by making calculations using the Mathematica® package.