ADMAP-GAS · Unconventional (Advanced) Manufacturing Processes for Gas-Engine Turbine Components

In the project ADMAP-GAS new Unconventional Advanced Manufacturing Processes for Gas-Engine Turbine Components will be developed in order to substitute the critical conventional broaching process for fir tree profiles between rotating blades and disks. Therefore the two manufacturing technolgies “High Speed Wire-EDM Broaching” and “Abrasive Water Jet Broaching” – W² - will be developed, optimised and evaluated highlighting their individual performance and effectiveness for the machining task. High material removal rates and highest surface finishing will be achieved resulting in an equal or even better workpiece performance. By using these two unconventional manufacturing technologies with their inherent advantages a much higher technological and time based flexibility in production of fir tree profiles can be achieved. Failure risks and machining costs will be drastically decreased due to faster and more efficient machining in combination with a higher degree of automation. Tool wear and time consuming tool renewal can be avoided. Machine tool footprints (in comparison to conventional horizontal broaching centers) or machine heights and fundaments (vertical centers) will be drastically reduced. Energy consumption will be reduced and environment will be preserved. ADMAP-GAS addresses the relevance to the call by the “development of techniques for increased flexible tooling” for the manufacture of gas turbine components. The W² technologies will also enable the application of innovative and light weight design concepts (more complex shapes, tighter tolerances, etc.) for the turbine components that were not possible due to the technical limitations of the broaching process. This will additionally result in reduced production costs across the whole production cycles. Production waste and consumables will be minimised. A high degree of automation and faster machining times will result in a highly effective machining process with virtually no failure risk.