Engine turbine disks repaired by direct metal deposition

Direct metal deposition for repair of rotors and in turbines and aircraft engines is now available. The first step in the repair of a damaged component by this technique is to conduct a three-dimensional scan. A computer program then compares the part's dimensions with its original measurements and computes what is missing. A software system guides the path of the laser as it melts titanium-alloy powder and reconstructs the damaged area with layers of metallic beads. The entire process chain is a closed cycle and runs automatically, from data collection followed by welding to finish-machining.