Knowledge-Based Process Design Optimization in Blisk Manufacturing

The manufacturing process of blade-integrated disks (blisks) represents one of the most challenging tasks in turbomachinery manufacturing. The requirement is to machine complex, thin-walled blade geometries with high aspect ratios made of difficult-to-cut materials. In addition, extremely tight tolerances are required, since the smallest deviations can lead to a reduction in efficiency of the blisk in the later use. Nowadays, the ramp-up phase for the manufacturing of a new blisk is time and cost-intensive. To find a suitable manufacturing process that meets the required tolerances of the blisk, many experimental tests with different process parameters and strategies are necessary. The used approach is often trial and error, which offers limited testing opportunities, is time-consuming and waste of resources. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to develop a knowledge-based process design optimization in blisk manufacturing. For this purpose, this paper picks up the results from our previous work. Based on these results, an experimental validation of the two process design tasks “number of blocks” and “block transition” is conducted. As part of the validation, the results of machining tests on a demonstrator blisk made of Inconel 718 are presented and discussed.