Programa
Quality control in aerospace precision castings manufacturing process. Advances and challenges
Ignacio Dominguez
PCB - Spain
Resumen de la ponencia
Investment casting process is used when very complex shapes are required and in materials difficult to machine, typically in the production of aeronautical blades and vanes (with airfoils shapes). Notwithstanding the process still the dimensional accuracy of the parts is one of the most important values and consequently an existing challenge is present when putting forward a consistent, comprehensive, reliable and cost effective measurement procedure for the series production of these products. In the past, dimensional inspection of drawing sections was conducted using a shuttle gauge or point contact instruments such as a contact CMM. This requires very lengthy procedure and skill experienced engineer to understand data. Now this limitation has been overcome with the use of a non-contact three dimensional digitizer. Continuous data is converted into a picture of the surface that allows anyone to see deviations at a glance which solves the difficulties in interpreting results from point or line type measurements (discrete data). Designers have also changed the way drawings are defined in order to increase the dimensional control, and in many occasions, positioning toolings are no longer necessary. Measurements of “non touchable” materials (like ultra-thin ceramic cores , wax patterns …) are also enhancing control within investment casting performance. The limitations of the process as of todays´s state of the art are also identified and discussed in this paper establishing in a way the challenges yet to be overcome by a technology which is bound to revolutionize the way dimensional control has been conceived up to now impacting the whole change of product life cycle from conception to application.
Información sobre el ponente
Ignacio Domínguez is the Innovation and Technological Director of PCB, a company involved in manufacturing of aerospace components by the investment casting process. He has been involved in the creation of the company from scratch to the reality of today.
Ignacio Domínguez completed a MSc. in Mechanical Engineering specializing in aeronautical components in 1994. He has a Master in advanced manufacturing technologies and a Master in Business Administration.
During the last years he is leading the research projects of PCB in order to enhance aerospace manufacturing techniques. He is also the author of an Aeronautical Nozzle guide vane patent nº 200930351.