Research of rapid prototyping technology application for gas turbine engine's turbine blades manufacturing

As traditional process of turbine blade manufacturing by investment casting is technologically complicated, it is expensive and time-consuming, what is connected with sealing of wax models, which allow us produce complicated profiles with high geometrical accuracy. Investment casting acceleration should raise the performance of the turbine blades manufacturing, however, it is prohibitive to let geometrical accuracy of the product fall. The aim of the article is to compare processes of turbine blades manufacturing at different temperature characteristic using rapid prototyping (wax sealing into silicone cast). Dimensional analysis of cast blades revealed that sealing into silicone casts allows having the required geometrical accuracy. Therefore, silicone casts may be a good cost-effective decision for job lot and pilot production of turbine blades of a gas-turbine engine. The article describes the procedure of an integrated application of additive technology and thermographic analysis for investment casting acceleration by determination of the most suitable temperatures and setting time, which will let economic features improve keeping the accuracy of production.