Printing turbines or high criticality parts - info needed!

[Richard OConnell]

I'm working on some pretty interesting projects involving the printing of high criticality parts using LBPF (Laser powder bed fusion). In summation, we're working to algorithmically improve the quality of printed materials to reduce the number of flaws/defects that are typically introduced in the printing process, starting with INCONEL718. What we would really like to get our hands on is a part design and some documentation outlining the expected part performance, anything relating to the destructive testing of that part (like grain structure, tensile characteristics, whatever) that we can test a printed part against. We are thinking about printing a model turbine wheel, processing the sample, then running it through its paces, but the part doesnt necessarily need to be a turbine. What would be great is something along the lines of a MIL-STD 31000B data package describing the part and requirements, but the majority of those are classified or impossible to get your hands on. Anyone in this group have any good information on something like a cad file with accompanied testing requirements on a high criticality part we could get running on?

Thanks in advance!

[enginewhisperer]

I think an RC turbine / NGV would be a pretty good test of this technology.

Even if you can't get detailed documentation on the parts you can buy the real parts and directly compare them pretty easily.

Even the finish machining and balancing processes would highlight some of the potential problems.

[CMDR_Boom]

I don't have both the part and the destructive testing together, but I do have a load of 150-180mm blisks and compressor sections I've printed with resin and filament awhile back to do mock-ups before having one machined in inconel (was looking at the 6/7 series pre-covid for timeframe of last worked on).

For destructive testing, getting around the nasa vaults of data takes a bit of google-fu, but they have a bevy of white papers on performance metals going back to the 60s, most of which (provided you can find them) have been declassified. I'll have to check my links if they're still active, but I was looking at heat shields at the time to make exp composite hot end parts when I tumbled down that particular rabbit hole.

[Richard OConnell]

Thanks guys, I think we're going to go with an NGV for our first test. We're likely going to print an NGV for a Wren MW54, do some analysis on the build, and the idea is to eventually start testing the parts in a running turbine engine.