ROBOTIC SHOT PEENER FOR TURBINE BLADE ROOTS

This 7-axis robotic shot peening system is specially adapted for controlled metallurgical surface enhancement of industrial gas turbine blade roots up to 36 in long and exceeding 100 lb.

Guyson Corporation (Saratoga Springs, NY) has engineered and built a 7-axis robotic blasting machine that is specially adapted for metallurgical shot peening of the root section of turbine blades. The Model RB-9 shot peener accommodates industrial gas turbine blades up to 36 in long and in excess of 100 lb.

The 48 x 48 x 48 in process enclosure of the RB-9 is sturdily fabricated in ¼- or ½-in steel plate and is fully lined with bonded rubber sheeting for noise abatement and protection from the potential warping effects of continuous exposure to the high-velocity impact of the peening shot. An electrically operated jib hoist is mounted on the roof of the cabinet to facilitate safe and convenient loading and unloading of heavy components.

One wall of the blasting cabinet is made with a generous opening for installation of an industrial robot, such as a Fanuc M10iA, as a 6-axis peening nozzle manipulator. A custom-tailored laminated fabric “skirt” seals the chamber wall and isolates the arm from the harsh shot-blast environment. To precisely orient the turbine blade throughout the controlled impact treatment process, a powered turntable up to 42 in diameter is servomotor driven and synchronized as a seventh axis of coordinated robotic motion.

The shot delivery and reclamation systems of the RB-9 peening machine include special features to ensure a controlled and repeatable surface enhancement process. In addition to cyclone separation of dust or fine particles and vibratory screen classification to remove shot that is larger or smaller than the specified size, the engineered reclaim stack-up has a spiral separator to take non-spherical media out of circulation.

Shot supply level sensors and automatic media replenishment are also provided An automatically recharged 6.5 cu ft capacity pressure vessel is fitted with an electronic shot flow monitor and controller that continuously displays the calibrated, real-time shot flow rate in pounds or kilograms per minute at the human-machine interface (HMI), and if required, includes closed-loop controls to maintain the blast air pressure and shot flow at the specified levels. A package of SCADA controls is available to acquire and log data verifying all critical shot peening process parameters to comply with documentation requirements.

Prospective users of robotic shot peening, blast finishing or surface preparation systems are invited to submit sample components for free laboratory testing and application engineering evaluation at the blast machine builder’s factory in northeastern New York.

www.guyson.com