Method for ultrasonic peening of gas turbine engine components without engine disassembly

Abstract

A method for peening a component of a gas turbine engine, or a module of a gas turbine engine, without removing the component from the assembled gas turbine engine or module includes blending the damaged area of the component, determining parameters for peening the damaged component, and peening the damaged component without removing it from the engine.

1 . A method for repairing a damaged component of a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
 blending the damaged area of the component,   determining parameters for peening the damaged component, and   peening the damaged component without removing it from the engine;   wherein the peening comprises a peening media that is randomized by a peening apparatus to tangentially contact the damaged area.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein no part of the engine is masked. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the parameters for peening are selected from a group consisting of: size and shape of the peening media; material of the peening media; size, frequency and amplitude of a vibrating surface of a peening apparatus; peening coverage; orientation of a vibrating surface of a peening apparatus with respect to a damaged area of the damaged component; and peening time. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the peening is performed using a self-contained, automatic sonic peening apparatus. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the peening is performed using a hand-held sonic peening apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the damaged component is selected from a group consisting of: fan hubs, HPC front hubs, HPC discs and drums, turbine exhaust cases and front compressor drive turbine shafts. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the peening further comprises providing a peening media of spherical metallic balls. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the damaged area contains at least one non co-planar surface. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the peening media provides simultaneous coverage to all surfaces of the damaged area. 
     
     
         10 . A method for repairing a damaged component of a module of gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
 removing the module from the engine,   blending the damaged area of the component,   determining parameters for peening the damaged component, and   peening the damaged component without removing it from the engine module;   wherein the damaged area of the component comprises a non-planar geometry.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein no part of the engine module is masked. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the parameters for peening are selected from a group consisting of: size and shape of a peening media; material of the peening media; size, frequency and amplitude of a vibrating surface of a peening apparatus; peening coverage; orientation of a vibrating surface of a peening apparatus with respect to a damaged area of the damaged component; and peening time. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the peening is performed using a self-contained, automatic sonic peening apparatus. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the peening is performed using a hand-held sonic peening apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the damaged component is selected from a group consisting of: HPC front hubs, HPC discs and drums, turbine exhaust cases, and front compressor drive turbine shafts. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the peening further comprises providing a peening media of spherical metallic balls. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the peening media moves randomly within the peening apparatus to provide simultaneous coverage to all surfaces of the damaged area.