Methods and apparatuses for preheated interval welding

Abstract

Preheated interval welding methods for welding a weld material to a substrate material can include preheating the substrate material to a preheat temperature less than a solidus temperature of the substrate material, melting the weld material to produce molten weld material at a melting distance away from the substrate material, and applying the molten weld material in a plurality of intervals to the substrate material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A preheated interval welding method for welding a weld material to a substrate material, the preheated interval welding method comprising:
 preheating the substrate material to a preheat temperature less than a solidus temperature of the substrate material;   melting the weld material to produce molten weld material at a melting distance away from the substrate material; and   applying the molten weld material in a plurality of intervals to the substrate material.   
     
     
         2 . The preheated interval welding method of  claim 1 , wherein the melting distance is great enough such that a welding apparatus used to melt the weld material maintains the substrate material below its solidus temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The preheated interval welding method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the molten weld material in a plurality of intervals to the substrate material causes a portion of the substrate material to temporarily rise above its solidus temperature. 
     
     
         4 . The preheated interval welding method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the weld material comprises disposing liquid droplets of the molten weld material onto the substrate material. 
     
     
         5 . The preheated interval welding method of  claim 1 , wherein preheating the substrate material and melting the weld material are performed using a single welding apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . The preheated interval welding method of  claim 5 , wherein the single welding apparatus comprises an induction welding apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The preheated interval welding method of  claim 1 , wherein preheating the substrate material comprises heating using an oven. 
     
     
         8 . The preheated interval welding method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate material comprises a nickel based superalloy. 
     
     
         9 . A preheated interval welding method for welding a weld material to a substrate material, the preheated interval welding method comprising:
 disposing a welding apparatus adjacent a substrate material;   preheating the substrate material to a preheat temperature less than its solidus temperature;   transitioning the welding apparatus element away from the substrate material and adjacent to the weld material;   melting the weld material to produce molten weld material; and   applying the molten weld material in a plurality of intervals to the substrate material.   
     
     
         10 . The preheated interval welding method of  claim 9 , wherein melting the weld material occurs at a distance away from the substrate material such that the welding apparatus maintains the substrate material below its solidus temperature. 
     
     
         11 . The preheated interval welding method of  claim 10 , wherein applying the molten weld material in a plurality of intervals to the substrate material causes a portion of the substrate material to temporarily rise above its solidus temperature. 
     
     
         12 . The preheated interval welding method of  claim 9 , wherein the substrate material comprises a nickel based superalloy. 
     
     
         13 . The preheated interval welding method of  claim 9 , wherein the preheat temperature of the substrate material is monitored by one or more temperature sensors. 
     
     
         14 . The preheated interval welding method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more temperature sensors comprises at least a pyrometer. 
     
     
         15 . A preheated interval welding system for preheating a substrate material and applying a weld material, the preheated interval welding system comprising:
 a preheating apparatus that preheats a repair surface of the substrate material to a preheat temperature; and   a welding apparatus that melts the weld material into molten weld material and applies the molten weld material to the repair surface in a plurality of intervals.   
     
     
         16 . The preheated interval welding system of  claim 15 , wherein the welding apparatus comprises the preheating apparatus. 
     
     
         17 . The preheated interval welding system of  claim 16 , wherein the welding apparatus is at a preheating distance from the substrate material when preheating the substrate material and is at a melting distance from the substrate material that is greater than the preheating distance when melting the weld material. 
     
     
         18 . The preheated interval welding system of  claim 16 , wherein the welding apparatus comprises an induction welding apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . The preheated interval welding system of  claim 15  further comprising one or more temperature sensors to monitor the temperature of the substrate material. 
     
     
         20 . The preheated interval welding system of  claim 19 , wherein the preheating apparatus preheats the substrate material to the preheat temperature based on feedback from the one or more temperature sensors.