Robotics and Computer–Integrated Manufacturing 78 (2022) 102389
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/rcim
Robot-assisted ultrasonic impact strengthening strategy for
aero-engine blades
Lin Zhu a, Congyang Gong b, Chengcheng Zhang b, Jin Qian a, Shuang Liu a, *,
Xiancheng Zhang a, *, Changli Liu a
a
Key Laboratory of Pressure Systems and Safety, Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
b
AECC Commercial Aircraft Engine Co., Ltd., Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Commercial Aircraft Engine, Shanghai 201108, China
A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T
Keywords: As a vital component of aero-engine, blade is susceptible to damage from long-term service under cyclic loads.
Aero-engine blade Ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT) can improve the mechanical properties of the material surface. However,
TA19 titanium alloy applying UIT onto aero-engine blade remains a challenge due to the complex structure. This study investigates
Restricted space
robot-assisted ultrasonic impact strengthening strategy for the complex surface in the restricted space. On the
Trajectory planning
one hand, a novel robot-assisted UIT system is developed for a wide range of complex surface features. On the
Ultrasonic impact treatment
Fatigue performance other hand, a non-interference trajectory planning method is introduced for complex surfaces in the restricted
space of the blade. The breadth-first search (BFS) strategy based on the criterion of the induced ray is proposed
for interference inspecting and optimizing the pose of the UIT tool. Experiments are conducted on real aero-
engine blades. The results of numerical and experimental case studies have demonstrated that the proposed
strategy can effectively cover the fatigue vulnerable areas without collision. Moreover, compressive residual
stresses are generated both on the pressure and suction surface, and the fatigue limit of the UIT blades is
improved by 26% as compared with the as-received blades.
1. Introduction techniques, the material surface enhancement (MSE) techniques, and
the material surface hardening heat treatment techniques [5–7].
The blade is a crucial component of the aero-engine. Due to the large Compared with other surface treatment technologies, MSE technology
number, thin shape, and high speed, blades are consistently ranked as can delay the occurrence and propagation of surface cracks without
one of the components with the highest failure rate in the aero-engine. changing the material system. In recent years, this technology has been
During engine operation, the high-speed rotating blades are subject to successfully applied to improve the mechanical properties of
complex centrifugal force and aerodynamic loads, and the blade is prone aero-engine components.
to local stress concentration and causes high-fatigue failure [1]. In MSE technology is a surface manufacturing technology that en
particular, the surface of the maximum tensile stress area may appear hances the mechanical properties of the material surface by changing
fatigue cracks or even fracture [2], which affects the regular operation of the surface structure. It is well known that MSE technology can signif
the engines. Therefore, the study of blade surface strengthening methods icantly increase the fatigue strength of materials due to its synergistic
is of great significance to prolong the life of aero-engine and improve effect of improving the surface quality, inducing compressive residual
their fatigue limits. stress and grain refinement, and increasing surface hardness [8,9]. After
Since the fatigue failure of metal materials usually originates from decades of development, MSE technology has been continuously pro
the surface under cyclic loading [3,4], surface treatment to suppress posed and improved, such as, shot peening (SP), laser shock peening
material fatigue failure has become an important measure to ensure the (LSP), deep rolling (DR), ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT), and ultra
long-life service of aerospace components. Hence, various surface sonic surface rolling process (USRP) [10–12]. The main surface
treatment techniques have been developed to enhance the fatigue strengthening methods for blades include high strain enhancement
properties of the material, such as, the material surface modification represented by SP and high strain rate enhancement represented by LSP.
* Corresponding authors.
E-mail addresses: [email protected] (S. Liu), [email protected] (X. Zhang).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcim.2022.102389
Received 4 January 2022; Received in revised form 13 May 2022; Accepted 24 May 2022
Available online 30 May 2022
0736-5845/© 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
