Abstract: A method that simultaneously monitors and captures vibration acceleration signals at locations comprising at least one site sourcing environmental excitations and a target site, which target site is selected from a planned machinery foundation site or one or more sites interfacing between elements of machinery to be placed on such foundation; extracting amplitude and frequency data from the frequency representations of the domains of such signals; quantifying displacement excitations from such data at such locations; and providing transmissivity ratios along the vibration path by summing the displacement excitations at different frequencies at each of the locations and then ratioing the sum at either the planned machinery foundation site or at a selected joint site with the sum at the environmental excitation site, thereby indicating the relative vibration stiffness between such sites.

Abstract: A process (20) for applying a thermal barrier coating (51) to a turbine component (50) including the step (34) of depositing a bond coating layer (56) by, directing solid particles using a cold spray process. The layer of bond coating material may have different depths (80,82) in different areas of the component (50), and it may have different compositions (60,62) across its depth. The precise control afforded by the cold spray material deposition step allows the surface of the bond coating material layer to be formed with a predetermined surface roughness or with a plurality of micro-ridges (86) in order to optimize its bond to the overlying ceramic insulating layer (52).

Abstract: A process (20) for applying a thermal barrier coating (51) to a turbine component (50) including the step (34) of depositing a bond coating layer (56) by a cold spray process. The layer of bond coating material may have different depths (80,82) in different areas of the component (50), and it may have different compositions (60,62) across its depth. The precise control afforded by the cold spray material deposition step allows the surface of the bond coating material layer to be formed with a predetermined surface roughness or with a plurality of micro-ridges (86) in order to optimize its bond to the overlying ceramic insulating layer (52).

Abstract: A spindle characterization system for characterizing performance of a spindle used in an industrial machine includes a machine base for providing a mounting and support surface and having a recessed portion. The spindle characterization facility includes a table base assembly for supporting the spindle disposed within the recess portion and the table base assembly has a table top and height adjustment mechanism for adjusting the height of the table top. The spindle characterization system also includes a spindle mounting mechanism having a top portion mounted to the spindle and a bottom portion mounted to the table top, and a spindle forcing assembly operatively connected to the spindle, and the spindle forcing assembly generates an axial load, radial load and a torque that is applied to the spindle to simulate a machine tool load.

Abstract: A process (30) for the repair of a component part (36, 66) incorporating a cold spray process step (50) for depositing material particles (54) to fill a discontinuity (40) in the part surface (42) or to create a desired surface geometry (78) on the part (66). The cold spray process may be controlled to provide a grit blasting effect prior to depositing the material in order to remove contaminants (48) from the surface of the part. The material deposited (56) by the cold spray process may form a joint (78) between an insert (72) and the part (66). The process may be used to repair parts made of directionally solidified (DS) or single crystal (SC) base material (44) without causing a re-crystallization of the base material. The process may further be used to deposit repair material (56) over a braze material (22).

Abstract: A method of consolidating or repairing turbine component parts, such as turbine blades (10), requires providing a turbine component part (60, 61, 62, 63), establishing a contact pressure between the opposing surfaces (40, 42), where, optionally, fine particles may be present between such surfaces (40, 42), and then generating an electrical field to provide heat, and applying pressure on the opposing surfaces, resulting in high temperature spark plasma sintering to provide a consolidated turbine blade (50).

Abstract: A cold spray process (20) for applying an abradable coating (16) to a substrate material (12). A bond coat layer (14) and/or an abradable coating material layer (16) are applied to a substrate (12) by directing particles of the material toward the substrate surface at a velocity sufficiently high to cause the particles to deform and to adhere to the surface. Particles of the bond coat material may first be directed toward the substrate surface at a velocity sufficiently high to clean the surface (24) but not sufficiently high to cause the particles to deform and to adhere to the surface.

Abstract: Large gas turbine blades made from separate cast segments of superalloys are disclosed. The turbine blade is designed such that bond lines between adjacent segments are placed in low stress regions of the blade. The cast superalloy segments of the blades are aligned and fitted together with specified tolerances. The turbine blade segments are then joined by transient liquid phase bonding, followed by a controlled heat treatment which produces the desired microstructure in the bond region. The method allows for the production of large, high quality turbine blades by joining small, high quality cast superalloy sections, in comparison with prior attempts to cast large turbine blades as single pieces which have produced very low yields and high individual component costs.

Abstract: A method of bonding cast superalloys is disclosed. The method includes the steps of casting separate superalloy component parts, machining the mating surfaces of the separate parts in a controlled manner to avoid recrystallization of the material and to ensure a tight fit between the parts, bonding the parts together, and thermally treating the bonded component. In a preferred embodiment, the component is a turbine blade for a land-based gas turbine.

Abstract: A cast nickel-base superalloy component (10) is made having a composition containing small amounts of both boron and zirconium which are effective in combination to provide increased weldability, where such alloy is adapted for welding by weld (18) to a second superalloy piece, where the two pieces are firmly bonded together and have a Sigmajig transverse stress value (16) greater than 137.9 million Newtons per square meter.

Abstract: A monitor for detecting overheating of a critical component in a combustion turbine is provided. The monitor, when used in conjunction with a closed-loop cooling system, comprises a coating comprising an indicator material having an activation temperature. The coating is situated on the internal cooling passages of the critical component. The monitor further comprises a sensor connected to an outlet conduit of the cooling system for determining the amount of degradation of indicator material by monitoring the cooling fluid flowing through the outlet conduit. Embodiments further comprising “sniffer” tubes for use with open-loop air cooling systems also are provided. In alternative embodiments, auxiliary cooling systems for supplying auxiliary cooling to critical components at certain activation temperatures also are provided.

Abstract: A monitor for detecting overheating of a critical component in a combustion turbine is provided. The monitor, when used in conjunction with a closed-loop cooling system, comprises a coating comprising an indicator material having an activation temperature. The coating is situated on the internal cooling passages of the critical component. The monitor further comprises a sensor connected to an outlet conduit of the cooling system for determining the amount of degradation of indicator material by monitoring the cooling fluid flowing through the outlet conduit. Embodiments further comprising "sniffer" tubes for use with open-loop air cooling systems also are provided.

Abstract: Failure detection in an operating cutting tool utilizing a frequency domain analysis of the vibration of the cutting tool. A signal is generated based on vibration of the tool during its operation to determine the energy of the signal in a plurality of signal component frequency bands. The energy of the signal in each of the plurality of frequency bands is compared to corresponding threshold values to generate a tool failure signal when the energy of the signal in a preselected number of frequency bands exceeds the corresponding threshold values for a predetermined period of time. In a second embodiment, time domain analysis of the signal generated based on vibration of the tool is utilized in addition to frequency domain analysis. The averaged signal is compared to a threshold signal to generate a tool failure signal when both the energy of the signal in a preselected number of frequency bands exceeds the corresponding threshold values and the averaged signal exceeds the threshold signal.