Inspection of Nozzle Guide Vanes (NGVs)

From the casting to the finished machined part and coating, 3D metrology from ZEISS produces accurate, high-resolution scans of NGVs in a fast measurement time. ZEISS INSPECT visualizes deviations between actual and nominal data regarding shape, position, trailing edge geometries, surface, thickness, edges, and much more. In advanced use cases, our customers have analyzed the throat area, measured the coating thickness, and checked for the presence of cooling holes.

The 3D data will enable you to validate moulds and dies, analyze the performance of finished cast products and optimize your manufacturing processes. The result will be a dramatic improvement in right first-time quality.

Our advanced ATOS 5 for Airfoil sensor has achieved a cycle time for NGVs of under 5 minutes for 48 measurement positions, with a repeatability of less than 0.004 mm. Depending on the requirements, a 4-minute cycle time is even possible.

A standard measurement using SmartTeach, an advanced functionality within ZEISS INSPECT, will enable you to find the best compromise between the measurement speed that is allowed and the required quality level.

The throat area is the key characteristic for metering the gas flow through the entire gas turbine. Therefore, understanding this area and obtaining an accurate calculation of it is vital for performance and fuel efficiency.

ATOS 3D metrology can produce an extremely accurate view of the throat area thanks to the thousands of points that have been scanned. Engineers can then calculate individual sections, boundaries, and specific inspection points as needed even the orientation for the individual NGV's based on the throat area, all is possible with ATOS 3D metrology and ZEISS Quality Suite.

Furthermore, the digital twin of the NGV opens up endless design opportunities. Think of digitally assembling full rings of the NGVs to optimizing the order and even the orientation of individual NGVs based on the throat area, all of this is possible with ATOS 3D metrology and ZEISS Quality Suite.

The application of the thermal barrier coating (TBC) is another key step in the NGV manufacturing process. With ATOS technology, you can check the thickness of the ceramic TBC non-destructively by scanning the part before and after the coating has been applied. A high-resolution map of the entire coated surface provides immediate feedback with all measurements, including pass or fail against the pre-defined tolerances. The results can be used to adjust manual or robotic application processes in order to achieve the desired thickness and uniformity of surfaces.

This approach will drastically reduce your costs compared to the traditional methods of coating analysis, such as CMMs, non-destructive analysis with Eddy Current Testing (ECT), or destructive analysis with EDM and microscopy. It’s even possible to use ZEISS data to perform other activities like reopening cooling holes as part of MRO.