US 11,865,621 B2
Additively manufactured journal bearing for a wind turbine gearbox
Hayden McgarityBashiri, Springdale, OH (US); Aaron Wertz, Cincinnati, OH (US); Kevin M. Vandevoorde, Cincinnati, OH (US); Raed Zuhair Hasan, Greenville, SC (US); Priyangu C. Patel, Simpsonville, SC (US); John P. Davis, Duanesburg, NY (US); and Ganesh Raut, Bangalore (IN)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Appl. No. 17/254,362
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
PCT Filed Jun. 25, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/038888
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 21, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/005872, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 2, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 201841023629 (IN), filed on Jun. 25, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0270358 A1, Sep. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. B22F 10/25 (2021.01); B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B29L 31/04 (2006.01); B29C 64/124 (2017.01); B22F 7/08 (2006.01); B22F 5/00 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01); F03D 15/00 (2016.01); F03D 80/70 (2016.01); F16C 17/02 (2006.01); F16C 33/10 (2006.01); F16C 33/12 (2006.01); B22F 10/14 (2021.01); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 10/40 (2021.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B22F 10/85 (2021.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01)
CPC B22F 5/009 (2013.01) [B22F 10/14 (2021.01); B22F 10/25 (2021.01); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 10/40 (2021.01); B29C 64/124 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); F03D 15/00 (2016.05); F03D 80/70 (2016.05); F16C 17/02 (2013.01); F16C 33/1065 (2013.01); F16C 33/12 (2013.01); B22F 10/85 (2021.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01); B29C 64/393 (2017.08); B29L 2031/04 (2013.01); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); F05B 2230/30 (2013.01); F05B 2240/50 (2013.01); F05B 2260/40311 (2013.01); F16C 2223/80 (2013.01); F16C 2360/31 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for manufacturing a gear assembly of a gearbox in a wind turbine, the method comprising:
providing a pin shaft of the gear assembly;
depositing at least one material onto an exterior surface of the pin shaft of the gear assembly via an additive manufacturing process driven by a computer numerical control (CNC) device to form a bearing that circumferentially surrounds and adheres to the pin shaft; and,
providing a gear circumferentially around the bearing to form the gear assembly,
wherein the CNC device comprises a controller communicatively coupled to a robotic arm configured to deposit the material onto the exterior surface of the pin shaft, the controller configured to control at least two axes of rotation of the pin shaft.
 
11. A method for manufacturing a gear assembly of a gearbox in a wind turbine, the method comprising:
providing a carrier of the gear assembly having a body and at least one shaft extending therefrom, the carrier comprising at least one of a first stage carrier and a second stage carrier; and,
depositing material onto an exterior surface of the shaft of the carrier of the gear assembly via an additive manufacturing process driven by a computer numerical control (CNC) device to form a journal bearing that circumferentially surrounds and adheres to the shaft,
wherein the CNC device comprises a controller communicatively coupled to a robotic arm configured to deposit the material onto the exterior surface of the pin shaft, the controller configured to control at least two axes of rotation of the pin shaft.