US 11,878,451 B2
Method of filling cooling holes in an airfoil component
Richard Levesque, Winchester, CT (US); Gregory Arcangeli, Thomaston, CT (US); Keith Plimpton, Coventry, CT (US); Eric Wilmot, Burlington, CT (US); Michael Cunningham, Torrington, CT (US); and Virginia P. Hogan, Bristol, CT (US)
Assigned to DYMAX, Torrington, CT (US)
Filed by DYMAX, Torrington, CT (US)
Filed on Feb. 21, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/797,356.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/809,372, filed on Feb. 22, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0353657 A1, Nov. 12, 2020
Int. Cl. C23C 16/04 (2006.01); B29C 45/17 (2006.01); B29C 45/00 (2006.01); B29C 45/72 (2006.01); B29L 31/08 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 45/1734 (2013.01) [B29C 45/0053 (2013.01); B29C 45/7207 (2013.01); C23C 16/042 (2013.01); B29C 2045/0075 (2013.01); B29L 2031/082 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of filling a plurality of cooling holes in an airfoil component comprising an internal area surrounded by an outer wall, the method comprising:
injecting a curable composition into a fill channel located in the outer wall such that the curable composition flows through the fill channel to the plurality of cooling holes located on a surface of the outer wall;
forming a plurality of beads of the curable composition on the surface of the component over the plurality of cooling holes such that a single bead is formed on each of the plurality of cooling holes;
directing a radiation to the respective beads in directions parallel to the respective central axes of the cooling holes associated with the respective beads to cure curable composition of the respective beads; and
heating the component to cure the curable composition located in the fill channel; wherein the heating of the component is conducted after the directing of the radiation to the beads; wherein the injecting comprises injecting the curable composition via an injector located in an injection hole in fluid communication with the fill channel; and wherein the method further comprises removing the injector from the injection hole while injecting the curable composition to form a final bead on the injection surface over the injection hole; and curing the curable composition in the final bead.