GOM Metrology

GOM Metrology

Fan Blade Inspection

Fan Blade Inspection

Fan Blade Inspection

Optical Measurement Solutions for High-Quality Fan Blades and Performance

Fan blades are literally the driving force of the modern jet turbine; 90% of the engine’s propulsion is generated by 20-30 of them at the front of the engine. High accuracy and repeatable measurements are required in the structure of fan blades, as they ensure peak performance of an engine. With this in mind, fan blades are designed to satisfy three criteria: engine efficiency, engine durability and thrust capacity.

ATOS, GOM’s three-in-one powerhouse solution, is used throughout the entire fan blade life cycle to help manufacture high-quality fan blades for maximum performance and accuracy, such as in-process checking, forging dies, final inspection, maintenance and repair workshops.

Design and Composition

Fan blade designs have evolved along with aerospace technology, becoming more geometrically challenging while incorporating more curvatures, larger dimensions and weight variations.

Your task at hand

Fan blades often have varying thicknesses, a lack of symmetry, complex measurement demands and in their most modern form they are made of carbon fiber materials. These complexities create challenges in traditional inspection processes that reveal the limited capabilities of CMMs.

Our solution

ATOS technology combines high accuracy with full-field data to evaluate aerodynamic efficiency and reduced production times. From the root form to leading and trailing edge geometries, ATOS technology uses Blue Light Technology and GOM Inspect software to evaluate even the most complex blade designs.

ATOS solutions provide

  • High-accuracy data from hard-to-measure areas
  • Measurements of both single and composite material fan blades (e.g. titanium, aluminum, carbon fiber with metal leading edges)
  • Shortens production time through high-speed inspection
  • Feedback on captured data for integration into analysis models for aerodynamics, performance and other production requirements
  • Reduced acquisition time compared to traditional CMMs
ATOS 5 and Fan Blade

Manufacturing

Fan blade innovations plus the growing competition in the aero engine market have increased the demand for increased turbine performance and volumes with shorter production times. This pressure on manufacturing processes leads OEMs to search for measurement solutions that outpace CMMs to efficiently keep up with demand. Automated systems are key and enable manufacturers to measure critical surfaces on fan blades that typically take more time, such as trailing edge radii or the root block. Utilizing this kind of technology alongside user-friendly software is what ATOS systems are built for.

With ATOS 5 and the ATOS ScanBox technology, this high-volume product achieves single micron results within fast measurement cycles (at full resolution, full measurement).

ATOS solutions provide

  • Automated measuring procedures
  • User-friendly technology and software
  • Reduced production times
  • Full-field data with proven accuracy equivalent or even better than traditional measuring methods
  • Shorter measuring time
  • High-speed and high-accuracy results (in only 10 minutes)
  • Increased overall throughput with equipment designed for automated environments
Fan Blade Inspection

Repair and Overhaul

Maintenance and repair are enormous cost factors throughout the entire product life cycle. Additionally, time is critical when it comes to getting fan blades back in the air. OEMs need high-speed measuring systems and software that can anticipate service, failures and overhauls now more than ever.

From A-Checks to D-Checks, ATOS technology supports wear and tear analyses as well as the planning and control of repair jobs such as:

  • Digital coordinate measurement of damaged/repaired surfaces
  • Verification of material deposition
  • Inspection of repair work
  • Data for use in adaptive machining repair processes

ATOS solutions provide

  • Shortened downtime due to repair jobs
  • Simplified repair processes on fan blades
  • Optimization of fan blade maintenance and repair inspections
  • Detailed insights into wear and tear
  • Better prediction of overhauls, services and failures
  • Longer durability of fan blades

Metrology Systems

Discover ATOS products for every stage of fan blade inspection.

Contact us

Would you like to learn more about our products or services? We are happy to provide you with more information or a demo – from remote or onsite.

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