Method For Manufacturing Components

Abstract

A method for manufacturing components, preferably of a gas turbine, by powder injection molding is disclosed. In powder injection molding, first a metal powder is combined with a binder to form a homogeneous mass, and then at least one molded article is manufactured from the homogeneous mass by injection molding and the molded body or each molded body is then subjected to a debinding process. The molded body or each molded body is compacted by sintering to yield at least one component having the desired geometric properties. Several molded articles are joined together by a diffusion process during sintering to manufacture a component. The molded articles to be joined together are preferably brought into surface contact, especially into form-fitting surface contact, at least during sintering on sections that are to be joined together. A pressure is applied to the molded articles to be joined together during sintering.

1 - 5 . (canceled)  
   
   
       6 . A method for manufacturing components of a gas turbine, in particular of an aircraft engine, by injection molding by a powder metallurgy method, wherein multiple molded articles are fabricated using powder-binder mixtures and each molded article is then subjected to a debinding process, wherein each molded article is subsequently compressed or shrunk by sintering to have a desired geometric property, and wherein to produce a component, multiple molded articles are joined together by a diffusion process during sintering by first bringing the molded articles to be joined together into surface contact at least during the sintering on sections that are to be joined together, wherein pressure is applied to the molded articles that are to be joined together during the sintering process.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein a coating is applied to at least one of the sections of the molded articles to be joined together to support the diffusion process.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the coating is applied as a film or slip layer.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein when the molded articles that are to be joined together have different shrinkage properties during sintering, a molded article having a greater shrinkage is shrunk onto the molded article having a lower shrinkage.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the component is a blade or blade segment, in particular a guide vane, a guide vane segment, rotor blade or rotor blade segment of an aircraft engine or a rotor having integral blading.  
   
   
       11 . A method for manufacturing a component of a gas turbine engine, comprising the steps of: 
 injection molding by a powder metallurgy method a first and a second molded article;    debinding the first and second molded articles; and    joining the first molded article to the second molded article, wherein the first and second molded articles are joined by a diffusion process during a sintering process and wherein a pressure is applied to the first and second molded articles during the sintering process.    
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein during the sintering process the first and second molded articles are reduced in size.  
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the first and second molded articles are brought into surface contact with each other during the debinding process.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the first and second molded articles are brought into form-fitting surface contact.