Methods and tools for use in repairing gas engine turbine blades

Abstract

A repair tool and repair method for restoring gas turbine engine blade tips to a predetermined configuration is provided. The repair tool is an electrode that includes a tool body and a number of pins. The repair tool can be used to repair turbine blade tips through an electrical discharge machining process, such as a ram- or sink-type electrical discharge machining process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tool for repairing gas turbine engine blades, comprising:
 a tool body comprising a conductive material, wherein the tool body comprises a tool body predetermined shape, the tool body predetermined shape is complementary to a geometry of a tip pocket of a gas turbine engine blade; and   a pin comprising a conductive material and coupled to the tool body, wherein the pin comprises predetermined shape complementary to the predetermined geometry of a hole located in the tip pocket.   
     
     
         2 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the tool comprises an equal number of pins as holes in the tip pocket. 
     
     
         3 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the pin and the tool body are integral to one another. 
     
     
         4 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the pin is removably coupled to the tool body. 
     
     
         5 . The tool of  claim 4 , wherein the pin is threaded and the tool body comprises a thread pattern that is complementary to the threaded pin. 
     
     
         6 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the pin comprises at least one of graphite or copper. 
     
     
         7 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the tool body comprises at least one of graphite or copper. 
     
     
         8 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the pin is cylindrical. 
     
     
         9 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined geometry of a hole is the geometry of an undamaged hole in an undamaged tip pocket.