U.S. patent application number 15/401367 was filed with the patent office on 2018-07-12 for method for manufacturing a leak tight porous component.
The applicant listed for this patent is GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC. Invention is credited to Alexander John Dan, Jeffrey A. Rock, Edward Gerard Strucinski, II.
Application Number | 20180194087 15/401367 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 62636609 |
Filed Date | 2018-07-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180194087 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dan; Alexander John ; et
al. |
July 12, 2018 |
METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A LEAK TIGHT POROUS COMPONENT
Abstract
A method for manufacturing a leak tight porous component
includes the steps of forming a porous component; applying a first
application of a surface sealant layer to the component; providing
pressurized gas into a wall of the component via a known leak in
the surface sealant; applying liquid to the component while
pressurized gas is flowing into the wall of the component via the
known leak. The method further includes the steps of inspecting the
component for the formation of bubbles; identifying a new leak area
in the component; removing at least a substantial amount of liquid
from the component; and applying a second application of surface
sealant to the new leak area.
Inventors: |
Dan; Alexander John;
(Berkley, MI) ; Rock; Jeffrey A.; (Rochester
Hills, MI) ; Strucinski, II; Edward Gerard; (Memphis,
MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC |
DETROIT |
MI |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
62636609 |
Appl. No.: |
15/401367 |
Filed: |
January 9, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C 73/02 20130101;
B33Y 80/00 20141201; B29K 2105/04 20130101; G01M 3/08 20130101;
B29K 2101/12 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B29C 73/02 20060101
B29C073/02; G01M 3/06 20060101 G01M003/06; G01M 3/20 20060101
G01M003/20 |
Claims
1. A method for manufacturing a leak tight component comprising the
steps of: forming a component having a porous structure; applying a
first application surface sealant layer to the component;
introducing a known leak to the surface sealant; providing
pressurized gas into the walls of the component via the known leak;
applying a liquid to the component while pressurized gas is flowing
into the structure of the component via the known leak; inspecting
an internal cavity and an external surface of the component for a
plurality of bubbles; identifying a new leak area in the first
application surface sealant layer; removing at least a substantial
amount of the liquid from the component; and applying a second
application surface sealant to the new leak area.
2. The method for manufacturing a leak tight component of claim 1
wherein step of applying a liquid to the component uses a dyed
liquid.
3. The method for manufacturing a leak tight of claim 1 wherein the
step of applying a first application surface sealant includes at
least one of dipping, brushing or spraying the component with the
surface sealant.
4. The method for manufacturing a leak tight component of claim 3
wherein the step of applying a second application surface sealant
to the new leak areas includes the step of brushing the surface
sealant onto the new leak areas.
5. The method for manufacturing a leak tight component of claim 4
wherein the step of applying a liquid to the component includes the
step of submerging the component in water.
6. The method for manufacturing a leak tight component of claim 5
wherein the pressurized gas is helium.
7. The method for manufacturing a leak tight component of claim 6
wherein the known leak is operatively configured to receive a
sealed fitting means the sealed fitting means operatively
configured to introduce the pressurized gas into the walls of the
component.
8. The method for manufacturing a leak tight component of claim 7
wherein the step of introducing a known leak includes the step of
creating an access opening in the first application surface
sealant.
9. The method for manufacturing a leak tight component of claim 8
wherein the surface sealant is epoxy.
10. The method for manufacturing a leak tight component of claim 8
wherein the step of introducing a known leak includes attaching an
insert to the component thereby creating an access opening in the
surface sealant.
11. A method for manufacturing a leak tight component comprising
the steps of: forming a component having a porous structure;
applying a first application of surface sealant to the component;
providing a pressurized gas into a known leak in the surface
sealant for the component; submerging the component in a liquid
while pressurized gas is flowing into the component via the
aperture; inspecting an internal surface and an external surface of
the component for the formation of bubbles; identifying a new leak
on the component; removing at least a substantial amount of the
liquid from the component; and applying a second application of
surface sealant to the new leak area.
12. The method for manufacturing a leak tight component of claim 11
wherein the component is a 3D printed part formed by an FDM
machine.
13. The method for manufacturing a leak tight component of claim 11
wherein the step of applying a first application surface sealant
includes dipping the component into the surface sealant.
14. The method for manufacturing a leak tight component of claim 13
wherein the step of applying a second application of surface
sealant to the new leak areas includes the step of brushing the
surface sealant onto the new leak areas.
15. The method for manufacturing a leak tight component of claim 14
wherein the step of applying a liquid to the component includes the
step of submerging the component in water.
16. The method for manufacturing a leak tight component of claim 15
wherein the pressurized gas is helium.
17. The method for manufacturing a leak tight component of claim 16
wherein the known leak is operatively configured to engage with a
sealed fitting means, the sealed fitting means operatively
configured to supply the pressurized gas into a wall of the
component.
18. The method for manufacturing a leak tight component of claim 11
wherein the step of introducing a known leak includes the step of
creating an access opening in the surface sealant.
19. The method for manufacturing a leak tight component of claim 19
wherein the step of introducing a known leak includes attaching an
insert to the component thereby creating an access opening in the
surface sealant.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to manufacturing method for
producing a leak tight component, particularly where the components
have a naturally porous structure such as 3D printed parts.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Porous components, such as but not limited to 3D printed
parts, may be formed into parts which are required to transfer or
hold fluids in a leak tight manner. A popular method to quickly
produce a leak tight part is to manufacture a component having a
porous structure (such as a 3D printed part) via a 3D printer.
Then, due to the porous nature of the component, a sealant is
applied to the part by submerging the entire part in a tank of a
surface sealant such as an epoxy. Subsequently, in order to make
sure that there are no leaks in the surface sealant, the part may
then be fixtured so that the fluid inlet and fluid outlet openings
for the part are sealed off. After the interior cavity of the part
is completely sealed, pressurized air or nitrogen is supplied into
the internal cavity of the part while the part is submerged in
water. Accordingly, the charged or pressurized part is submerged in
a water tank and an operator must watch for escaping bubbles on the
exterior surface of the part. This segment of the traditional
manufacturing method wherein leaks are located in the part is
called the water-immersion bubble test--also called "bubble
testing" or "dunking." The larger and more frequent the bubbles,
then leakage in the surface sealant is bigger. Moreover, relatively
small bubbles demonstrate that a smaller leak exists in the part.
Where the part has multiple separate passages inside the part, the
process of fixturing and sealing for each separate passage/area
must be repeated again until all separate passages/areas have been
addressed.
[0003] After the leaks on the exterior of the part are identified,
the part is then removed from the water, dried off, and then the
entire part is submerged again in a surface sealant so as to apply
surface sealant again to the entire part. The process may have to
be repeated in order to make sure that there are no more leaks in
the exterior surface sealant.
[0004] However, as demonstrated, this traditional manufacturing
process requires the step of fixturing the part to completely seal
off the interior cavity of the part for a bubble test, and then
applying surface sealant again to the part by submerging the entire
part again in a tank of surface sealant--after detecting any leaks
in the external surface sealant during the bubble test.
Accordingly, these traditional manufacturing process steps make it
rather challenging to manufacture and produce a leak tight part in
a time-efficient and cost-efficient manner. Moreover, this
traditional process only identifies leaks that exist on the
exterior surface of the part (not on the interior surface of the
part).
[0005] In conclusion, the traditional manufacturing process fails
to detect new leaks in the surface sealant on both the interior
surface of the part as well as the exterior surface of the part.
Moreover, the traditional manufacturing process is particularly
time consuming due to the need to fixture the part and seal off the
openings, and particularly expensive due to the need to re-dip the
entire part in a surface sealant to close all new leaks in the
surface sealant of the part.
[0006] Accordingly, there is a need for an improved and more
cost/time efficient methodology to manufacture a leak tight
part.
SUMMARY
[0007] Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a method for
manufacturing a leak tight component. The manufacturing method
includes the steps of forming a porous component; applying a first
application surface sealant to the component; providing pressurized
gas into the component via a known leak; submerging the component
in a liquid while pressurized gas is flowing into the walls or
structure of the component via the known leak. The method further
includes the steps of inspecting the interior and exterior surfaces
of the component for the formation of bubbles; identifying at least
one new leak 34 area in the component; removing at least a
substantial amount of the liquid from the component; and applying a
second application surface sealant directly to the new leak 34
area(s).
[0008] The present disclosure also provides another embodiment
method which includes the steps of forming porous component,
applying a first application surface sealant to the porous
component; introducing a known leak to first application surface
sealant; providing pressurized gas into the walls or structure of
the component via the known leak; applying liquid to the component
while pressurized gas is flowing into the walls/structure of the
component via the known leak; inspecting the interior and exterior
surfaces of the component for the formation of bubbles; identifying
a new leak 34 or a new leak area 34 in the first application
surface sealant of the component; removing at least a substantial
amount of liquid from the component; and applying a second
application surface sealant directly to the new leak/leak area
34.
[0009] Each of the above methods further contemplates any of the
following non-limiting options: (1) the component may optionally be
a 3D printed part formed by an FDM machine; (2) the first
application surface sealant and the second application surface
sealant may be optionally performed by brushing or spraying; (3)
applying liquid to the component via submerging the component in a
liquid or brushing on a soapy-like liquid onto the component
surfaces; (4) the pressurized gas, may but not necessarily be
helium or air; (5) a sealed fitting may be implemented at the known
leak in the first application surface sealant in order to supply
pressurized gas to the walls/structure of the component; (6) the
known leak in the first application surface sealant may optionally
be created by an operator by attaching a part (such as a threaded
fastener) to the component; and (7) the surface sealant may be an
epoxy.
[0010] The present disclosure and its particular features and
advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed
description considered with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] These and other features and advantages of the present
disclosure will be apparent from the following detailed
description, best mode, claims, and accompanying drawings in
which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating a non-limiting exemplary
manufacturing method of the present disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of an example component
undergoing a step in the manufacturing method.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another example component
having pressurized gas flowing into the walls of the component.
[0015] Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the
description of several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] Reference will now be made in detail to presently preferred
compositions, embodiments and methods of the present disclosure,
which constitute the best modes of practicing the present
disclosure presently known to the inventors. The figures are not
necessarily to scale. However, it is to be understood that the
disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the present
disclosure that may be embodied in various and alternative forms.
Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be
interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for
any aspect of the present disclosure and/or as a representative
basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the
present disclosure.
[0017] Except in the examples, or where otherwise expressly
indicated, all numerical quantities in this description indicating
amounts of material or conditions of reaction and/or use are to be
understood as modified by the word "about" in describing the
broadest scope of the present disclosure. Practice within the
numerical limits stated is generally preferred. Also, unless
expressly stated to the contrary: percent, "parts of," and ratio
values are by weight; the description of a group or class of
materials as suitable or preferred for a given purpose in
connection with the present disclosure implies that mixtures of any
two or more of the members of the group or class are equally
suitable or preferred; the first definition of an acronym or other
abbreviation applies to all subsequent uses herein of the same
abbreviation and applies mutatis mutandis to normal grammatical
variations of the initially defined abbreviation; and, unless
expressly stated to the contrary, measurement of a property is
determined by the same technique as previously or later referenced
for the same property.
[0018] It is also to be understood that this present disclosure is
not limited to the specific embodiments and methods described
below, as specific components and/or conditions may, of course,
vary. Furthermore, the terminology used herein is used only for the
purpose of describing particular embodiments of the present
disclosure and is not intended to be limiting in any way.
[0019] It must also be noted that, as used in the specification and
the appended claims, the singular form "a," "an," and "the"
comprise plural referents unless the context clearly indicates
otherwise. For example, reference to a component in the singular is
intended to comprise a plurality of components.
[0020] The term "comprising" is synonymous with "including,"
"having," "containing," or "characterized by." These terms are
inclusive and open-ended and do not exclude additional, unrecited
elements or method steps.
[0021] The phrase "consisting of" excludes any element, step, or
ingredient not specified in the claim. When this phrase appears in
a clause of the body of a claim, rather than immediately following
the preamble, it limits only the element set forth in that clause;
other elements are not excluded from the claim as a whole.
[0022] The phrase "consisting essentially of" limits the scope of a
claim to the specified materials or steps, plus those that do not
materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the
claimed subject matter.
[0023] The terms "comprising", "consisting of", and "consisting
essentially of" can be alternatively used. Where one of these three
terms is used, the presently disclosed and claimed subject matter
can include the use of either of the other two terms.
[0024] Throughout this application, where publications are
referenced, the disclosures of these publications in their
entireties are hereby incorporated by reference into this
application to more fully describe the state of the art to which
this present disclosure pertains.
[0025] The following detailed description is merely exemplary in
nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure or the
application and uses of the present disclosure. Furthermore, there
is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the
preceding background or the following detailed description.
[0026] As shown in the non-limiting example of FIG. 1, the present
disclosure provides a time-efficient and cost-efficient process 12
for manufacturing a leak tight component 32 (shown in FIGS. 2 and
3). The present disclosure further contemplates that the component
32 is formed 10 by a machine (such as an FDM machine) and has a
porous structure 48--such as, but not limited to the porous
structure 48 in the 3D printed parts. It is understood that the
term "porous" as used in this disclosure simply means that there
are internal passages or cavities within the structure such that a
pressurized gas may travel through the structure.
[0027] In the example of 3D printed parts, these porous components
32 are formed from CAD data by using a material extrusion process.
The CAD data may be implemented in an FDM (Fused Deposition
Modeling) machine such that the model in the CAD data is sliced
layer by layer. Then, software in the FDM machine generates
toolpaths. The FDM machine further drives a thermoplastic filament
into a heated liquefier such that the plastic reaches a flowable
state and is extruded through a small diameter tip. During the
deposition of the material for the part, the tip moves in the X and
Y directions to create a layer consisting of contours and rasters.
Then, after a layer is created, the bed of the FDM machine drops
down a layer so that the tip could then create a new layer over the
previously created layer. This 3D printing process of creating
layers of contours and rasters results in pathways 42 being
generated throughout the walls 46 of 3D printed parts thereby
making the component 32 rather porous throughout such that a
pressurized gas can travel throughout the structure 48 or walls 46
of the component 32. Therefore, while a 3D printed part may be
formed in an FDM machine rather quickly, additional manufacturing
steps are required to provide a leak tight component 32.
[0028] Accordingly, in a first embodiment of the present
disclosure, a machine such as but not limited to an FDM machine may
form a porous component 32 as described above. In order to leak
tight the porous component 32, a surface sealant such as an epoxy
may be applied 11 to the component 32 via a first application. The
first application of surface sealant may be performed in a variety
of ways which include, but are not limited to: submerging the
component 32 in the surface sealant, brushing on the surface
sealant, spraying the surface sealant onto the component 32, or the
like.
[0029] Once surface sealant has been applied to the component 32,
pressurized gas 30 may be supplied 14 into the porous walls 46 of
the component 32 via a known leak (crack or opening) in the first
application surface sealant layer 90. It is understood that the
known leak in the first application surface sealant layer 90 (or
surface sealant 90) of the component 32 may be manually created by
an operator, automatically created by a machine, or may be
identified by an operator via a traditional bubble test. It is
understood that an operator or machine, may create a known leak in
the surface sealant by attaching another part to the component 32
such as a threaded insert. When a threaded insert is attached to
the component 32 having a first application of surface sealant
layer 90, the surface sealant layer 90 is opened or cracked due to
the engagement of the threaded insert with the component 32.
Accordingly, an opening 44 (or a known leak 44) in the surface
sealant is created such that pressurized gas 30 may access the wall
of the component 32. This opening may serve as a known leak in the
surface sealant of the component 32. Alternatively, a known leak in
the surface sealant may be identified in the part 32 by performing
a traditional bubble test.
[0030] Once the known leak (opening in the surface sealant) is
identified, an operator may engage a seal tight fitting with the
known leak in order to supply pressurized gas 30 to the wall of the
component 32. As described earlier, a porous component 32 such as a
3D printed part includes pathways throughout the structure 48 of
the part thereby allowing the pressurized gas 30 to travel
throughout the structure 48 of the part. The pressurized gas 30 may
be air, helium or other gas depending on the material used to form
the part. The seal tight fitting 28 may come in a variety of forms
such as, but not limited to a clamp-on component 32 (shown
schematically as 72 in FIG. 2), a hose attachment (shown as 70 in
FIG. 3) which engages with a threaded fitting (shown as 26 in FIG.
2), or the like. As the pressurized gas 30, such as helium travels
throughout the walls 46 of the part, a liquid may be applied to the
component 32 (having the first application of surface sealant). The
step of applying 16 the liquid to the component 32 may be performed
in a variety of ways such as, but not limited to: (1) submerging
the gas charged component 32 into liquid such as water 78; (2)
brushing on a soapy-like liquid onto the gas charged component 32;
(3) partially submerging the gas charged component 32 into a liquid
78--such as water. It is further understood that the pressurized
gas 30 may exit the walls 46 of the component 32 anywhere there is
a leak in the surface sealant. Accordingly, the operator is able to
inspect the interior and exterior surfaces 80, 82 of the component
32 to locate bubbles 54 emerging from the surface 80, 82 of the
component 32 and thus, identify 20 a new leak 34 in each location
where bubbles 54 form.
[0031] Accordingly, an internal leak 38 in the surface sealant may
be identified in an internal cavity wall/surface 80 of the
component 32 as shown in FIG. 2. An external leak 36 in the surface
sealant may also be identified on an external surface wall 82 of
the component 32. Any leaks in the internal/external surfaces of
the component 32 are demonstrated due to bubbles 54 emerging from
the component 32 as the pressurized gas 30 escapes the wet
component 32 via the leak. Accordingly, the present disclosure
provides for a method 12 which can specifically target both
internal and external leak locations in the surface sealant for an
operator.
[0032] Once the operator inspects the interior and exterior
surfaces of the component 32 for the formation of bubbles 54 and
identifies at least one new leak 34 area in the interior/exterior
surface sealant of the component 32, the operator may remove 22 at
least a substantial amount of the liquid from the component 32.
This step of removing 22 the liquid 78 from the component 32 may
involve rinsing and then drying a soapy like liquid off of the
component--where a soapy like liquid substance was brushed onto the
component. Alternatively, the step of removing 22 the liquid from
the component may involve the operator removing the component from
a tank 50 of water 78 or other liquid and then drying the
component. In yet another non-limiting example alternative, the
liquid 78 may be removed by use of an absorbent material such as a
cloth. Where a second application of surface sealant does not
require a component surface to be completely dry, it is understood
the step of drying the component may be omitted.
[0033] Noting that the manufacturing method 12, 12' of the present
disclosure identifies specific locations for leaks in the surface
sealant, an operator or a machine may then simply apply 24 second
application surface sealant via a second application directly (in a
targeted manner) to the identified leak areas on the
component--instead of applying surface sealant again to the entire
component. The step of applying 24 a second application surface
sealant to the identified leak area(s) may be performed by brushing
on surface sealant onto the identified leak area(s), spraying on
surface sealant onto the identified leak area(s), or the like. It
is understood that the targeted second application of the surface
sealant reduces manufacture time and cost given that the entire
component is no longer dipped into the surface sealant. Moreover,
due to the targeted second application of the surface sealant, the
drying time for second application of the surface sealant is
reduced.
[0034] The present disclosure also provides another embodiment for
a method 12' for manufacturing a leak tight porous component. This
second embodiment method 12' includes the steps of forming 10 a
porous component, applying 11 a first application surface sealant
90 to the porous component; introducing 13 a known leak to the
component; supplying 14 pressurized gas 30 into the component via
the known leak; applying 16 liquid to the component while
pressurized gas 30 is flowing into the component via the known
leak; inspecting 18 the interior and exterior surfaces of the
component for the formation of bubbles 54; identifying 20 a new
leak 34 area in the component; removing 22 liquid from the
component; and applying 24 surface sealant directly to the new leak
34/leak areas 34.
[0035] Unlike method 12, manufacturing method 12' contemplates the
step of the operator/system deliberately creating or introducing 13
the "known leak" 44 into the first application surface sealant 90.
In order to avoid having to locate a "known leak" via a preliminary
bubble test as described in one of the many aspects of the first
embodiment method 12, the second embodiment manufacturing method
12' is also shown in FIG. 1 where method 12' includes step 13 in
the manufacturing method.
[0036] The methods 12, 12' of the first and second embodiments may
each be modified by increasing the internal pressure in increments
may increase the probability of finding a leak and can be less
time-consuming in pinpointing the leak. Additionally, a detergent
may be added to the water 78 to decrease surface tension, which
helps to prevent the leaking gas from clinging to the side of the
component. Moreover, using different gases (e.g. helium) and/or
liquids may give some advantages in system performance, but at a
cost disadvantage. In yet another embodiment of the present
disclosure, a method to manufacture a leak tight porous component
includes the steps of forming a porous component; applying a first
application of a surface sealant layer to the component; providing
pressurized gas into a wall of the component via a known leak in
the surface sealant; applying dyed liquid to the component while
pressurized gas is flowing into the wall of the component via the
known leak. The method further includes the steps of inspecting the
component for the formation of bubbles; identifying a new leak area
in the component; removing at least a substantial amount of liquid
from the component; and applying a second application of surface
sealant to the new leak area.
[0037] This embodiment using dyed liquid is very similar to the
other embodiments. However, the step of applying 16 dyed liquid to
the component 32 may be performed in a variety of ways such as, but
not limited to: (1) brushing on a soapy-like dyed liquid onto the
gas charged component 32; or (2) brushing on a dyed liquid onto the
gas charged component 32. It is further understood that the
pressurized gas 30 may exit the walls 46 of the component 32
anywhere there is a leak in the surface sealant. Accordingly, the
operator is able to inspect the interior and exterior surfaces 80,
82 of the component 32 to locate a disruption or bubbles 54
emerging from the dyed liquid on the surface 80, 82 of the
component 32 and thus, identify 20 a new leak 34 in each location
where bubbles 54 or a disruption in the dyed liquid form.
[0038] While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented
in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated
that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be
appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments
are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope,
applicability, or configuration of the disclosure in any way.
Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those
skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing the
exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments. It should be
understood that various changes can be made in the function and
arrangement of elements without departing from the scope of the
disclosure as set forth in the appended claims and the legal
equivalents thereof.
* * * * *