Rapid Manufacturing Method for High-Temperature Turbine Components

Mikro Systems, Inc (Mikro) has a breakthrough manufacturing technology that can dramatically reduce the time and cost of designing, prototyping, and testing advanced high-temperature turbine components. The gas turbine industry needs rapid and cost effective prototyping methods to produce advanced high- temperature parts from application specific materials that can be used in hot test rigs and test engines. Current layered manufacturing techniques (LMTs) cannot produce parts from relevant materials needed for high-temperature turbine components. The proposed rapid manufacturing method combines the best aspects of rapid prototyping technologies to quickly produce tooling, with a robust manufacturing process to cast and then sinter powdered metal parts that can perform at high operating temperatures. This method changes the game by completely eliminating some of the most costly and time consuming process steps, such as machining and investment casting, and for the first time enables the possibility of having numerous design / development test iterations for new parts. Through previous SBIR and commercial work Mikro has direct R & amp;D experience with the most critical aspects of the proposed work plan which mitigates technical risks and increases the likelihood of success. Mikro has successfully commercialized two SBIR funded technologies and its proposed Rapid Manufacturing Method has a high likelihood and clear path for commercial transition through an established license agreement with Siemens Energy.