UEC-Saturn: Electrolyte-plasma polishing method of parts

2023: Development of an electrolyte for processing aircraft engine blades

Specialists of the Rybinsk enterprise UEC Saturn (part United Engine Corporation of the State Corporation) Rostec have invented a new composition of electrolyte, which will repeatedly reduce the time for polishing the blades of a gas turbine engine. The processing time of this method takes up to 4 minutes, which is less in order compared to similar technologies, which take from 1 to 8 hours. The UEC announced this on August 30, 2023.

The method of electrolyte-plasma polishing of parts has a number of significant advantages - this is the speed and cheapness of processing. This electrolyte makes it possible to use this automated method for polishing one of the most complex and critical parts - engine turbine blades made of heat-resistant nickel casting alloys. Proposed composition of electrolyte provides high-quality finishing of inlet and outlet edges of working blades, blades of nozzle assemblies of gas turbine engines. This method can also be used for other special works, when it is necessary to ensure a high cleanliness class of the part surface.

The electrolyte-plasma polishing method is inexpensive and very fast. For electrolyte-plasma polishing, only electric current, salt solution and installation are needed. The processing time of the part in one dive is up to 4 minutes. Other methods used for polishing, finishing parts - for example, vibration abrasive tumbling, dry electric polishing - are quite long processes, they go from 1 to 8 hours. With such polishing, the surface cleanliness of the treated part is increased by 2-3 classes compared to the original one. This is a good promising processing technology, "said Igor Ilyin, chief engineer of UEC-Saturn.

The electrolyte is an aqueous solution containing ammonium sulfate and sodium fluoride salts in a certain proportion. A group of authors worked on the formula: Georgy Erochkin, Mikhail Erochkin, Sergey Afanasov, Sergey Tugov, Sergey Kozulin, Liubov Gerasimova, Vladislav Pleshkun.

The smart piggy bank of the enterprise also has a patent for an electrolyte for electrolyte-plasma polishing of parts from titanium casting alloys. The application of the method to the processing of parts grown by the additive method is also considered.