Patent Publication Number: US-2020300093-A1

Title: Method of manufacturing a multi-component article

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to manufacturing methods in general, and to methods for manufacturing articles having a plurality of components in particular. 
     2. Background Information 
     Prior art methods for manufacturing an article having a plurality of components often suffer from problems associated with dimensional variability. Each separately manufactured component will be subject to dimensional variations. If the article requires the two components to be fitted together, component dimensional variations can create an unacceptable fit between the two components. A fan blade for a gas turbine engine is an example of an article having a plurality of components. Conventional fan blades for a turbofan gas turbine engine are a solid structure made from a metal such as aluminum or titanium. A person of skill in the art will realize that solid fan blades, particularly those utilized in high bypass gas turbine engines can add considerable cost and weight to the gas turbine engine. To mitigate the weight of a solid fan blade, it is known that a fan blade may be configured as a metal body having one or more internal cavities, sometimes referred to as a “hollow” fan blade. A porous or honeycomb type structure, or other non-solid structure (e.g., a “filler material body”) is disposed within each cavity, and a cover panel is affixed (e.g., by brazing, bonding or welding) to the fan blade body to enclose the filler material body and complete the aerodynamic external surface of the hollow fan blade. The filler material body is lighter than a similar shaped solid metal body shape and thereby reduces the weight of the hollow fan blade. During a typical manufacturing process of a hollow gas turbine engine, therefore, a fan blade body having an internal cavity is produced independently of a filler material body. If the internal cavity is manufactured with one or more dimensions too small and the filler material body is manufactured with one or more dimensions too large, it may not be possible to insert the filler material body into the internal cavity; i.e., an interference fit. To avoid scrapping the fan blade body or the filler material body, one or both will need to be reworked to enable insertion of the filler material body into the internal cavity. Conversely, if the internal cavity is manufactured with one or more dimensions too large and the filler material body is manufactured with one or more dimensions too small, the fit between the filler material body and the internal cavity may be unacceptable. 
     What is needed is a method for manufacturing method that is an improvement over existing manufacturing methods. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a method of manufacturing an article having a first component that mates with a second component is provided. The method includes: producing a first component having a first mating feature; measuring the dimensions of the first mating feature and creating a profile representative of the measured dimensions; and producing a second component having a second mating feature that mates with the first mating feature, wherein the second mating feature is produced using the profile. 
     According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of manufacturing an article having a first component that mates with a second component is provided. The method includes: producing a first component having a first mating feature; measuring the dimensions of the first mating feature and creating a profile representative of the measured dimensions; producing a second component having a second mating feature; and removing material from the second mating feature based on the profile to produce a modified second mating feature mates with the first mating feature. 
     In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the first mating feature may be a three-dimensional feature, and the created profile may be a three-dimensional representation of the first mating feature. 
     In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the first mating feature may be a male or female portion of a mating pair, and the second mating feature is the other of the male or female portion of the mating pair. 
     In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the method may further comprise assigning a first specific identifier to the first component, a second specific identifier to the second component, and assembling the first component with the first specific identifier with the second component with the second specific identifier. 
     In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the second component having the second mating feature that mates with the first mating feature may be produced using the profile in an additive manufacturing process. 
     In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the first component may be a hollow fan blade and the first mating feature may be an internal cavity disposed in an airfoil portion of the hollow fan blade, and the second component may be a filler material body. 
     According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of manufacturing a hollow fan blade is provided. The method includes: producing a hollow fan blade body having an airfoil with an external surface, and an internal cavity disposed within the airfoil and open to the external surface; measuring the dimensions of the internal cavity of the hollow fan blade body and creating a profile based on the measured dimensions; producing a filler material body using the profile; inserting the filler material body into the internal cavity; and attaching a cavity cover over the internal cavity to enclose the filler material body within the internal cavity. 
     In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the filler material body may be produced using an additive material process. 
     In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the external surface of the airfoil may be a suction side surface and the internal cavity is open to the suction side surface of the airfoil. 
     In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the step of producing the filler material body using the dimensional profile may include producing an oversized filler material body and finish forming the filler material body using the dimensional profile. 
     In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the hollow fan blade body having said internal cavity may be assigned a unique fan blade identifier. 
     In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the filler material body produced using the dimensional profile may be assigned to the hollow fan blade body with the dimensionally measured internal cavity and the unique fan blade identifier. 
     In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the filler material body produced using the dimensional profile may be assigned a unique filler material body identifier. 
     In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the method may further include matching the filler material body with the unique filler material body identifier with the hollow fan blade body having the unique fan blade identifier prior to the inserting step. 
     In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the step of inserting the filler material body into the internal cavity may include inserting the filler material body with the unique filler material body identifier into the internal cavity of the hollow fan blade body having the unique fan blade identifier. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic partially sectioned view of a gas turbine engine. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic view of a fan stage. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic perspective view of a fan blade. 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view of an embodiment of an airfoil portion of the fan blade shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of an embodiment of an airfoil portion of the fan blade shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic perspective exploded view of a fan blade. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic perspective view of a filler material body. 
         FIG. 8  is a flow chart of a method embodiment according to the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The detailed description of various embodiments herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show various embodiments by way of illustration. While these various embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the inventions, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical and/or mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation. For example, the steps recited in any of the method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are not necessarily limited to the order presented. 
     Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to methods for manufacturing an article having a plurality of components. The present methods may be utilized to manufacture a variety of different articles, and are not therefore limited to manufacturing any particular article. To enable a full appreciation of the present disclosure, aspects of the present disclosure are described herein in terms of manufacturing a hollow fan blade for a gas turbine engine. This is a non-limiting example. 
       FIG. 1  schematically illustrates an example gas turbine engine  20  that includes a fan section  22 , a compressor section  24 , a combustor section  26  and a turbine section  28 . The fan section  22  drives air along a bypass flow path B while the compressor section  24  draws air in along a core flow path C where the air is compressed and communicated to the combustor section  26 . In the combustor section  26 , the air is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a high pressure exhaust gas stream that expands through the turbine section  28  where energy is extracted and utilized to drive the fan section  22  and the compressor section  24 . Although the disclosed non-limiting embodiment depicts a turbofan gas turbine engine, it should be understood that the concepts described herein are not limited to use with turbofans as the teachings may be applied to other types of turbine engines; for example a turbine engine including a three-spool architecture in which three spools concentrically rotate about a common axis and where a low spool enables a low pressure turbine to drive a fan via a gearbox, an intermediate spool that enables an intermediate pressure turbine to drive a first compressor of the compressor section, and a high spool that enables a high pressure turbine to drive a high pressure compressor of the compressor section. 
     The example engine  20  generally includes a low speed spool  30  and a high speed spool  32  mounted for rotation about an engine central longitudinal axis A relative to an engine static structure  36  via several bearing systems  38 . The low speed spool  30  generally includes an inner shaft  40  that connects a fan stage  42  and a low pressure compressor section  44  to a low pressure turbine section  46 . The inner shaft  40  drives the fan stage  42  through a speed change device, such as geared architecture  48 , to drive the fan stage  42  at a lower rotational speed than the rotational speed of the low speed spool  30 . The high-speed spool  32  includes an outer shaft  50  that interconnects a high pressure compressor section  52  and a high pressure turbine section  54 . The inner shaft  40  and the outer shaft  50  are concentric and rotate via bearing systems  38  about engine central longitudinal axis A. 
     The combustor  56  is arranged between the high pressure compressor  52  and the high pressure turbine  54 . The core airflow C is compressed by low pressure compressor  44  and by the high pressure compressor  52 . The compressed airflow is subsequently mixed with fuel and ignited in combustor  56  to produce high speed exhaust gases that are then expanded through high pressure turbine  54  and low pressure turbine  46 . 
     The disclosed gas turbine engine  20  in one example is a high-bypass geared aircraft engine. In a further example, the gas turbine engine  20  may include a bypass ratio greater than about six (6), with an example embodiment being greater than about ten (10). The example geared architecture  48  is an epicyclical gear train, such as a planetary gear system, star gear system or other known gear system, with a gear reduction ratio of greater than about 2.3. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a fan stage  42  disposed within a fan section  22  of a gas turbine engine may include a plurality of hollow fan blades  60  attached to a hub  62 . In the hollow fan blade  60  embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , a hollow fan blade  60  is configured for mechanical attachment to the hub  62  via a root  64  that is received within a mating slot (not shown) disposed within the hub  62 . In alternative embodiments, a fan blade  60  may be integrally attached to the hub  62  and therefore may not include a root  64 . The present disclosure is not limited to any particular fan blade hub attachment configuration. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-6 , the hollow fan blade  60  includes an airfoil  66  having a leading edge  68 , a trailing edge  70 , a suction side surface  72 , a pressure side surface  74  (e.g., see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ), a tip end  76 , a cavity cover  78 , at least one internal cavity  80 , and a filler material body  82  disposed within the at least one internal cavity  80 . The hollow fan blade  60  embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6  also includes a platform  84 . The platform  84  provides an inner radial flow path boundary for air passing through the fan stage  42 . In some embodiments, the fan blades  60  within a fan stage  42  may not include platforms  84 . The hollow fan blade  60  may be made from a variety of different materials, including but not limited to a titanium alloy or an aluminum alloy. The present disclosure is not limited to fan blades  60  comprising any particular type of material. 
     The airfoil pressure side surface  74  is disposed opposite the suction side surface  72 . On their respective opposite sides, the pressure and suction side surfaces  74 ,  72  extend radially between the tip end  76  and the platform  84 , and between the leading edge  68  and the trailing edge  70 . The leading edge  68  and the trailing edge  70  extend span wise typically in a curved manner between the platform  84  and the tip end  76 . 
     During manufacture, the at least one internal cavity  80  may be formed within the region of the airfoil  66  disposed between the pressure side surface  74  and the suction side surface  72 , open to an exterior surface (e.g., the pressure side surface  74  or the suction side surface  72 ). The portion of the exterior surface through which the internal cavity  80  is accessible may be referred to as the cavity opening  86 . The internal cavity(ies)  80  may be formed within the airfoil  66  in a variety of different ways (e.g., material removal by a machining process, etc.) and the present disclosure is not limited to any particular internal cavity  80  formation process. 
     In the blade embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3-6 , the cavity opening  86  is disposed in the suction side surface  72  of the airfoil  66 . In alternative embodiments, the cavity opening  86  may be disposed in the pressure side surface  74  of the airfoil  66 . The cavity cover  78  is configured to mate with the cavity opening  86 , and when installed the cavity cover  78  encloses the internal cavity  80 . The present disclosure is not limited to any particular mating configuration between the cavity cover  78  and the airfoil  66  at the cavity opening  86 . A non-limiting example of a mating geometry between the cavity cover  78  and the airfoil  66  includes a shelf type surface (e.g., a socket  88 ) disposed around the perimeter of the cavity opening  86 . The socket  88  is configured (e.g., with a width and a depth) so that a perimeter portion of the cavity cover  78  may be attached to and supported by the socket  88 . In  FIG. 3 , the socket  88  is represented by a dashed line on the suction side surface  72 . The present disclosure is not limited to any particular mating geometry between the socket  88  and the cavity cover  78 . 
     The at least one internal cavity  80  within the airfoil  66  may be formed in a variety of different geometric configurations (e.g., a geometry that extends a span wise length, a chord wise distance, and a depth extending in a direction between the suction and pressure side surfaces  72 ,  74 ). The present disclosure is not limited to any particular internal cavity  80  geometric configuration.  FIG. 4  diagrammatically illustrates an airfoil  66  having a single internal cavity  80 .  FIG. 5  diagrammatically illustrates an airfoil  66  having a plurality of internal cavities  80 , with adjacent cavities  80  separated from one another by a rib  90 . The ribs  90  may be configured to provide support to the cavity cover  78 , the pressure side surface  74 , or both. 
     The cavity cover  78  is typically a panel having a geometry that conforms with the geometry of the airfoil surface  72 ,  74  to which the cavity cover  78  is attached. The configuration of the cavity cover  78  (e.g., thickness, etc.) is typically chosen to withstand anticipated durability and/or mechanical strength requirements. In some embodiments, the cavity cover  78  may comprise the same metallic material as the airfoil  66 . In other embodiments, the airfoil  66  and cavity cover  78  may comprise different materials (e.g., different alloys). If different materials are utilized, the different materials are typically chosen to have similar thermal expansion properties to prevent separation or buckling of the cavity cover  78  relative to the airfoil  66 . The cavity cover  78  may be attached to the airfoil  66  in a variety of different ways (e.g., by brazing, bonding, or welding), and the present disclosure is not limited to any particular attachment mechanism. 
     The filler material body  82  disposed within the at least one internal cavity  80  may be a non-solid material (e.g., a “porous” material), sometimes referred to as a “foam”. The filler material body  82  is typically chosen to have a lighter per unit volume weight than the airfoil  66  material, and to provide adequate structural support within the body of the airfoil  66 ; e.g., support for the cavity cover  78 , or for the narrow portion  92  of the airfoil  66  opposite the cavity cover  78  that forms the base of the internal cavity  80 , or both. To illustrate,  FIG. 4  illustrates a filler material  82  disposed within an airfoil  66  having a cavity cover  78  attached to the suction side surface  72  of the airfoil  66 . A narrow portion  92  of the airfoil  66  is disposed between the internal cavity  80  and the pressure side surface  74  of the airfoil  66 . In this example, the filler material  82  may provide structural support for both the cavity cover  78  and the narrow portion  92  of the airfoil  66  disposed between the internal cavity  80  and the pressure side surface  74  of the airfoil  66 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the filler material body  82  is configured to be received within the internal cavity  80 . The geometry of the filler material body  82  will vary to suit the respective internal cavity  80 . For example, the filler material body  82  shown in  FIG. 7  is substantially rectangular in shape, and therefore is configured to fit in a corresponding substantially rectangular shaped internal cavity. A filler material body  82  configured to fit within an L-shaped internal cavity  80  such as that shown in shown in  FIG. 6 , in contrast, may have an L-shaped configuration. In many embodiments, a filler material body  82  may be described as having a first face surface  94 , a second face surface  96  opposite the first face surface  94 , and at least one edge surface  98  extending between the first and second face surfaces  94 ,  96 . The filler material body  82  may include an internal structure  100  disposed between the first and second face surfaces  94 ,  96 . The internal structure  100  may, for example, have a honeycomb type design defined by interconnecting planar elements and voids. The present disclosure is not limited to any particular internal structure  100  configuration; e.g., a tetrahedral honeycomb type structure is acceptable. In some embodiments, the filler material body  82  may include a solid material layer  102  disposed on the first face surface  94 , or the second face surface  96 , or an edge surface  98 , or any combination thereof. The solid material layer  102  may cover a portion or all of any of the aforesaid surfaces  94 ,  96 ,  98 . 
     A filler material body  82  for use within a hollow fan blade airfoil  66  may comprise a variety of different materials. The specific type(s) of materials used within a filler material body  82  may depend on the type of fan blade  60  and the use application of the fan blade  60 . Hence, the present disclosure is not limited to filler material bodies  82  comprised of any particular type of material. Non-limiting examples of an acceptable filler material  82  for many applications is a foam comprising one or more of an aluminum or aluminum alloy, a nickel or nickel alloy, a titanium or titanium alloy, a magnesium or magnesium alloy, a steel alloy, or a polymer. The filler material body  82  may be produced using a variety of different manufacturing processes. For example, a filler material body  82  may be produced using an additive type manufacturing process that “prints” the filler material body  82  in layers, and the layers collectively form the filler material body  82 . The present disclosure is not limited to any particular methodology for producing a filler material body  82 . 
     Historically, hollow fan blades  60  have been manufactured by producing a fan blade body with a desired geometric configuration, including an internal cavity  80  held to tight geometric dimensions. In many instances, the machining process required to produce an internal cavity held to tight dimensions added to the cost and time required to produce the hollow fan blade, as well as increased the potential for scrapping the part. The aforesaid manufacturing processes were used to produce some number of fan blades; e.g., a production run. Each of these fan blades may be described as a particular part number (e.g., part number “HFB001”), and each would be identical other than differences attributable to manufacturing dimensional variations and/or tolerancing. 
     In similar fashion, filler material bodies historically have been manufactured to a desired geometric configuration defined by predetermined dimensions held to tight geometric dimensions. This manufacturing process was utilized to produce some number of filler material bodies; e.g., a production run. Each of these filler material bodies may be described as a particular part number (e.g., part number “FMB001”), and each would be identical other than differences attributable to manufacturing dimensional variations and/or tolerancing. These filler material bodies produced were intended to mate with the internal cavity  80  of the respective hollow fan blade. 
     Prior art hollow fan blade assembly procedures included inserting the appropriate filler material body (e.g., part number “FMB001”) into the internal cavity of the corresponding hollow fan blade blank (e.g., part number “HFB001”). The mating “fit” between the two parts, however, was often problematic due to the manufacturing dimensional variations of both the internal cavity  80  of the hollow fan blade and the corresponding filler material body  82 ; e.g., the dimensional variation stack-up between the respective parts created an interference fit. If an interference fit was encountered, the typical prior art solution was to geometrically modify the filler material body (e.g., by a machining process, or by rolling operation) to overcome the interference fit. On the other hand, in those instances where a filler material body  82  was undersized due to dimensional variation stack-up, the filler material body  82  may have been rejected, and either shelved for later use with a different hollow fan blade  60  or discarded. The resulting manufacturing /assembly process was wasteful, time consuming, and costly. 
     According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a new novel and much improved method for manufacturing an article comprising a plurality of components such as a hollow fan blade was discovered. According to aspects of the present disclosure (using a hollow fan blade as a non-limiting example), a hollow fan blade  60  is producing with a desired geometric configuration, including the internal cavity  80  disposed within the airfoil  66 . Once the hollow fan blade  60  is produced, the geometric dimensions of the internal cavity  80  are accurately measured (e.g., span wise length, chord wise width, depth, etc.) and a profile (e.g., in mathematical form) representative of all the necessary dimensions is produced (which profile may be referred to hereinafter as a “cavity profile”). This cavity profile is specific to the particular hollow fan blade body being measured; e.g., a “blade specific cavity profile”. The cavity profile is produced using a metrologic technique that provides adequate accuracy; e.g., a metrologic technique having an accuracy that is an improvement over the dimensional accuracy associated with manufacturing methods used to produce the internal cavity of the hollow fan blade. The present disclosure is not limited to any particular metrologic technique for producing a cavity profile. 
     The blade specific cavity profile for a particular blade is subsequently utilized to produce a filler material body  82  for that particular fan blade  60 . Hence, the present disclosure method includes producing a filler material body  82  to the actual dimensions of the blade internal cavity  80 , rather than producing a filler material body  82  to a design configuration that does not directly account for the actual manufactured dimensions of the hollow fan blade internal cavity  80 . The blade specific filler material body  82  may be assigned a filler material body serial number (e.g., “FMB001-0001”). During the hollow fan blade manufacturing process, the blade specific filler material body  82  (e.g., serial number “FM001-0001”) is assigned to the particular hollow fan blade  60  having the internal cavity  80  that was measured to produce the “blade specific cavity profile”. As a result, the mating “fit” between the internal cavity  80  of the particular hollow fan blade  60  and the blade specific filler material body is greatly improved, thereby mitigating or eliminating the wasteful, time consuming, and costly process of having to geometrically modify the filler material body  82  to fit within an internal cavity  80  of a hollow fan blade body, or the possibility of scrapping an undersized filler material body  82 . 
     In fact, the present disclosure methodologies can in some instances permit a relaxation of internal cavity  80  dimensional requirements of a hollow fan blade  60 . For example in some instances, the mechanical property requirements of a hollow fan blade  60  may be satisfied with a greater dimensional variability than would be acceptable under prior art practices wherein the internal cavity  80  dimensional variability was driven by the need to “fit” the filler material body  82  within the internal cavity  80 . The present disclosure method of producing a “blade specific cavity profile” for a particular hollow fan blade  60 , and the corresponding blade specific filler material body  82 , can permit a less exacting internal cavity  80  machining process; e.g., one that is less time consuming and more cost-effective. The present disclosure methodologies may also make it possible to “save” a hollow fan blade body  60  (e.g., a body having a dimensionally abnormal but otherwise acceptable internal cavity  80 ). 
     In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the blade specific filler material body  82  may be produced using an additive type manufacturing process that “prints” the blade specific material body  82  in layers, and the layers collectively form the blade specific filler material body  82 . Additive manufacturing processes may be used that are capable of producing a blade specific filler material body  82  with tighter manufacturing dimension variability than is possible using conventional manufacturing processes. 
     In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a filler material body  82  blank may be produced that is slightly oversized for the internal cavity  80  of the type of hollow fan blade  60  being produced (e.g., a “generic blank”). In these embodiments, the filler material body  82  blank could be finished machined using the blade specific cavity profile to produce the blade specific filler material body  82 ; e.g., the blade specific filler material body  82  (e.g., serial number “FMB001-0001”) for the particular hollow fan blade  60  (e.g., serial number “HFB001-0001”) having the internal cavity  80  that was measured to produce the blade specific cavity profile. 
     In some embodiments, the hollow fan blade  60  may be assembled by applying a bonding agent  104  (e.g., an adhesive) to portions of the blade specific filler material body  82  that will contact surfaces of the internal cavity  80 , and/or to portions of the blade specific filler material body  82  that will contact a surface of the cavity cover  78 . The blade specific filler material body  82  is inserted into the internal cavity  80  and the cavity cover  78  is placed over the internal cavity  80  and attached to the airfoil  66  of the hollow fan blade  60 . As stated above, the cavity cover  78  may be attached to the airfoil  66  of the hollow fan blade  60  using a variety of different techniques and the present disclosure is not limited to any particular technique. 
       FIG. 8  is a flow chart that illustrates one or more present disclosure methodology embodiments for manufacturing a hollow fan blade  60 . In a first step, a hollow fan blade body is produced that includes an airfoil  66  with an external surface, and an internal cavity  80  disposed within the airfoil  66  and open to the external surface. In a following step, the dimensions of the internal cavity  80  of the hollow fan blade body are measured and a blade specific cavity profile is created based on the measured dimensions. In a following step, a specific filler material body  82  is produced (or finally formed) using the blade specific cavity profile. In a following step, the specific filler material body  82  is inserted into the earlier measured internal cavity  80 . In a following step, a cavity cover  78  is attached to the airfoil  66  over the internal cavity  80  to enclose the filler material body  82  within the internal cavity  80 . As stated above, the above description of aspects of the present disclosure is provided in terms of a hollow fan blade article. The present disclosure methods are not limited to a hollow fan blade application. 
     The detailed description of various embodiments herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show various embodiments by way of illustration. While these various embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the inventions, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical, chemical and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation. For example, the steps recited in any of the method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are not necessarily limited to the order presented. 
     Furthermore, any reference to singular includes plural embodiments, and any reference to more than one component or step may include a singular embodiment or step. Also, any reference to attached, fixed, connected or the like may include permanent, removable, temporary, partial, full and/or any other possible attachment option. Additionally, any reference to without contact (or similar phrases) may also include reduced contact or minimal contact. 
     Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112(f) unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.” As used herein, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.