Patent Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention is a unique method for depositing materials in a substrate. Another embodiment is a unique system for depositing materials in a substrate. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for depositing materials within a substrate. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/427,729, filed Dec. 28, 2010, entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DEPOSITING MATERIAL IN A SUBSTRATE, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to material deposition, and more particularly, to depositing material in a substrate. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Methods and systems that effectively deposit material, such as particles, into a substrate, remain an area of interest. Some existing systems have various shortcomings, drawbacks, and disadvantages relative to certain applications. Accordingly, there remains a need for further contributions in this area of technology. 
     SUMMARY 
     One embodiment of the present invention is a unique method for depositing materials within a substrate. Another embodiment is a unique system for depositing materials within a substrate. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for depositing materials within a substrate. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  schematically illustrates some aspects of a non-limiting example of a system for adding particles to a substrate for forming a matrix material in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  schematically illustrates some aspects of a non-limiting example of particles disposed within a substrate, forming a matrix material, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     For purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nonetheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is intended by the illustration and description of certain embodiments of the invention. In addition, any alterations and/or modifications of the illustrated and/or described embodiment(s) are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention. Further, any other applications of the principles of the invention, as illustrated and/or described herein, as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention. 
     Referring to the drawings, and in particular  FIG. 1 , some aspects of a non-limiting example of a system  10  for adding particles to a substrate  12  for forming a matrix material in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is schematically depicted. For example, in the case of a metallic substrate  12  and particles in the form of oxides or other composite material, system  10  forms a matrix material in the form of a metal matrix composite. In other embodiments, other matrix materials may be formed by system  10 , including metal/metal matrix materials, and metal/metal/composite matrix materials, e.g., where one of the metals is substrate  12 , and the other of the metals and the composite is from particles added to substrate  12 . In one form, system  10  is configured to achieve a desired level of porosity on the surface of substrate  12 . 
     In one form, substrate  12  is an abradable blade track for a gas turbine engine. In other embodiments, substrate  12  may be any component, including, for example, a gas turbine engine blade; vane or series of vanes; an abradable blade track for a compressor, fan or turbine; another gas turbine engine flowpath component or any other gas turbine engine component; or any mechanical component for any machine, device, system or structure. In one form, substrate  12  is a metallic component. In other embodiments, substrate  12  may be formed of one or more metallic and/or non-metallic materials. 
     System  10  includes an energy emitter means  14  for directing an energy beam  16  at substrate  12 . System  10  also includes a particle sprayer means  18  for directing one or more flow of particles  20  at substrate  12 , e.g., at and in the vicinity of the location of impact  22  of energy beam  16  upon substrate  12 . In one form, particles  20  are not the same material as substrate  12 . In other embodiments, some or all of particles  20  may be the same material as substrate  12 . In one form, means  14  and means  18  are housed in a single unit in the form of a combined discharge nozzle  24  that discharges both energy beam  16  and a flow of particles  20 . In other embodiments, means  14  and means  18  may take other forms, including discrete discharge devices, and may also include a plurality of discharge devices for discharging energy beam  16  and/or flow of particles  20 . 
     In one form, means  14  is configured and operative to form and direct energy beam  16  in the form of a laser beam. In other embodiments, means  14  may be configured to form other types of energy beams, e.g., including but not limited to one or more electron beams and/or one or more electric arcs. Means  14  is configured and positioned to direct energy beam  16  from below a portion of substrate  12  upward toward the portion of substrate  12 . Energy beam  16  is configured form a melt pool  26  in that portion of substrate  12  from the underside of substrate  12 . Energy beam  16  forms melt pool  26  by locally melting substrate  12 , whereby melt pool  26  faces in a vertically downward-facing direction, i.e., is upside-down. 
     Means  18  is configured and operative to direct flow of particles  20  from below the portion of substrate  12  upward toward the portion so that at least some of the particles  20  engage and enter melt pool  26 . In one form, some of the particles  20  have a property different than the other particles. For example, in one form, particles  20  are an aggregation of different kinds of particles, wherein some of the particles may have a lower density than others, and/or some particles may have a higher buoyancy in melt pool  26  relative to other particles. The particles having the different property are configured to rise in melt pool  26  toward substrate  12  (un-melted portions of substrate  12 ). Particles  20  may be formed of the same or different material, and may have the same or different size and shape, depending upon the needs of the particular embodiment. In one form, the particles are composite particles, e.g., ceramic composite. In other embodiments, the particles may be formed of metallic particles in addition to or in place of nonmetallic particles. Some particles may be hollow, e.g., hollow metallic and/or nonmetallic spheres or other shapes, whereas other particles may be solid, depending upon the particular embodiment. In still other embodiments, particles  20  may include reactive pore formers in addition to or in place of other types of particles. In yet other embodiments, all particles  20  may be the same or substantially the same, e.g., in composition, size and shape, and may all be configured to rise in melt pool  26  toward substrate  12  (un-melted portions of substrate  12 ). 
     System  10  is configured to allow the particles having the desired property to rise in melt pool  26  upward toward proximity with un-melted portions of substrate  12 . For example, in one form, system  10  supplies sufficient energy to maintain melt pool  26  laden with particles  20  for a sufficient period of time to allow the particles with the different property to rise upward in melt pool  26 . By forming melt pool  26  in a downward facing direction, the particles having the different property may rise upward toward substrate  12 , for example, forming a desired degree of porosity in substrate  12  adjacent to un-melted portions of substrate  12 . This is contrary to other systems that form a melt pool on an upper or side surface of the substrate, wherein the desired particles may not migrate toward un-melted portions of the substrates. 
     System  10  also includes a positioning system  28  and a positioning system  30 . In one form, system  10  also includes an enclosure  32  configured to enclose substrate  12 , means  14 , means  18 , positioning system  28  and positioning system  30 . Positioning system  28  is coupled to combined discharge nozzle  24  and operative to translate and/or rotate combined discharge nozzle  24  to form melt pool  26  using energy beam  16 . In one form, positioning system  28  is also configured to progressively or intermittently transition melt pool  26  to other portions of substrate  12 , e.g., portions adjacent to the initial or subsequent instances of melt pool  26  that are also disposed in a vertically downward-facing direction. In embodiments wherein energy emitter means  14  and particle sprayer means  18  are not combined into a single head, or where multiple means  14  and means  18  are employed, additional positioning systems may be coupled to each of means  14  and means  18 . In one form, positioning system  28  is a multi-axis positioning system. In other embodiments, positioning system  28  may be a single axis positioning system. 
     Positioning system  30  is coupled to and supports substrate  12 , and is operative to translate and/or rotate substrate  12  to form melt pool  26  in desired locations on substrate  12  using energy beam  16 . In one form, positioning system  30  is also configured to progressively or intermittently dispose second and subsequent portions of substrate  12  to energy beam  16  and flow of particles  20 , e.g., portions adjacent to the initial or subsequent instances of melt pool  26  that are also disposed in a vertically downward-facing direction. In one form, positioning system  30  is configured to rotate substrate  12  so that the desired melt pool  26  is facing downward. In one form, positioning system  30  is a multi-axis positioning system. In other embodiments, positioning system  30  may be a single axis positioning system. 
     In various embodiments, one or both of positioning systems  28  and  30  may be employed to position substrate  12  at the desired location to form melt pool  26  in a downward-facing direction. Other embodiments may not employ a positioning system to position substrate  12 , e.g., depending upon the geometry of substrate  12 . For example, if substrate  12  has a relatively flat surface that may be fixed in place, positioning system  30  may be replaced by a simple support system to maintain substrate  12  in the desired orientation. Still other embodiments may not employ a positioning system(s) to position means  14  and/or means  18 , but rather may employ a simple support system to support means  14  and/or means  18 , relying upon positioning system  30  to orient substrate  12  in the desired position. 
     Enclosure  32  is configured to allow control of the atmosphere inside system  10  during the forming of melt pool  26  and spraying of particles  20 . In one form, the atmosphere maintained inside enclosure  32  is ambient air. In other embodiments, an inert gas or a vacuum may be contained within enclosure  32 . 
     During the operation of system  10 , a desired portion of substrate  12  is disposed in a vertically downward-facing direction, e.g. by positioning system  30 . Energy beam  16  is directed from below the portion of substrate  12  where melt pool  26  is desired, and is directed upward toward the portion. In one form, energy beam  16  is directed at the portion of substrate  12  an angle φ less than 45 degrees from a vertical line  34 . In a particular form, energy beam  16  is directed at the portion of substrate  12  an angle φ less than approximately 15 degrees from vertical line  34 . In other embodiments, greater or lesser angles may be employed. Melt pool  26  is then formed by energy beam  16 , facing vertically downward from the portion of substrate  12 . Once melt pool  26  is formed, a flow of particles  20  is directed from below the portion on substrate  12  upward toward the portion in which melt pool  26  is formed. At least some of the particles are configured to rise in melt pool  26  toward substrate  12 . Weld pool  26  is maintained in the liquid state, e.g., by energy beam  16 , while the particles rise in the melt pool toward the substrate. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , in embodiments wherein the particles are not homogeneous, those particles  20 A having the property of greater buoyancy in the melt pool and/or less density relative to the other particles  20 B are the particles that rise in melt pool  26  toward substrate  12 . In embodiments wherein the particles are homogeneous, e.g., having a density and/or buoyancy at desired levels to promote floating toward the top of the upside-down melt pool, similar results in the vicinity of substrate  12  at the top of the upside-down melt pool would be achieved, Various embodiments may include translating and/or rotating substrate  12  to dispose another portion of substrate  12  in a vertically downward-facing direction to form a new melt pool  26  or to transition melt pool  26  to a new location on substrate  12 . This may be performed while maintaining melt pool  26  in the vertically downward-facing direction, wherein melt pool  26  is progressively transitioned into the next or other portion of the substrate. Similarly, means  14  and means  18  may be continually or intermittently repositioned in order to transition melt pool  26  from one portion of substrate  12  to another portion of substrate  12 . 
     Once the desired amount of particles  20  has been dispersed into melt pool  26  and the desired particles have risen in the melt pool toward substrate  12 , melt pool  26  is solidified, e.g., providing a coating on substrate  12 . Such a coating may be, for example, a metal matrix composite coating having a desired level of porosity adjacent to the un-melted portions of substrate  12 . The amount of porosity is based on the selection of particles  20 . In one form, the amount of porosity is configured for abradability of substrate  12 , e.g., in a gas turbine engine blade track component. In other embodiments, the amount of porosity is configured for holding lubrication, e.g., forming a self-lubricating material on substrate  12 . In still other embodiments, the amount of porosity is configured to achieve a desired thermal conductivity, e.g., in a turbine section component of a gas turbine engine. In yet other embodiments, the amount of porosity may be configured to achieve other desired properties. 
     Embodiments of the present invention include a method for depositing materials in a substrate, comprising: disposing a first portion of a substrate in a vertically downward-facing direction; directing an energy beam from below the first portion upward toward the first portion, forming a melt pool in the substrate using the directed energy beam, wherein the melt pool is formed facing in the vertically downward direction in the first portion; and directing a flow of particles from below the first portion upward toward the first portion, wherein at least some of the particles are configured to rise in the melt pool toward the substrate. 
     In a refinement, at least some of the particles have a property different than the other particles; and the particles having the different property are the at least some particles that rise in the melt pool toward the substrate. 
     In another refinement, the property is a lower density than the other particles. 
     In yet another refinement, the property is a higher buoyancy in the melt pool than the other particles. 
     In still another refinement, the substrate is metallic, and the particles in the melt pool in conjunction with the melted substrate form a metal matrix composite. 
     In yet still another refinement, the particles include non-metallic particles. 
     In a further refinement, all the particles are non-metallic particles. 
     In a yet further refinement, the particles include hollow particles. 
     In a still further refinement, the particles include reactive pore formers. 
     In a yet still further refinement, the method further comprises translating and/or rotating the substrate to dispose a second portion of the substrate in a vertically downward-facing direction while maintaining the melt pool in the vertically downward-facing direction, wherein the melt pool is progressively transitioned into the second portion of the substrate. 
     In another further refinement, the energy beam is a laser. 
     In yet another further refinement, the method further comprises solidifying the melt pool to form a coating on the substrate. 
     In still another further refinement, the energy beam is directed at the first portion an angle of less than approximately 15 degrees from vertical. 
     In yet still another further refinement, the substrate is formed of a material; and wherein the melt pool is formed of the substrate material. 
     Embodiments of the present invention include a system, comprising: an energy beam emitter positioned to direct an energy beam from below a first portion of a substrate upward toward the first portion, wherein the energy beam is configured to form a melt pool facing in the vertically downward-facing direction in the first portion; and a particle sprayer operative to direct a flow of particles from below the melt pool upward toward the melt pool, wherein the system is configured to allow at least some of the particles to rise in the melt pool toward the substrate. 
     In a refinement, the system further comprises a positioning system coupled to the substrate and operative to translate and/or rotate the substrate to dispose a second portion of the substrate in a vertically downward-facing direction while maintaining the melt pool in the vertically downward-facing direction. 
     In another refinement, the positioning system is configured to progressively transition the melt pool from the first portion into the second portion of the substrate. 
     In yet another refinement, the system further comprises a positioning system coupled to the energy beam emitter and operative to translate and/or rotate the energy beam emitter to form the melt pool in a second portion of the substrate disposed in a vertically downward-facing direction. 
     In still another refinement, the energy beam emitter is configured to progressively transition the melt pool from the first portion into the second portion of the substrate. 
     Embodiments of the present invention include a system, comprising: means for disposing a portion of a substrate in a vertically downward-facing direction; means for forming a melt pool in the portion of the substrate using a directed energy beam, wherein the melt pool is formed facing in the vertically downward direction in the portion of the substrate; and means for directing a flow of particles upward and into the melt pool, wherein at least some of the particles have a property different than the other particles, and wherein the particles and the melt pool, once solidified, form a matrix material. 
     In a refinement, the means for forming the melt pool is configured to direct the energy beam upward to the portion of the substrate at an angle of less than approximately 15 degrees from vertical. 
     While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment(s), but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as permitted under the law. Furthermore it should be understood that while the use of the word preferable, preferably, or preferred in the description above indicates that feature so described may be more desirable, it nonetheless may not be necessary and any embodiment lacking the same may be contemplated as within the scope of the invention, that scope being defined by the claims that follow. In reading the claims it is intended that when words such as “a,” “an,” “at least one” and “at least a portion” are used, there is no intention to limit the claim to only one item unless specifically stated to the contrary in the claim. Further, when the language “at least a portion” and/or “a portion” is used the item may include a portion and/or the entire item unless specifically stated to the contrary.

Technology Classification (CPC): 2