State-of-the-art technologies of turbine blade machining by methods of creep feed grinding

The paper highlights the modern method of high-performance machining of geometrically complex surfaces of gas turbine engine (GTE) blades, i.e. the method of creep feed grinding. This method is widely used to machine parts made of the difficult-to-get materials, e.g. the heat-resistant nickel alloys and the cobalt based alloys applied in the production of GTE parts. The grinding process under consideration is the main technological procedure to machine the geometrically complex surfaces of turbine blade roots. It is these surfaces that determine the precise position of blades on the wheels, and correspondingly in GTE rotors and stators. The cut-maps for blade root creep feed grinding are presented, including their detailed description and guidelines in terms of their application under production conditions subject to automated production and the employment of equipment manufactured by well-known companies.