Erosion at the leading edge and tip of the blade: Replacing the eroded section with a compatible superalloy restores the geometry without having to wait for a new blade.
These components experience wear and erosion concentrated at the leading edge and the blade tip, areas subject to particle erosion, high-temperature oxidation, and contact with the housing during operation.
DED allows for the precise cladding of these critical areas with nickel-based superalloys (Inconel 625/718) that are identical to or compatible with the base metal, restoring the original blade geometry and length.
This repair avoids the need to replace a blade with a new one, which is costly and has a long lead time, particularly for high-power turbines where each stage contains numerous blades. Precise control of the heat input is essential here to preserve the single-crystal or grain-oriented microstructure specific to these high-performance components.
