LASER ENGINEERED NET SHAPING FOR REPAIR AND HYDROGEN COMPATIBILITY

Abstract

A method to repair mismatched or damaged components using Laser Engineered Net Shaping{sup R} (LENS) technology to apply material was investigated for its feasibility for components exposed to hydrogen. The mechanical properties of LENS bulk materials were also tested for hydrogen compatibility. The LENS process was used to repair simulated and actual mismachined components. These sample components were hydrogen charged and burst tested in the as-received, as-damaged, and as-repaired conditions. The testing showed that there was no apparent additional deficiency associated with hydrogen charging compared to the repair technique. The repair techniques resulted in some components meeting the requirements while others did not. Additional procedure/process development is required prior to recommending production use of LENS.