Possibilities of Integrating 3D Scanning Into the Technology of Turbine Blade Machining

The paper addresses the integration of three-dimensional scanning into the end-to-end process chain for machining gas-turbine rotor blades. A comprehensive workflow is proposed in which optical 3D scanning is employed at all key stages: incoming inspection of workpiece forgings, in-process inspection after rough milling, and final inspection of finished parts. Polygonal STL models of the actual workpieces were used in the CAM environment as the real stock/allowance for toolpath computation; the resulting toolpaths are then verified in an integrated machine kinematic simulation (ISV), enabling early detection of potential collisions of the tool, holder, and spindle head with the part and fixtures. Traditional inspection approaches (templates and special gauges/ fixtures, coordinate-measuring machines) are compared with 3D scanning against criteria of information completeness, labor intensity, total cost of ownership, and suitability for small and medium batch sizes. It is shown that scanning provides full-field data coverage, fast feedback for NC program correction, and a reduction in gouging and crash risks—especially during five-axis finishing of complex aerodynamic airfoils. A techno-economic assessment is presented for 80- and 1600-part annual scenarios: during process ramp-up, 3D scanning eliminates the need for non-standard fixtures, reduces rework and scrap costs, and accelerates completion of machining process development. The results are additionally integrated into the PLM/MES loop: report generation, traceability data, and an SPC database; consistency with CMM control and re-verification after NC edits are ensured. The method reduces human-factor influence, improves repeatability, safety, and robustness, and facilitates changeover and scaling to other blade sizes. The resulting feedback speeds up stabilization of the process and lowers crash risks during the launch of series production.