Numerical and Experimental Analysis for Reducing Straightening Rates in the Manufacturing of Low-Pressure Compressor Stator Blades at Safran Blades Safran Blades

Abstract

The manufacturing of high-precision stator blades relies on a complex sequence of production steps, each requiring a high level of control and accuracy. Despite a standardized production chain, in which each blade undergoes similar transformations, ensuring consistent quality remains a major challenge, even in advanced industrial environments such as Safran Blades.

Currently, corrective straightening operations became necessary to meet the strict dimensional tolerances imposed by design specifications. Although effective, these operations are time-consuming and costly. Within a continuous improvement approach aimed at achieving more controlled and repeatable production, this work focuses on reducing the reliance on such corrective processes.

To this end, a dual and complementary approach is adopted, in which experimental observations and numerical modelling are tightly connected. First, a data-driven experimental analysis is conducted based on field measurements, dimensional inspections, and statistical evaluation of production data, in order to identify critical zones within the manufacturing chain and to characterize the main sources of variability affecting blade geometry. These observations provide the physical basis and boundary conditions required for the numerical study. Subsequently, a numerical approach using the FORGE 4.0 NXT software is developed to reproduce the thermo-mechanical transformations undergone by the blade during the manufacturing process, with a particular focus on stress relaxation phenomena. In parallel, dimensional monitoring of produced parts, carried out using ZEISS Inspect Optical 3D, enables direct comparison between simulated and real geometric evolution, thereby ensuring model calibration and validation under industrial conditions.

The results highlight several opportunities for improving the control and quantification of geometric deviations, particularly during the vertical forging and heat treatment stages. A correlation between experimental measurements and numerical simulations is established, enabling the identification of critical steps in the process. Based on these observations, potential improvement strategies are proposed.

This work also opens perspectives for further optimization of the production chain, notably through enhanced process monitoring, improved simulation strategies for key manufacturing steps, and a better understanding of both average deviations and their dispersion within production batches.

In addition, this study contributed to the development of practical expertise in numerical simulation using FORGE 4.0 NXT, as well as hands-on experience in dimensional analysis within an industrial environment. This dual perspective provides a comprehensive understanding of both the physical phenomena involved and the associated production data.