Metrology in Motion – Fully Automated Inspection for Turbine Blade Cooling Holes
Turbine blades are among the most critical components of modern aircraft engines. Especially the tiny cooling holes play a decisive role in determining service life, efficiency, and safety. At this year’s Paris Air Show, Bruker Alicona is showcasing a fully automated measurement solution that sets new standards. The highlight is an application developed in close collaboration with MTU Aero Engines – one of the world’s leading engine manufacturers.
A Strategic Project with a Pioneering Spirit
The cooling hole solution, now used by MTU in series production, is the result of an intensive development partnership that began in 2018. Even back then, MTU turned to Bruker Alicona – initially with a collaborative robot (cobot) for optical inspections. Today, the Bruker Alicona µCMM, equipped with a custom-designed 130 mm working distance lens, tailored software, and dedicated fixtures, is an integral part of quality assurance at the Munich facility.
“We recognized early on that Bruker Alicona’s optical 3D metrology held great potential for our application,” says Michael Duffek, Quality Assurance Project Manager at MTU. “Especially when capturing complex geometries and enabling automation, we see clear advantages over conventional methods such as the fiber probe.”
High-Level Measurement – Fully Automated
Combining Advanced Focus Variation (AFV) with Vertical Focus Probing (VFP), the system enables non-contact 3D measurements of cooling holes – without stylus – including diameter, position, angle, minimum cylindrical length, and diffuser geometry. These parameters are currently being introduced into serial inspection. The setup is based on Bruker Alicona’s optical coordinate measuring machine, the µCMM, and includes:
- Custom-engineered 130 mm objective
- Cooling Hole Package with plug-in, measurement mode, and export functions
- Intelligent 3D alignment (3-2-1, line, hole)
- MetMaX software platform for teach-in based automation
The automated workflow consists of four steps: load the CAD model, define reference points, teach in the holes – and start measurement. This allows for efficient serial inspection of numerous cooling holes. MTU currently inspects three different blade types regularly with the system. Measurements are carried out directly in production, in a dedicated metrology room using 3R clamping systems and custom-designed fixtures developed by MTU.
Partnership Built on Collaboration
The development of such a specialized application naturally came with high technological demands. Topics like software stability and teach-in processes proved complex – typical for a project of this scale. However, collaboration on equal footing consistently led to solutions. “What convinced us was not only the technology but also the willingness to grow with us,” Duffek explains. “Bruker Alicona was always open to feedback – that built trust.”
The MTU cooling hole application shows that visionary solutions emerge when technology providers and users work closely together. What began as a trial without CAD, µCMM, or software platform has evolved into a highly specialized inspection process, with further development steps already underway. There is still plenty of potential for continued research and development.
For more information: www.alicona.com
