Additively manufactured journal bearing for a wind turbine gearbox

US11865621B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• General Electric Company · US

Inventors

• Hayden McgarityBashiri · Springdale, US
• Aaron Wertz · Cincinnati, US
• Kevin Michael VandeVoorde · Cincinnati, US
• Raed Zuhair Hasan · Greenville, US
• Priyangu Chunilal Patel · Simpsonville, US
• John P. Davis · Greer, US
• Ganesh Raut · Kanchinakote, IN

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 25, 2019
• Grant date: Jan 9, 2024
• Expiry date: May 28, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P70/50
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a gear assembly of a gearbox in a wind turbine includes providing a pin shaft of the gear assembly. The method also includes depositing material onto an exterior surface of the pin shaft of the gear assembly via an additive manufacturing process driven by a computer numerical control (CNC) device to form a bearing that circumferentially surrounds and adheres to the pin shaft. Further, the method includes providing a gear circumferentially around the bearing to form the gear assembly.