The paper discusses highlights of a silicon nitride processing methodology that has been developed in the course of a major four-year DoE funded program in processing for reliability. The program focused on the attainment of high strength and reliability through the identification and subsequent control of strength-degrading flaws introduced during processing unit operations. Process control and NDE methods applied to achieve an optimized process with the potential to produce high-reliability advanced heat engine components are discussed. Concluding remarks are directed to the extensive tensile strength database that has been generated through testing of over 300 tensile rods produced by the optimized process.

Issue Section:
Gas Turbines: Manufacturing and Materials
Topics:
Heat engines, Reliability, Silicon nitride ceramics, Databases, Experimental design, Nondestructive evaluation, Process control, Rods, Tensile strength, Testing
1.
Pujari, V. K., Amin, K. E., and Tewari, P. H., 1991a, “Development of Improved Processing and Evaluation of Silicon Nitride,” ASME Paper No. 91-GT-317.
2.
Pujari, V. K., et al., 1991b, “Reliability Improvements of High Strength Silicon Nitride Through Process Optimization and Control,” Proceedings of the Annual Automotive Technology Development Contractors’ Coordination Meeting, Dearborn, MI, Oct. 28–31.
3.
Pujari
V. K.
,
Sales
L. C.
,
Wang
J. S.
, and
Fraser
J.
,
1992
, “
Precision Casting Process Control by Ultrasonic Technique
,”
Ceramic Engineering and Science Proceedings
, Vol.
13
,
7
–
8
.
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Copyright © 1995
 by The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
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