What should be avoided when recontouring turbine engine blades to minimize stress points?

Using harsh abrasives when recontouring turbine engine blades can introduce micro-cracks or surface imperfections that act as stress concentrators. These imperfections can significantly weaken the material, leading to premature failure or catastrophic failure during operation. Additionally, harsh abrasives can remove material in an uneven manner, resulting in a poorly finished blade surface.

In contrast, creating smooth contours promotes a more uniform stress distribution across the blade surface, reducing the likelihood of fatigue failures. Blending parallel to the blade length is important for maintaining aerodynamic efficiency and structural integrity, and ensuring consistency in blade geometry helps in achieving the desired operational performance and longevity of the blades. Hence, the correct approach in recontouring turbine engine blades is to avoid materials and methods that could compromise the structural integrity and performance of the blades.