Rolls-royce Corporation

Mtu Motoren-und Turbinen-union Munchen Gmbh

Bryan L Benn

James E Boardman

Derek John Foster

Anthony L Pratt

John W Daines

Arnold J Pratt

Brian Towler

Walter H Stoll

In one aspect the invention provided a friction welded component comprising at least two structural support members spaced apart and connected by a plurality of first and second studs. Each of the first studs are friction welded at one end to a first of the support members and at the opposite end thereof to one end of a respective second stud. Each of the second studs are friction welded to a respective first stud and a second of the support members along a continuous annular friction welded joint having a frusto-conical configuration. Another aspect of the invention provides a friction welding method comprising the steps of: friction welding a plurality of first studs at one end thereof to a first structural support member positioning a second structural member having a plurality of apertures adjacent the opposite ends of the first studs with the apertures positioned in register with the said first studs; and, friction welding a plurality of second studs to the said second support member with each of the second studs extending through a respective aperture and being friction welded along a continuous friction weld surface to the second support member and a respective first stud.

Friction welding

A method of making a titanium fan disc for a gas turbine engine comprises the steps of providing a pair of identical forged titanium cylinders each having a central bore and a flat end surface at right angles to its central axis, preparing the flat end surface of each cylinder to a high degree of smoothness, abutting the prepared surfaces of the cylinders one against the other in axial alignment, removing air from between said surfaces, and diffusion bonding the cylinders end-to-end by hot isostatic pressing to form the disc.

Diffusion bonding turbine fan disc

A delicate or awkward to grip component which is to be friction bonded to another has formed on it a flange or like formation which can be gripped firmly by a wedging action. The component is loaded into a shuttle, provided with a releasable wedge clamp, which is carried by the output drive member of a friction bonding machine. Machine forces for the necessary friction heating and bonding phases of the operation are transmitted to component through faces on the shuttle which abut the component flange.

Friction bonding apparatus

Known methods of controlling inertia welding and friction welding processes fail to control metal upset, and so require post machining of the welded components. The invention pre-determines the ideal rates of relative rotation, force applied and metal upset rates for a given material to be welded, enters those rates in a microprocessor memory and then connects the microprocessor to the apparatus on which the weld is to be effected. The microprocessor monitors the actual rates, compares them with the ideal rates and, should differences occur, generates signals from those differences with which to adjust operation of the apparatus.

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Bristol, United Kingdom

Bryan L Benn