Rolls-Royce Corporation

Derek John Foster

Timothy Peter Roberts

John W Daines

Peter J Gillbanks

Bryan L Benn

Keith C Moloney

Michael S Hodgson

Sandra J King

In one aspect the invention provides a friction welded component and a method of manufacture for such a component, comprising friction welding a reinforcement element () at an end cross-section thereof to a surface of a thin walled member () with an interlayer member () interposed between the reinforcement element and the surface of the thin walled member. The thin walled member and/or the interlayer are preferably of the same or similar material and the thickness of the thin walled member is preferably less than or equal to 6 mm and more preferably in the range 0.5 to 2 mm with the diameter of the reinforcement element being greater than 10 times the thickness of the thin walled member. The invention finds particular application in the fabrication of bosses to gas turbine aero-engine casings and fabricated nozzle components, for example.

Friction welding

The present invention relates to rotary friction welding and non-rotary motion friction welding, providing means for controlling ductilities of the components during the welding process so as to bias the welding process in favor of a first component or to match the ductilities of different components thereby facilitating the welding process.

Method and apparatus for friction welding

In one aspect the invention provides a friction welded component, and a method of manufacture for such a component, comprising a pair of upstanding tubular members ( ) which are friction welded at their respective end cross-sections, in coaxial concentric relationship, to a surface of a thin walled member ( ). A reinforcement means ( ) is provided in the region between the tubular members such that loads acting on the tubular members are more evenly distributed to the thin walled member. The wall thickness of the thin walled member is substantially the same as or greater than the wall thickness of the tubular members The invention finds particular application in the fabrication of bosses to gas turbine aero-engine casings.

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.

A method of making an integrally bladed disc for a gas turbine engine, the disc having at least one blade the radially outermost surface of which is coated with a material harder than that of the blade, the method comprising the steps of: providing a forged disk blank of a first material; friction surfacing at least part of the circumference of the blank with a second material harder than the first material; and machining the blank so as to provide an integrally balded disc wherein the radially outermost surface of at least one blade is coated with said second material.

Integrally bladed disks or drums

An apparatus for winding a filament onto a former includes one or more filament supply bobbins mounted on an annular carrier for rotation about a first axis for receiving a plurality of windings of the filament, and a translation device for moving the former relative to the carrier along a path which passes through the carrier thereby enabling the filament to be wrapped around the former. A guide member guides the filament from a respective bobbin to the former, the guide member defining a radially outward facing cylindrical surface. The apparatus reduces bending of the filament as it is wound onto the former.

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Bristol, United Kingdom

Derek John Foster