Siemens Energy, Inc.

Mikro Systems, Inc.

Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation

Siemens Power Generation, Inc.

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Siemens Energy Global Gmbh & Co. Kg

Other

Raytheon Technologies Corporation

Gary Brian Merrill

Jay Alan Morrison

Jay Edgar Lane

Andrew Jeremiah Burns

Ching-Pang Lee

Iain Fraser

John R Paulus

Steven James Vance

Daniel George Thompson

Michael Anthony Burke

Allister William James

Cora Schillig

Thomas Barrett Jackson

Ahmed Kamel

Christian X Campbell

Yevgeniy P Shteyman

John Joseph Marra

Michael P Appleby

Harry A Albrecht

Steven C Butner

Douglas A Keller

Anthony L Schiavo

Jose L Rodriguez

Benjamin E Heneveld

Nicholas F Martin, Jr

Ramesh Subramanian

Anand A Kulkarni

Kok-Mun Tham

Alfred Paul Matheny

Kazim Ozbaysal

Chander Prakash

Marc Tertilt

Gm Salam Azad

Malberto Gonzalez

Stefan Lampenscherf

Chris Campbell

Clinton A Mayer

Zhihong Gao

Stefan Hoffmann

Roy Eakins

Jill Klinger

Robert William Kreutzer

Jonathan E Shipper

David Charles Radonovich

Dhafer Jouini

David G Sansom

Stefan Mazzola

Megan Schaenzer

Neil Hitchman

Christine Taut

Matthew J Golsen

Dimitrios Zois

Daniel Hofmann

Scott M Widrig

Ian T Doran

Jonathan E Shipper, Jr

Eric V Carelli

Steve James Vance

Barrry L Allmon

Kevin C Sheehan

Curtis Gosik

Douglas Bingaman

Stefan Schell

Evan McNeil Ludeman

Cora Hitchman

Andreas Heselhaus

Todd Willis

Vijay Parthasarathy

Iain Alasdair Fraser

Gabriel Victor Orsinger

Stephen Wright

Daniel Ellgass

Iain A Fraser

Michael A Burke

Mark Tertilt

An investment casting process for a hollow component such as a gas turbine blade utilizing a ceramic core () that is cast in a flexible mold () using a low pressure, vibration assisted casting process. The flexible mold is cast from a master tool () machined from soft metal using a relatively low precision machining process, with relatively higher precision surfaces being defined by a precision formed insert () incorporated into the master tool. A plurality of identical flexible molds may be formed from a single master tool in order to permit the production of ceramic cores at a desired rate with a desired degree of part-to-part precision.

Investment casting process for hollow components

A ceramic core () for an investment casting process () including a subsurface internal channel () for the introduction of leachate () to improve the effectiveness of a leaching process used to remove the core () from a cast alloy component (). The subsurface internal channel may be completely hollow, or it may include one or more ribs (). The core may be formed () using a 3D printing process wherein a carrier material () is deposited in a central region of the channel for the purpose of supporting an overlying layer () of core material, with the carrier material later being removed to reveal the hollow internal channel ().

Effective leaching of alumina-based casting cores

An investment casting core () incorporates an alignment guide () extending through a body () of the core. The alignment guide () defines a coolant flow path () in a later-cast metal component () extending from a coolant outlet opening () in an impingement structure () to an impingement target area () of a cooling feature () formed on an impingement cooled surface () of the component (). Methods of making the core () and using the core () in lost wax investment casting processes are also described.

Investment casting core with cooling feature alignment guide and related methods

A molding tool () for manufacturing cooling features in a ceramic core for a casting process includes a first mold portion () comprising a crossover hole forming feature (); a second mold portion () comprising an impingement jet receiving forming feature () for forming an impingement jet receiving feature having a desired aiming point (); and a sacrificial alignment member () for extending at least partially into the crossover hole forming feature () at least partially into the aiming point () of the impingement jet receiving forming feature () for substantially aligning a central axis () of the crossover hole forming feature () with the aiming point () to maintain a crossover hole and aiming point alignment during casting to ensure that the jet is directed at the aiming point () in a resultant cast part.

Manufacturing aligned cooling features in a core for casting

A method of manufacturing a substrate () with a ceramic thermal barrier coating (). The interface between layers of the coating contains an engineered surface roughness () to enhance the mechanical integrity of the bond there between. The surface roughness is formed in a surface of a mold () and is infused by a subsequently cast layer of material (). The substrate may be partially sintered () prior to application of the coating layer(s) and the coated substrate and coating layer(s) may be co-sintered to form a fully coherent strain-free interlayer.

Method of forming a thermal barrier coating system with engineered surface roughness

A method of manufacturing a tooling assembly and the tooling assembly () for ceramic cores. The tooling assembly includes a backing plate () comprising a top surface (), side surfaces (), and a bottom surface () and a plurality of lithographically derived inserts () each having a bottom surface (), side surfaces (), and a positive top surface () and pieced together on the top surface () of the backing plate (). The method includes providing the backing plate () and plurality of lithographically derived inserts (). A non-conformal positive surface is generated from the plurality of lithographically derived inserts (). A negative flexible mold is created from the non-conformal positive surface. The negative flexible mold is then prepared for casting for an advanced ceramic core.

Manufacturing method and tooling for ceramic cores

A component is provided and includes a core including a ceramic matrix composite material, one or more cooling channels formed about the core, an outer metal shell disposed about the core and the one or more cooling channels and a protective material between the core and the outer metal shell. The one or more cooling channels are formed about the core as an array of cooling channels in the protective material.

Hybrid component with cooling channels and corresponding process

A method of manufacturing protruding cast in features (). At least one core insert () is manufactured using small particle sizes. A bulk core body is manufactured using large particle sizes. The at least one core insert () and bulk core body are fully fired separately. The at least one core insert () is bonded with the bulk core body.

Method of manufacturing a hybridized core with protruding cast in cooling features for investment casting

A hard tool configuration and method of manufacturing advanced detailed trailing edge features in a core for casting. The hard tool configuration includes at least a first platform and a second platform. The hard tool configuration also includes a first end of a plurality of removable rake elements removably attached to at least one of the first platform and the second platform. The hard tool configuration also includes an internal mold geometry in a spacing in between the center facing side of the first platform and the center facing side of the second platform.

Method of manufacturing advanced features in a core for casting

A process for forming a component is provided. The process includes providing a cooling channel flow definition at least partially about a core including a ceramic matrix composite material. A metal material is cast about the core and the cooling channel flow definition to form an outer metal shell. In addition, a cooling channel is formed from the cooling channel flow definition in the component.

Delamination of thermal barrier coatings ('TBC's') () from superalloy substrates () of components () for turbine engines (), such as engine blades (), vanes (), or castings in transitions (), is inhibited during subsequent cooling passage () formation. Partially completed cooling passages (), which have skewed passage paths that end at a terminus (), which is laterally offset from the passage entrance (), are formed in the superalloy component () prior to application of the TBC layer(s) (). The skewed, laterally offset path of each partially completed cooling passage () establishes an overhanging shield layer () of superalloy material that protects the TBC layer () during completion of the cooling passage ().

Forming cooling passages in thermal barrier coated, combustion turbine superalloy components

A method for protecting the hybrid ceramic structure from moisture attack in a high temperature combustion environment is provided. The structure includes a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) substrate (). A thermal insulation material () is disposed on the substrate. A vapor resistant material () is applied through at least one surface of the hybrid ceramic structure while the hybrid ceramic structure is in a bisque condition that provides a degree of porosity to the hybrid ceramic structure so that the vapor resistant material is infiltrated through interstices available within a thickness of the hybrid ceramic structure.

Method for protecting a hybrid ceramic structure from moisture attack in a high temperature environment

A superalloy component such as a gas turbine engine blade () having a ceramic thermal barrier coating () is repaired using a textured repair foil (). A degraded region of the thermal barrier coating is removed () and the underlying superalloy material surface is prepared () for re-coating. The repair foil is includes a layer of boron-free braze material () and a layer of superalloy material () having a textured surface (). The foil is brazed () to the prepared surface during a solution heat treatment effective to homogenize the braze (). A new area of thermal barrier coating () is applied over the foil with a bond that is enhanced by the texturing of the foil surface.

Component repair using brazed surface textured superalloy foil

A component (A,B,C) has a core formed of a stack () of sheets () of material with cutouts (A) aligned to form passages () in the core. An outer casing () spans the stack axially (), brackets at least parts of opposed ends of the stack, and holds the sheets together in axial compression (). Respective cooperating elements () on the casing and the stack may register the casing with respect to the stack. Pins () in some sheets may engage holes () in adjacent sheets to register the sheets with each other. The casing may be segmented (A,B,C). A hoop () may be compressed around the segmented casing. A gas turbine fuel injector may be formed of a stack () with an inlet element () compressed () onto the stack by the casing ().

Product with internal passages made of stacked sheets with compressive casing

Growing community of inventors

Orlando, FL, United States of America

Gary Brian Merrill