Rolls-royce Corporation

Ian J Andrews

Michael James Wallis

Dean G Jones

David Rugg

Jacquelyn A Westley

Ian Fearn

A turbomachine fan blade preform () comprising a pair of mutually opposing panels (), and a membrane () sandwiched between the pair of panels (). The membrane () is of a non-uniform thickness. The thickness of at least a portion of the membrane tapers along its length and/or width, between a relative thicker first region and relatively thinner second region.

Fan blade

A method of manufacturing a hollow component, such as a fan blade for a gas turbine engine, includes the steps of: (a) providing first and second panels and a membrane; (b) providing a stop-off material on at least one of the first and second panels and the membrane to define regions where no diffusion bonding is to take place; (c) assembling the panels and the membrane together so the membrane is between the panels; (d) diffusion bonding the panels and the membrane together. The method is such that when assembled in step (c) the membrane does not extend to at least one edge of the first and second panels, so that in that region the first and second panels are diffusion bonded directly to each other.

Hollow component manufacture

A ducted fan gas turbine engine aerofoil is made by electron beam welding together at least two metal sheets () and () and electron beam welding that sub assembly via an end to a root that has been manufactured in a separate operation, and then heating the whole to a temperature that will convert the electron beam welds to diffusion bonds.

Method of making and joining an aerofoil and root

In a laser shock peening process, the shape of the spot generated by the laser beam is changed on the fly. This is achieved, for example, by a masking device which is movable into and out of the path of the laser beam. Laser shock peening spots can consequently be shaped so as to avoid the spots overlapping an edge of the workpiece, or any other feature which may be damaged by the laser energy.

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Willington, United Kingdom

Ian J Andrews