General Electric Company

Matthew James O'Connell

Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam

Canan Uslu Hardwicke

Paul Stephen DiMascio

Mark Lawrence Hunt

Warren Martin Miglietti

Dechao Lin

David Vincent Bucci

Dennis William Cavanaugh

Steve Paul Byam

Jamison William Janawitz

Ronald Lee Souther

Todd Steven Moran

Ron Lee Souther

A composite turbine blade and a method of manufacture thereof is disclosed. The composite turbine blade comprises a turbine blade portion comprising a first material and a first tip plate comprising a second material. The turbine blade portion has an exterior wall and an interior wall surrounding a hollow interior cavity, and a top surface extending from the exterior wall to the interior wall bounding an orifice that is fluidly connected to the hollow interior cavity. The first tip plate may be attached to the turbine blade along the top surface and extending from proximate the exterior wall of the turbine blade across the orifice to cover the orifice.

Composite turbine blade and method of manufacture

Methods and apparatus for welding a component to fill a groove therein. The method entails simultaneously projecting an electric arc and at least first and second laser beams into the groove. The electric arc melts and deposits a filler material in the groove while the first and second laser beams are projected onto opposite first and second walls, respectively, of the groove. The axis of each of the first and second laser beams is oriented at an acute angle relative to the respective wall thereof.

Welding method and apparatus therefor

Composite turbine blade and method of manufacture thereof

Growing community of inventors

Simpsonville, SC, United States of America

Matthew James O'Connell