General Electric Company

Nicholas Frederick Wendeln

Timothy P Coons

Theodore Robert Grossman

Aaron Todd Sellinger

Ryan Marcus Young

Paul Edward Gray

Joseph John Nick

Systems and methods for thermally processing composite components are provided. In one exemplary aspect, a system includes a thermal system, a mover device, and a control system. The system also includes a plurality of vessels in which one or more components may be placed. The vessels are similarly shaped and configured. A vessel containing the one or more components therein may be mounted into a chamber defined by the thermal system during thermal processing. The thermal system and vessels include features that allow components to be thermally processed, e.g., compacted, burnt-out, and densified via a melt-infiltration process, a polymer impregnation and pyrolyzing process, or a chemical vapor infiltration process. utilizing the same thermal system and common vessel design. The control system may control the thermal system and mover device to automate thermal processing of the composite components.

Systems and methods for thermally processing CMC components

A system and method of melt infiltrating components is provided. In one example aspect, an inductive heating system includes a heating source that inductively heats a susceptor. The susceptor defines a working chamber in which components can be received. During melt infiltration, the system can heat the susceptor and thus the components and melt infiltrants disposed within the working chamber at a first heating rate. The first heating rate can be faster than 50&#xb0; C./minute. The system can then heat the components and melt infiltrants at a second heating rate. The first heating rate is faster than the second heating rate. Thereafter, the system can heat the components and infiltrants at a third heating rate. The third heating rate can be a constant rate at or above the melting point of the melt infiltrants. The infiltrants can melt and thus infiltrate into the component to densify the component.

Induction melt infiltration processing of ceramic matrix composite components

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Nicholas Frederick Wendeln