General Electric Company

Robert Paul Tyler

Charles Richard Evans

Jan Christopher Schilling

Weiping Wang

Wendy Wen-Ling Lin

Mark Eugene Noe

Scott Roger Finn

Mark Willard Marusko

Mustafa Dindar

Michael James Verrilli

Paul Izon

William Elliot Bachrach

John Michael Muldoon

Christopher Hasse

Albert Benjamen Crogan

Methods for fabricating a component of a gas turbine engine are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes molding a CMC material to form a first portion of the gas turbine engine component, processing the first portion to form a first assembly, preparing the first assembly and a second portion of the gas turbine engine component for processing, and processing the first assembly and second portion to form a second assembly. In another embodiment, the method includes processing a first plurality of CMC plies to form a first assembly; positioning the first assembly and a second plurality of CMC plies on a tool for processing, the first assembly defining a first plane, the second plurality of plies defining a second plane, wherein the second plane is perpendicular to the first plane; and processing the first assembly and the second plurality of plies to form a second assembly.

Fabrication of gas turbine engine components using multiple processing steps

A multi-component hybrid turbine blade comprises a shank portion and an airfoil portion. The airfoil portion comprises a composite section having a first density. The composite section comprises a recess and an insert section. The insert section has a second mass density, which is less than the first mass density. The insert section is disposed in the recess, and the insert section is bonded to the composite section. The composite section and the insert section together define an airfoil shape. A fabrication method comprising laying up composite material layers to form a portion of the composite section. The portion of the composite section comprises a recess. Disposing the insert section in the recess. Laying up additional composite material layers to achieve a final desired thickness of the composite section while covering the insert section.

Multi-component hybrid turbine blade

A flexible tool that fits over the pressure or concave side of a metallic airfoil that includes a lightweight material component for a gas turbine engine during the fabrication of the airfoil. The metallic fan airfoil includes pockets or cavities that have been machined into the airfoil in order to reduce the weight of the airfoil. The tool is a flexible body manufactured from sheets of composite material and includes an integral elastomeric seal. The tool is placed over the airfoil and forms a seal against the pressure side of the airfoil so that lightweight resin can be injected into the pockets and retained in position during curing. The flexible tool is formed by laying up thin sheets of composite material that includes fiber over a metallic master tool after partially cured elastomeric material is placed inside a marking corresponding to the airfoil perimeter. The metallic master tool also includes slot positions corresponding to preselected positions, that form integral projections which allow the flexible tool to be correctly assembled and sealed against the airfoil.

Composite caul sheet with integral seal used in the fabrication of lightweight airfoils and method of making

A caul is used in an autoclave process for consolidating a composite, multi-ply, gas turbine fan blade preform having first and second opposite sides and a varying thickness therebetween. The caul includes a body having fibers situated in a matrix. The caul is complementary in shape to the preform first side and has a bending flexibility varying over the body for correspondingly varying consolidation of the preform. The second side of the preform is shaped by a bottom mold in the autoclave chamber.

Selectively flexible caul and method of use

Growing community of inventors

Harrison, OH, United States of America

Robert Paul Tyler