United Technologies Corporation

Raytheon Technologies Corporation

Rtx Corporation

Thomas DeMichael

Daniel A Bales

Michael J Labbe

Wangen Lin

Herbert A Chin

James J Moor

Robert W Baumgarten

Michael P Smith

Francis B Parisi

Janet M Stanley

David S Murphy

Stephen L Mayers

Philip G Seeley

Brian T Hazel

Brian S Tryon

Eric W Malmborg

Russell Albert Beers

David A Rutz

John M Robertson

Billie W Bunting

Robert C Dolan

Gopal Das

Raymond M Walker

Michael A Moulin

Richard Gerst

Melissa R Hill

Steven R Bissell

David N Cunningham

A furnace for removing a molybdenum-alloy refractory metal core through sublimation comprising a retort furnace having an interior; a sublimation fixture insertable within the interior of the retort furnace, the sublimation fixture configured to receive at least one turbine blade having the molybdenum-alloy refractory metal core; a flow passage thermally coupled to the retort furnace configured to heat a fluid flowing through the flow passage and deliver the fluid to the molybdenum-alloy refractory metal core causing sublimation of the molybdenum-alloy refractory metal core.

Method for removing refractory metal cores

During a bonding process, a tip cap and an airfoil base are provided. The tip cap is arranged on the airfoil base. The tip cap is diffusion bonded to the airfoil base.

Methods and assemblies for bonding airfoil components together

A fixture assembly includes a first fixture portion, a second fixture portion that interfaces with the first fixture portion, and a sub-fixture movably mounted to the first fixture portion. A multiple of actuators selectively move the sub-fixture toward the second fixture portion. A method of manufacturing a fan blade includes deploying the sub-fixture from the first fixture portion to effectuate a peripheral diffusion bond to join the blade body and the cover of the fan blade.

Processes and tooling associated with diffusion bonding the periphery of a cavity-back airfoil

A fixture assembly including a first fixture portion; a second fixture portion that interfaces with the first fixture portion; and a bladder assembly mounted to the second fixture portion to face the first fixture portion. A method of manufacturing a fan blade includes inserting a blade body and a cover into a fixture; and deploying a bladder assembly within the fixture to press the cover into the blade body.

Processes and tooling associated with diffusion bonding

A method of forming a gas turbine engine component according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, attaching a cover skin to an airfoil body, the airfoil body and the cover skin cooperating to establish pressure and suction sides of an airfoil, positioning the airfoil between first and second dies of a deforming station, heating the airfoil body to a first predefined temperature threshold between the first and second dies, and moving the first die relative to the second die to hold the airfoil between the first and second dies subsequent to the heating step, and then deforming the airfoil between the first and second dies.

Method of forming gas turbine engine components

An embodiment of an apparatus includes means for peripherally welding a cavity-back blade and a cover of the cavity-back blade to form a 3-dimensional hollow blade assembly, and a plurality of bellows contained in one or both of a first die half and a second die half receiving the 3-dimensional hollow blade assembly. The plurality of bellows are disposed within the region defined around or inward of the peripherally welded interface of the cover and the blade. At least a portion of the plurality of bellows are arranged in a manner to provide pressure to the cover at approximately a 90 degree angle to each of a plurality of nodes, each node defined by an intersection of two or more ribs in the cavity-back blade.

Apparatus and method for selective bonding to form hollow components

A method of forming a gas turbine engine component according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, attaching a cover skin to an airfoil body, the airfoil body and the cover skin cooperating to define pressure and suction sides of an airfoil, and moving the airfoil in a forming line including a plurality of stations. The plurality of stations include a set of heating stations, a deforming station and a set of cool down stations. The moving step includes positioning the airfoil in the set of heating stations to progressively increase a temperature of the airfoil, then positioning the airfoil in the deforming station including causing the airfoil to deform between first and second dies, and then positioning the airfoil in the set of cool down stations to progressively decrease the temperature of the airfoil.

A method for forming a part having a dual property microstructure includes the steps of: forming a blank having a narrow top portion and a wide base portion; heating the blank to an elevated temperature; and forming a dual property microstructure in the blank by cooling different portions of the blank at different cooling rates.

Gamma titanium dual property heat treat system and method

A device and method for locally heat treating at least one airfoil in an integrally bladed rotor device. A pair of IR heat sources are positioned to direct IR heat rays in the direction where local heat treatment is required. A pair of parabolic mirrors are positioned to direct the IR heat rays on to the metal component. The heat treating is useful after welding the airfoil on to the rotor device.

Local heat treatment of IBR blade using infrared heating

A method of repairing a damaged coated vane from a turbine module without removing the vane from the module is taught. The method includes locally removing the coating in the vicinity of the damage as well as any underlying damage in the superalloy substrate. A diffusible coating precursor is then applied to the damage site. A heat treating fixture is then mounted on the vane and repair site is heated to up to 2000&#xb0; F. in an inert environment to interdiffuse the coating precursor and the substrate. After the diffusion anneal, the vane is cleaned and the module is returned to service.

Repair of coated turbine vanes installed in module

A process for heat treating selected portions of an integrally bladed rotor (IBR) having a plurality of blades, the process using an IBR on a fixture having a rotor engaging portion that moves the IBR into an environmental chamber. An IR heater is placed on one of the IBR blades and heat treated after air has been removed from the chamber and an inert gas is added. The IR heater is lifted from the blade and indexed to position another blade on the IBR. The process is repeated until all the IBR blades are heat treated.

Method and apparatus of heat treating an integrally bladed rotor

An apparatus and method for heat treating the welded area of a repaired gas turbine engine component uses first and second heating elements. The heating elements each include an insulating tube supported by a support rod and wrapped with a conducing wire. One of the heating elements is sized to fit inside a recess in the gas turbine engine component, adjacent to the welded area, while the second heating element is placed outside the recess, but also adjacent to the welded area, thereby heating the welded area from two sides.

Heat treating apparatus and method of using same

Systems and methods for providing localized heat treatment of metal components are provided. In this regard, a representative method includes: identifying a portion of a metal component to which localized heat treatment is to be performed; shielding an area in a vicinity of the portion of the metal component; and directing electromagnetic energy in the infrared (IR) spectrum toward the portion of the metal component such that the portion is heated to a desired temperature and such that the area in the vicinity of the portion that is subjected to shielding does not heat to the temperature desired for the heat treatment.

Growing community of inventors

Stafford Springs, CT, United States of America

Thomas DeMichael