Abstract: Methods of manufacturing or repairing a turbine blade or vane are described. The airfoil portions of these turbine components are typically manufactured by casting in a ceramic mold, and a surface made up of the cast airfoil and at the least the ceramic core serves as a build surface for a subsequent process of additively manufacturing the tip portions. The build surface is created by removing a top portion of the airfoil and the core, or by placing an ultra-thin shim on top of the airfoil and the core. The overhang projected by the shim is subsequently removed. These methods are not limited to turbine engine applications, but can be applied to any metallic object that can benefit from casting and additive manufacturing processes. The present disclosure also relates to finished and intermediate products prepared by these methods.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to partial integrated core-shell investment casting molds that can be assembled into complete molds. Each section of the partial mold may contain both a portion of a core and portion of a shell. Each section can then be assembled into a mold for casting of a metal part. The partial integrated core-shell investment casting molds and the complete molds may be provided with filament structures corresponding to cooling hole patterns on the surface of the turbine blade or the stator vane, which provides a leaching pathway for the core portion after metal casting. The invention also relates to core filaments that can be used to supplement the leaching pathway, for example in a core tip portion of the mold.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing or repairing a turbine blade or vane are described. The airfoil portions of these turbine components are typically manufactured by casting in a ceramic mold, and a surface made up of the cast airfoil and at the least the ceramic core serves as a build surface for a subsequent process of additively manufacturing the tip portions. The build surface is created by removing a top portion of the airfoil and the core, or by placing an ultra-thin shim on top of the airfoil and the core. The overhang projected by the shim is subsequently removed. These methods are not limited to turbine engine applications, but can be applied to any metallic object that can benefit from casting and additive manufacturing processes. The present disclosure also relates to finished and intermediate products prepared by these methods.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing or repairing a turbine blade or vane are described. The airfoil portions of these turbine components are typically manufactured by casting in a ceramic mold, and a surface made up of the cast airfoil and at the least the ceramic core serves as a build surface for a subsequent process of additively manufacturing the tip portions. The build surface is created by removing a top portion of the airfoil and the core, or by placing an ultra-thin shim on top of the airfoil and the core. The overhang projected by the shim is subsequently removed. These methods are not limited to turbine engine applications, but can be applied to any metallic object that can benefit from casting and additive manufacturing processes. The present disclosure also relates to finished and intermediate products prepared by these methods.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing or repairing a turbine blade or vane are described. The airfoil portions of these turbine components are typically manufactured by casting in a ceramic mold, and a surface made up of the cast airfoil and at the least the ceramic core serves as a build surface for a subsequent process of additively manufacturing the tip portions. The build surface is created by removing a top portion of the airfoil and the core, or by placing an ultra-thin shim on top of the airfoil and the core. The overhang projected by the shim is subsequently removed. These methods are not limited to turbine engine applications, but can be applied to any metallic object that can benefit from casting and additive manufacturing processes. The present disclosure also relates to finished and intermediate products prepared by these methods.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for an airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes a trailing edge cooling circuit utilizing a plurality of trailing edge ejection holes. The ejection holes can include a circumferentially radiused inlet, a converging section, a metering section, and a diverging section to improve airfoil cooling as well as castability.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to integrated core-shell investment casting molds that provide a filament structure corresponding to a cooling hole pattern in the surface of the turbine blade, stator vane, or shroud. The disclosure also relates to the forming of a ceramic coating on at least a portion of the shell of the core-shell casting mold.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to integrated core-shell investment casting molds that provide a filament structure corresponding to a cooling hole pattern in the surface of the turbine blade, stator vane, or shroud. The disclosure also relates to the forming of a ceramic coating on at least a portion of the shell of the core-shell casting mold.

Abstract: Methods for direct writing of single crystal super alloys and metals are provided. The method can include: heating a substrate positioned on a base plate to a predetermined temperature using a first heater; using a laser to form a melt pool on a surface of the substrate; introducing a superalloy powder to the melt pool; measuring the temperature of the melt pool; receiving the temperature measured at a controller; and using an auxiliary heat source in communication with the controller to adjust the temperature of the melt pool. The predetermined temperature is below the substrate's melting point. The laser and the base plate are movable relative to each other, with the laser being used for direct metal deposition. An apparatus is also generally provided for direct writing of single crystal super alloys and metals.

Abstract: Methods for direct writing of single crystal super alloys and metals are provided. The method can include: heating a substrate positioned on a base plate to a predetermined temperature using a first heater; using a laser to form a melt pool on a surface of the substrate; introducing a superalloy powder to the melt pool; measuring the temperature of the melt pool; receiving the temperature measured at a controller; and using an auxiliary heat source in communication with the controller to adjust the temperature of the melt pool. The predetermined temperature is below the substrate's melting point. The laser and the base plate are movable relative to each other, with the laser being used for direct metal deposition. An apparatus is also generally provided for direct writing of single crystal super alloys and metals.

Abstract: A method of forming a cast component and a method of forming a casting mold is generally provided. The method is performed by plugging or covering an opening in a ceramic core-shell mold. The ceramic core-shell mold includes at least a first core portion, a first shell portion, and at least one first cavity between the core portion and the first shell portion. The core-shell mold may be manufactured using an additive manufacturing process. At least a portion of the ceramic core-shell mold and the plug or cover is coated with a second ceramic material.

Abstract: A method of forming a cast component and a method of forming a casting mold is generally provided. The method is performed by plugging or covering an opening in a ceramic core-shell mold. The ceramic core-shell mold includes at least a first core portion, a first shell portion, and at least one first cavity between the core portion and the first shell portion. The core-shell mold may be manufactured using an additive manufacturing process. At least a portion of the ceramic core-shell mold and the plug or cover is coated with a second ceramic material.

Abstract: Methods are provided for forming a thermal barrier coating system on a surface of a component. The method can include introducing the component into a coating chamber, where a first ceramic source material and a second ceramic source material are positioned within the coating chamber of a physical vapor deposition apparatus. An energy source is directed onto the first ceramic source material to vaporize the first ceramic source material to deposit a first layer on the component. The energy source is alternated between the first ceramic source material and the second ceramic source material to form a blended layer on the first layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to integrated core-shell investment casting molds that provide tongue or groove structures corresponding, respectively, to groove or tongue structures in the surface of the turbine blade or stator vane, including in locations that are otherwise inaccessible. The groove and tongue structures also provide a pathway to restrict cooling flow between turbine blades to the flowpath.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing machine includes a heated gas circulation system for regulating the temperature of additive powder throughout a powder bed and parts formed therein. The additive manufacturing machine includes a build platform defining a plurality of perforations and a heated gas supply that provides a flow of heated air into a distribution manifold and through the plurality of perforations and the powder bed to minimize temperature gradients within the powder bed which might otherwise result in distortion, thermal stresses, or cracking in the finished part.

Abstract: A method for producing a layered object is provided. The method includes a) irradiating a given surface layer of the object with an energy beam to create an interaction zone on the surface layer; b) providing relative motion between the energy beam and the given surface layer so as to control the interaction between the energy beam and the given surface layer; c) introducing feedstock into the interaction zone so that the feedstock melts and forms a hot solidified surface after leaving the interaction zone; d) applying mechanical energy to the hot solidified surface; and e) repeating steps (a) through (d) to form at least part of the layered object.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to casting molds including a casting shell surrounding at least a portion of a casting core comprising a first metal component and a hot isostactic pressed second metal component around the first metal component. In one aspect, the first metal component may have a lower melting point than the second metal component. In another aspect, the second metal component may retain some metal powder grain structure.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an object is provided. The method includes depositing a first material between second material such that the second material is at opposite sides of the first material, the first material forming a metal, ceramic, or metal-ceramic. The second material is selectively removable from the first material to reveal sidewalls of the first material so that the first material has a more uniform vertical profile than would be the case if the first material was deposited without the second material.

Abstract: A nickel-based superalloy composition includes from about 5 to about 7 wt % aluminum, from about 4 to about 8 wt % tantalum, from about 3 to about 8 wt % chromium, from about 3 to about 7 wt % tungsten, from 1 to about 5 wt % molybdenum, from 1.5 to about 5 wt % rhenium, from 5 to about 14 wt % cobalt, from about 0 to about 1 wt % hafnium, from about 0.01 to about 0.03 wt % carbon, from about 0.002 to about 0.006 wt % boron, and balance nickel and incidental impurities. The composition may exhibit a sustained peak low cycle fatigue life at 1800° F./45 ksi of at least about 4000 cycles. The nickel-based superalloy composition may be used in single-crystal or directionally solidified superalloy articles, such as a blade, nozzle, a shroud, a splash plate, and a combustor of a gas turbine engine.

Abstract: A coated component is generally provided, along with methods of forming such a coating system. The coated component includes a substrate having a surface with a coating system thereon. The coating system may include a columnar thermal barrier coating (TBC) over the surface of the substrate, with the columnar TBC including surface-connected voids. An intermediate layer is over the columnar TBC layer. The intermediate layer has a surface opposite of the columnar TBC that is rougher than the surface of the columnar TBC. A second TBC is over the intermediate layer.