Abstract: A system for manufacturing an integrally bladed rotor is provided. This system includes a ring component, wherein the ring component further includes at least one metal matrix composite and a continuous radially outwardly facing conical surface; an airfoil component, wherein the airfoil component further includes a plurality of individual airfoil blades, wherein at least a portion of each individual airfoil blade has been reinforced with at least one metal matrix composite, and wherein each of the plurality of airfoil blades further includes a radially inwardly facing blade conical surface; and inertia welding means for frictionally engaging under an axially applied weld load the ring component and the airfoil component to effect an inertia weld therebetween along the conical surfaces.

Abstract: A system for manufacturing an integrally bladed rotor is provided. This system includes a ring component, wherein the ring component further includes at least one metal matrix composite and a plurality of radially outwardly facing blade conical surfaces; an airfoil component, wherein the airfoil component further includes: a plurality of individual airfoil blades, wherein each of the plurality of airfoil blades further includes a radially inwardly facing blade conical surface; and inertia welding means for frictionally engaging under an axially applied weld load the ring component and the airfoil component to effect an inertia weld therebetween along the conical surfaces.

Abstract: A system for manufacturing an integrally bladed rotor is provided. This system includes a ring component, wherein the ring component further includes at least one metal matrix composite and a continuous radially outwardly facing blade conical surface; an airfoil component, wherein the at least one airfoil component has been created from a single, unitary piece of material and further includes a plurality of individual airfoil blades and a continuous radially inwardly facing blade conical surface; and inertia welding means for frictionally engaging under an axially applied weld load the ring component and the airfoil component to effect an inertia weld therebetween along the conical surfaces.

Abstract: A method of using a machining assembly to machine a plurality of different turbine components that include a dovetail having a contoured profile. The method includes removably coupling a first set of retainers into the machining assembly, the first set of retainers include an upper portion having a profile that substantially mirrors a portion of the first dovetail, and a lower portion having a profile that substantially mirrors an opposite side of the first dovetail, coupling a first turbine component between the upper and lower portions such that the first turbine component is secured by the first set of retainers, coupling the machining assembly into a milling machine, and machining at least one seal groove into the dovetail of the first turbine component.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for contour grinding wide blades at high speed, according to which a wheel (1) is used the grinding contour of which has a width dimension that is less than the width of the tip of the blades to be ground, said contour being defined by a straight area followed by an arched area at one end, with the straight area of which a straight grinding is carried out to deburr the tip of the blades, whereas with the arched area the contour grinding is carried out by the interpolation of axes.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of components composed of difficult-to-cut materials for gas turbines, in particular for manufacturing integrally bladed rotors for gas turbine aircraft engines, by producing recesses with one or more side walls, the recesses forming flow channels and the side walls forming blade surfaces, whereby material in the region of the flow channels is removed by a drilling process, and after the drilling process is finished the remaining material in the region of said flow channels is removed by a milling process. The unique combination of a drilling process followed by a milling process completing the material removal reduces significantly the manufacturing time.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an impeller includes the steps of: (a) forming an impeller having a plastic disc body and magnetisable material distributed and encapsulated within the body; (b) testing the imbalance of the impeller; (c) removing plastic material from the impeller to compensate for the tested imbalance; and (d) magnetising the magnetisable material to have an annular array of alternating poles.

Abstract: A platform arrangement for components such as aerofoil vanes 1, 21 is provided whereby the necessary rigidity provided by the platform does not create excess problems with respect to stress and strain fatigue failure at thinner sections of the component. The leading edge 6, 26 and trailing edge 7, 27 of a vane generally have a thinner section and so when subject to greater flex deformation such flex deformation may lead to premature failure through stress and strain. Structural configurations are now provided which comprise cut out windows 24 in the platform 22 beneath the edges 26, 27 or alternatively differential material types at these locations with a less stiff nature.

Abstract: A device is described for measuring a fluid, to be used advantageously in mixing devices for ingredients of liquid drinks. The device comprises an impeller, a diffuser upstream from the impeller and detecting means for the impeller (46). The diffuser (41) has a core (42), a ring-shaped peripheral portion (43) and one or more separators (45A, 45B) extending between the core (42) and the peripheral portion (43) and developing so as to define helical channels for fluid passage (44A, 44B). The invention also describes an advantageous method for carrying out said diffuser (41).

Abstract: A disc component for a gas turbine engine is produced from a workpiece by a sequence of machining operations. During the machining operations, the workpiece is supported by a fixture engaging support surfaces. The workpiece remains secured to the fixture throughout the sequence of machining operations so that these operations can be conducted on both faces of a disc portion of the workpiece without removing the workpiece from the fixture. The machining operations are conducted alternately on the opposite faces in order to allow residual stresses in the workpiece to dissipate in a controlled manner.

Abstract: A method of balancing a rotor (10), the said method comprising the steps of determining the position of the center of mass of a rotor (10) to be balanced prior to the rotor (10) being machined to its final dimensions, and machining the rotor (10) to its final dimensions by removing material substantially along the length of the rotor (10). The material is removed in the direction of its axis such that the center of mass of the rotor is adjusted to be substantially co-incident with its axis of rotation (22).

Abstract: A method of tuning a compressor stator blade having a base portion and an airfoil portion to achieve a desired natural frequency, includes a) identifying the natural frequency of the compressor stator blade; b) determining a different target natural frequency for the compressor stator blade; and c) removing material from the base portion of the compressor stator blade in an amount and in a configuration that achieves the target natural frequency. A frequency-tuned compressor stator blade includes an airfoil portion and a base portion, the base portion having a substantially solid rectangular shape; and a groove cut across a width dimension of the base portion, the groove having dimensions selected to obtain a predetermined natural frequency for the airfoil portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for correcting deformation of a gas turbine blade includes a stationary die fixed to a backside of a tip shroud of a gas turbine blade to hold a back surface thereof and a pressing die pressing a front surface of the tip shroud so as to press the tip shroud of the blade between the pressing die and the stationary. A hydraulic drive mechanism including pressure generator is arranged for pressing the pressing die against the tip shroud held by the stationary die and a control device is operatively connected to the hydraulic drive mechanism so as to set and indicate a driving condition on a basis of deformation correction data preliminarily stored in the control device.

Abstract: A method for plastic molding of a hub recess for a fast-running turbine component is provided. The plastic molding of the hub recess occurs by hydraulic expansion, by way of a hydraulic fluid introduced into the hub recess of the turbine component under high pressure.

Abstract: Airfoil blades are machined in a workpiece using a circular machining tool defining a machining ring having inner and outer circumferential surfaces. The airfoil blades are created by generating engagement movements between the rotating circular machining tool and the workpiece so as to define a concave side of an airfoil with the outer circumferential cutting surface of the machining ring and a convex side of an adjacent airfoil with the inner circumferential cutting surface of the machining ring.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a blisk comprises the steps of cutting a disk to a rough shape comprising a hub with a plurality of blade blanks projecting radially therefrom, machining each blade blank by tangential milling using a tool with a rotation spindle perpendicular to the radial direction to make repeated radial passes, the tool being turned through a facet angle with respect to the disk between each pass. Each blade blank is thus milled to a blade having faceted surfaces. Preferably, the width of each facet is smaller that 5 mm, and adjacent facets subtend angles smaller than 5°, or even more preferably smaller than 3°.

Abstract: A milling method is provided for the manufacture of components composed of difficult-to-cut materials for turbomachines, aircraft and spacecraft by producing recesses with one or more side walls. An end milling cutter which cuts at the circumference and at the tip and has a tip contour which is rounded towards the circumference is used as the rotating milling tool. In addition to rotation about its axis, the milling tool performs an eccentric orbiting motion about an orbital axis spaced apart from its axis. The opposite senses of rotation lead to downcut milling, and the orbital axis performs a translational advance motion on a straight and/or curved path transversely to its longitudinal direction, with or without a swivelling motion.

Abstract: A method of balancing a rotor (10), the said method comprising the steps of determining the position of the centre of mass of a rotor (10) to be balanced prior to the rotor (10) being machined to its final dimensions, and machining the rotor (10) to its final dimensions by removing material substantially along the length of the rotor (10). The material is removed in the direction of its axis such that the centre of mass of the rotor is adjusted to be substantially co-incident with its axis of rotation (22).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an impeller includes the steps of: (a) forming an impeller having a plastic disc body and magnetisable material distributed and encapsulated within the body; (b) testing the imbalance of the impeller; (c) removing plastic material from the impeller to compensate for the tested imbalance; and (d) magnetising the magnetisable material to have an annular array of alternating poles.

Abstract: Two methods for the manufacture of a welded rotor of a fluid-flow machine are described, through which rotor: a cooling medium flows through inflow and outflow passages inside the rotor and which is composed of a plurality of rotor disks, which are connected to one another by welds running radially or largely radially relative to the rotor axis and in each case enclose with one another a hollow passage, which runs around the rotor axis and interrupts the welds in such a way that a weld facing the rotor is directly adjacent to the hollow passage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for fabricating an integrally bladed rotor which comprises providing a hub section, preferably formed from a titanium based alloy, and welding an airfoil, also preferably formed from a titanium based alloy, to the hub section. The method further comprises partially aging and cooling the hub section prior to welding and aging the airfoil and the weld joint between the airfoil and the hub section subsequent to welding. The post welding aging step is preferably carried out using a novel encapsulated local airfoil heating device having a plurality of heating elements woven into a jacket made from a high temperature cloth material. The method of the present invention may also be used to repair integrally bladed rotors.

Abstract: A blisk includes a disk having a rim. A row of blades extends outwardly from the rib in a unitary construction. The blades are spaced apart in the disk rim to define fluted inner flowpath channels extending axially between the blades to bound corresponding flow passages therebetween.

Abstract: A blisk includes a disk having a rim. A row of blades extends outwardly from the rib in a unitary construction. The blades are spaced apart in the disk rim to define fluted inner flowpath channels extending axially between the blades to bound corresponding flow passages therebetween.

Abstract: The present invention provides a very compact, lightweight, turbomolecular pump for evacuating a chamber at volumetric flowrates of less than 10 liters per second. In one embodiment a turbomolecular pump is provided having a bladed rotor disposed within a housing, and mounted for rotation at one end on a passive magnetic main bearing and at the other end on a ball bearing. The pump is configured such that the magnetic bearing carries a majority of the rotor unbalance load. The rotor may be beneficially tapered from a larger diameter at the high vacuum end to a smaller diameter at the low vacuum end. The invention also provides a method of machining the blades of the rotor from a rotor blank using a single point tool in a two-step numerical control lathe operation. In another method of the invention, the rotor blades are individually cut using a high speed circular slitting saw by plunging the saw radially into the rotor blank.

Abstract: An integrated compressor disk and compressor blade (BLISK) having a specified shape is prepared by an electrochemical machining process having a cathode defined by a set of cathode shape parameters. A trial BLISK is prepared using a cathode defined by a set of trial shape parameters, and a set of deviations of the trial shape from the specified shape at a plurality of surface grid points on a surface of the trial article is measured. A set of revised cathode shape parameters is determined using at least one reshaping routine specific to the BLISK. A reshaped article is prepared using the electrochemical machining process and a reshaped cathode defined by the revised cathode shape parameters.

Abstract: The present invention contemplates a method of fabricating a ring or disk having select regions reinforced with a metal matrix composite material. In one embodiment the method includes forming the ring or disk of a high strength iron-cobalt metal matrix composite material. The ring or disk is formed by joining a plurality of metallic members with a composite member located between the metallic members. The metallic members and the composite member form a preassembly, which is subjected to a thermal and pressure cycle so as to cause a metallurgical bonding of the metallic members.

Abstract: A method and fixture assembly for assisting in the matching and assembly of components of a variable stator vane assembly of a gas turbine engine. The method generally entails a stator vane configured to be assembled to a casing with a spacer. The vane has a surface at a perimeter thereof and a seat offset from the surface. The spacer to which the vane is to be assembled has first and second surfaces offset relative to each other, the first surface being adapted to engage the seat of the vane and the second surface adapted to face the surface of the vane. The vane is installed within an opening in the casing so that a first sealing member is between the casing and the vane, the casing is between the first sealing member and a second sealing member, and the seat extends through the opening. A fixture is then mounted to the vane so that the casing and the first and second sealing members are clamped between the fixture and the vane under a load.