Abstract: A turbine engine axial series of members, axially distinct at least radially outwardly, enables independent axial movement to close gaps therebetween, eliminating need for fluid seals. During engine operation, an axially forward first member surface is movable an axial movement distance to close any gap between the first member and a second member that floats axially independently of adjacent members and that is movable axially responsive to axial force from the first member. Axial movement of the second member toward a third member closes any gap therebetween, the axial length of the gap, prior to engine operation, being substantially no greater than the axial movement distance of the first member.

Abstract: A turbine engine shroud segment having a body including a circumferentially arcuate radially inner surface defining a circumferential arc and a radially outer surface is provided, at least at one axially spaced apart outer surface edge portion surface, with a surface depression extending circumferentially across the outer edge portion and including a planar seal surface. The planar seal surface is spaced apart radially outwardly from the circumferential arc defining a spaced apart chord of the arc. The planar seal surface is joined with the segment body radially outer surface through an arcuate transition surface. In a circumferential assembly of a plurality of the shroud segments into a turbine engine shroud assembly, at least one of the outer surface edge portions and its respective depression portion and fluid seal surface is distinct axially from an axially juxtaposed engine member by a separation therebetween.

Abstract: A method is provided for refurbishing a service operated metallic coating on a substrate alloy, the coating including at least within a coating outer surface at least one oxide chemically grown from at least one coating element, for example Al, and chemically bonded with the coating outer surface as a result of thermal exposure during service operation. Growth of the oxide has depleted at least a portion of the coating element from the coating. The method comprises removing the oxide from the coating outer surface while substantially retaining the metallic coating, thereby exposing in the coating outer surface at least one surface void that had been occupied by the oxide. The retained metallic coating is mechanically worked, substantially without removal of the retained coating, to close the void, providing a treated metallic coating surface over which a refurbishing coating is applied.

Abstract: A turbine engine shroud segment comprises a body including a radially outer surface having axially and circumferentially spaced apart edge surfaces. The segment includes a projection integral with and projecting generally radially outwardly from the body, and positioned at a generally midway surface portion between the axially spaced apart edge surfaces. The projection comprises a head and a transition portion with a cross section smaller than that of the head and integral with and between the head and the body. In a turbine engine shroud assembly, a plurality of such shroud segments are assembled circumferentially with a shroud hanger carrying the projection in a hanger cavity through end portions of radially inner opposed hook members that register with the projection at the transition portion.

Abstract: A turbine engine shroud segment, preferably a low ductility material, for example a ceramic matrix composite, comprises a segment body extending between body circumferential ends. The body includes a body radially inner surface arcuate at least circumferentially, and a body radially outer surface from which a plurality of hooks extend generally radially outwardly. Each hook comprises a generally radially outwardly extending hook arm with a generally axially extending hook end having a generally radially inner surface in spaced apart juxtaposition with a portion of the body radially outer surface. Such body outer surface includes at least two body contact surfaces each matched in shape and in juxtaposition at least at body circumferential ends with a cooperating hanger contact surface. The radially inner surface of each hook end includes a hook end contact surface matched in shape with a cooperating hanger contact surface at least in a circumferential middle portion of such surface.

Abstract: An article made of a metallic material and comprising a body and a body end portion integral with the body, includes a band of the metallic material at the end portion substantially through the entire end portion, the band being under a compressive stress greater than the body. An example of the article is a turbine engine blading member in which the body is the airfoil of the member and the band is disposed at the radially outer tip portion of the airfoil. One method for providing the band includes performing roller deformation on the end portion until a desired amount of compressive stress is developed in the band substantially through the entire end portion.

Abstract: An article, for example a turbine engine component such as a shroud, airfoil, etc., comprises a wall having a first wall surface subject to a first temperature, for example from the flow stream of the engine. The wall includes a second wall surface, substantially opposite the first wall surface, for exposure to a cooling fluid, for example cooling air. The second wall surface includes a plurality of adjacent ribs protruding from the second wall surface to facilitate transfer of heat from the second wall surface. The ribs comprise a plurality of elongated rib portions each spaced apart one from another across a gap between rib portions, the gaps having a gap length in the range of about 0.002-0.05″.

Abstract: A fiber reinforced composite article is made by providing a plurality of layers of first, substantially dry, unimpregnated reinforcing fibers, sometimes called in-plane fibers. Such layers are stacked into a preform of a stack of layers. While in the dry, unimpregnated condition, a plurality of spaced apart second reinforcing members are inserted into the preform at an angle, for example transversely, to the stack of layers. In this condition, the preform is impregnated with a matrix about the first reinforcing fibers and the second reinforcing members. The article product comprises the plurality of stacked layers of the first reinforcing fibers and the plurality of the spaced apart second reinforcing members disposed beside or adjacent the first reinforcing fibers, with a substantially solid matrix disposed about the reinforcing fibers and members.

Abstract: A method is provided for repairing a surface portion of an article including a metallic environmental resistant coating on a substrate. The coating includes a coating outer portion bonded with the substrate through a diffusion zone that includes at least one feature, for example Al and/or an intermetallic phase, in an amount detrimental to application of a metallic replacement coating and/or repair of the article. The method comprises removing the coating outer portion to expose a surface of the diffusion zone. The substrate and the diffusion zone are heated at a temperature and for a time sufficient to diffuse and/or dissolve at least a portion of the at least one feature in the exposed surface and in a portion of the diffusion zone beneath the exposed surface to a level below the detrimental amount. This provides a replacement surface portion integral with diffusion zone. Then a metallic replacement coating outer portion is applied to the replacement surface portion.

Abstract: A method for repairing a discrete damaged portion of an article surface, for example of a laminated composite material, includes applying an uncured repair material at the damaged portion and then subjecting the repair material and the discrete damaged portion to a vacuum to remove air entrapped in the repair material and the discrete damaged portion. One form of the invention uses a vacuum tool comprising an outer wall including an opening there through having a peripheral edge shaped to conform generally with a portion of the article surface about the damaged portion, and gas evacuation means. The tool is combined with a releasable gas seal generally shaped to interface between the peripheral edge and the article surface and release from the article surface.

Abstract: A method is provided for making, from a plurality of members brazed together, an article including an environmental resistant surface coating and a wear resistant surface portion. Prior to brazing, the members are assembled with at least one preform including the wear resistant material in a matrix including a first brazing alloy having a brazing temperature in a brazing temperature range. The assembly of members includes a second brazing alloy having a brazing temperature in the brazing temperature range. The assembly of members and wear resistant preform is heated in the brazing temperature range to provide a brazed article preform. Then the article preform is machined to a selected geometry and can be coated with the environmental coating.

Abstract: A laser repair method for a high gamma prime content Ni base superalloy substrate surface, with gamma prime content in the range of at least about 30 volume %, conducts the repair at ambient temperature without preheating the substrate surface and by controlling processing parameters to avoid cracking of the resulting weld bead during and after welding. The laser beam, operating in a power range of about 50-10000 watts per centimeter, is focused away from the substrate surface to provide a laser spot in the size range of about 0.03-0.2″. A relative movement between the substrate surface and the laser beam, for example at a rate in the range of about 1-100 inches per minute, provides an interaction time of no greater than about 10 seconds between the laser beam and the substrate surface. Concurrently, a repair alloy powder is deposited in the laser beam to melt and fuse the repair alloy powder into a molten repair alloy deposited on the substrate surface.

Abstract: An internal coating on an internal passage wall exposed at a passage opening through an article external surface is protected from removal during repair of the article, including removal of at least a portion of an external coating, by a masking assembly disposed about the passage opening. The masking assembly comprises a masking member and a substantially flexible seal, substantially inert to a coating removal medium for the external coating. The masking member is shaped for disposition about the passage opening across a gap between the external surface and the masking member. The substantially flexible seal is disposed across the gap substantially to seal the gap.

Abstract: A method for applying, in a non-oxidizing atmosphere, a diffusion aluminide coating to a metallic surface of an article combines use of a relatively low aluminide coating temperature in the range of about 1650-1800° F. with a relatively high Al activity Al source material including Al of at least about 40 weight %. Such combination results in an as-deposited aluminide coating comprising a diffusion portion bonded between a metallic substrate and a coating outer portion of a thickness of no greater than about 60% of the thickness of the coating outer portion, typically less than about 1 mil.

Abstract: At least one airfoil shaped vane made of a low ductility material, for example a ceramic base material such as a ceramic matrix composite or an intermetallic material such as NiAl material, is releasably carried in a turbine vane assembly including inner and outer vane supports by at least one high temperature resistant compliant seal. The seal isolates the vane from at least one of the vane supports and allows independent thermal expansion and contraction of the vane in respect to the support.

Abstract: A method is provided for enhancing to a selected coating range a substantially unused protective coating, including aluminum, on an article surface, for example an airfoil surface of a gas turbine engine turbine blade. The protective coating is enhanced without removing such unused coating. The unused coating is evaluated to identify at least one coating region that deviates from the selected coating range by being deficient in at least one of chemistry and physical condition, for example thickness. At least the coating region is enhanced to the selected coating range by applying over the identified coating region at least one secondary element selected from Pt, Rh, Pd, Cr, Si, Hf, Zr, and Y. At least the coating region is heated to diffuse the secondary element into the protective coating to provide a treated coating region. Then at least the treated coating region is aluminided.

Abstract: A method is provided for repairing an article having a fissure in a metallic overlay environmental resistant coating that includes the element Al, for example an overlay coating of the MCrAlY type. The method depletes more than about 90 wt. % of the Al from an exposed coating surface within the fissure and from a coating outer surface adjacent the fissure, to a depth of at least about 7 mils, without removal of the coating and while substantially maintaining the coating thickness. Thereafter, the fissure is repaired.

Abstract: An article assembly comprising a plurality of members includes a multi-layered brazed joint provided in the assembly between a first member that can be affected adversely by thermal exposure at a limiting and a second member requiring exposure, such as for brazing, at least at the limiting temperature. The assembly is provided with a multi-layered brazed joint directly or indirectly between such members by brazing to the second member a second brazing alloy that can be brazed at a temperature required to braze the second member, providing a preform. The assembly is brazed to include the first member by brazing members of the assembly together with a first brazing alloy, brazing at a temperature less than the limiting temperature, brazed at the second brazing alloy.

Abstract: An article including a body terminating in an end portion, for example an airfoil of a blade terminating in an airfoil tip, comprises an end or tip barrier discrete from and bonded with the body. The barrier is substantially impregnable to penetration of liquid, for example water vapor. In a form in which the body is laminated, the barrier is a non-directionally dependent material, resisting delamination. In one form of a method for making such article, the end portion of an existing article is trimmed back to provide a body preform, and an end barrier is bonded with the body preform. In another method form, an end barrier is bonded with a provided body preform, the barrier and body preform together defining the article. Such articles are repairable by removing and replacing a damaged end portion or damaged barrier.

Abstract: A surface of an article, for example an external fluid flow surface, includes a plurality of metal wires lengthwise of the wires along the article surface. The article can be in the form of a component of an apparatus, for example a component of a gas turbine engine, the wires being bonded along and modifying surface characteristics of the article. Also, the article can be in the form of a bonding layer, for example a brazing tape, including the metal wires carried along a surface of the layer.