Abstract: A method for removing metal cladding adhered to an airfoil, such as a turbine blade, wherein the airfoil comprises a substrate and wherein at least a portion of the cladding is adhered to at least one surface of the substrate of the airfoil. In this method the cladding is treated with a chemical etchant of the metal that the cladding is made of for a period of time sufficient to remove at least the portion of the cladding adhered to the at least one surface of the substrate. The substrate is made of a material that is chemically resistant to the etchant.

Abstract: A method of stripping coating from a portion of a coated surface of a component. The method includes fastening a mask sheet to the component over a region adjacent the portion of the coated surface. The mask sheet has a contour generally corresponding to a contour of the surface of the component. A high pressure fluid jet is sprayed from a spray head toward the portion of the coated surface after the mask sheet is fastened to the component to strip the coating from the portion of the surface. After the coating is stripped from the portion of the surface, the mask sheet is removed from the component.

Abstract: A tool for shaping curved surfaces on a workpiece, in particular upper curved surfaces of the forward and aft rails of a gas turbine engine shroud section. The shaping tool includes a base member for securing the workpiece and a shaping member movable relative to the base member and having one shaping element for each curved surface of the workpiece. The shaping tool also includes cooperating follower and guide members to guide the shaping member through a path as the shaping member is moved relative to the base member such that each of the shaping elements of the shaping member shape the respective curved surfaces of the workpiece. The tool can be used in a method for shaping the curved surfaces of the workpiece where the shaping member is moved in a path such that each of the shaping elements of the shaping member shape the respective curved surfaces of the workpiece and repeating this step until the desired degree of shaping of the curved surfaces of the workpiece is achieved.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing debris from a fluidized sand bed. One or more troughs extend radially from a vertical shaft. Associated with each trough is a perforated chute. The apparatus is placed into the fluidized bed of sand, and rotated. As the apparatus rotates, the perforated chute sifts, or separates, debris from the fluidized sand. That is, the fluidized sand flows through the perforations, but the debris does not. When the apparatus is removed from the fluidized bed, the debris tumbles down the chute, into the troughs, if it has not already done so, and is captured.

Abstract: A method to laser shock peen articles such as a gas turbine engine rotor blade with first and second oblique laser beams to form pairs of longitudinally spaced apart first and second laser shock peened elliptical spots that are on opposite sides of the article or blade and transversely offset from each other. The oblique laser beams are fired at a portion of the leading or trailing edges of the blade at first and second oblique angles with respect to opposite surfaces of the edge. Another method laser shock peens the leading and trailing edges of gas turbine engine integrally bladed rotors and disks that are blocked by other rows of blades by firing the laser beams at compound angles such that the beams are aimed at the first and second oblique angles with respect to the surfaces of the edge and at a third oblique angle with respect to a rotor axis.

Abstract: A method for laser shock peening an article by simultaneously firing low energy first and second laser beams to form pairs of longitudinally spaced apart first and second laser shock peened spots that are on opposite sides of the article, simultaneously laser shock peened, and transversely offset from each other. Each of the low energy first and second laser beams having a level of energy of between 1-10 joules.

Abstract: A method for applying diffusion aluminide coating on a selective area of a turbine engine component and the coating produced by that method is disclosed. A quartz infrared lamp heats only substantially the localized area of the component to be coated, rather than the complete part. Either halide activated or non-activated tape is applied on the area to be coated and is held in place during coating using a high temperature dimensionally stable tape holder manufactured from graphite or ceramic. The quartz infrared lamp is used to heat only the desired area to a coating temperature of about 1800° F. to about 2000° F. under an inert atmosphere for about 3 to about 8 hours to achieve the desired aluminide coating thickness. No powder masking of the machined surface area is required. Due to the localized heating, aluminum vapor generated from the tape will only deposit aluminide coating on the taped area.

Abstract: A method for laser shock peening rotor blade leading and trailing edges of gas turbine engine integrally bladed rotors and disks that are not blocked by other rows of blades. The method includes continuously firing a stationary laser beam, which repeatable pulses between relatively constant periods, along at least a portion of leading or trailing edges of the blade, with the laser beam aimed at an oblique angle with respect to a surface of the edge such that laser pulses form overlapping elliptical shaped laser spots. In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the elliptical shaped laser spots have an overlap of about 50% and are on the order of 11.7 mm by 4 mm in diameter. Another method is for laser shock peening rotor blade leading and trailing edges of gas turbine engine integrally bladed rotors and disks that are blocked by other rows of blades.