Abstract: A method of welding two adjacent components together includes determining geometrical dimensions of the components to be welded and determining material properties of the components to be welded. The method includes selecting an optimised weld torch velocity and voltage by selecting an iteration parameter of weld torch velocity and voltage, and calculating an expected heat flux distribution that will be generated in components during a welding process as a function of the geometrical dimensions of the components and the material properties of the components. The heat flux distribution is constrained to be ellipsoidal in an initial weld region and conical in the remainder of the weld. The method includes iterating using the iteration parameter until an optimised weld torch velocity and voltage is obtained. The welding torch is then set to weld the components at the determined optimum velocity and voltage.

Abstract: A welding method including the steps of: providing, in a first position, a weld target assembly having a welding region and a weld tab located adjacent the welding region, the weld tab changeable from a first physical configuration to a second physical configuration when subject to a first type of weld operation; performing a first weld process on the welding region and weld tab; moving the assembly from the first to a second position; providing safeguard apparatus for cooperating with the weld tab to: prevent the assembly from moving to the second position when the first weld procedure did not include the first type of weld operation; and permit the assembly be moved to the second position when the first weld procedure included the first type of weld operation. The assembly includes a sub-assembly having a foot member and blade portion welded together, thereby ultimately forming an output guide vane.

Abstract: A method of detecting shaft break in a gas turbine engine having a shaft system. The shaft system including a shaft that couples a compressor and a turbine. First construct a frequency model of the shaft system. Then determine a notch frequency and a first torsional frequency for the shaft system from the model. Then in real time measure a rotational speed of the shaft; detect the presence or absence of a feature at least one of the notch frequency and the first torsional frequency in the measured speed; and generate a shaft break signal in response to the absence of at least one of the features.

Abstract: There is disclosed a temperature indicator (10) in the form of a substrate (12) with multiple coating layers (14-22). Each coating layer (14-22) is visually or chemically distinct from the substrate (12). The material makeup of each coating layer (14-22) is different such that each coating is tailored to undergo failure at a different temperature. The presence or absence of coating layers (14-22) can provide a lasting visual indication of a temperature experienced by the indicator (10) in use. The temperature indicator (10) may be beneficial where the use of conventional temperature sensors is problematic, such as within reactor vessels or other sealed enclosures.

Abstract: An arrangement for heating and cooling a turbine casing of a gas turbine engine, the arrangement comprising an inboard duct, adjacent to an inboard surface of the turbine casing, an outboard facing wall of the inboard duct having a plurality of impingement holes opening towards the inboard surface of the casing, through which temperature control fluid can pass from within the inboard duct to impinge upon the inboard surface of the turbine casing.

Abstract: A nose cone assembly is provided comprising a nose cone, a support ring on which the nose cone is mounted, and an insulating layer disposed between the nose cone and the support ring, the insulating layer at least partially comprising glass fibres. A composite nose cone is also provided comprising an attachment region A, in which composite fibres are oriented substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the nose cone, and an impact region I, in which composite fibres are oriented substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the nose cone. Also provided is a support ring for a nose cone assembly, the support ring comprising an annular main body and an annular projecting attachment flange, the attachment flange terminating in a plurality of circumferentially spaced attachment tabs, wherein the attachment flange forms with the main body a cross section having at least two C curves.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of designing a manufacturing geometry for a tip portion of a rotary blade for a gas turbine engine. The method comprises first devising a theoretical hot running geometry of the tip portion at a specified design condition. Next, the theoretical operational forces acting on the theoretical hot running geometry at the specified design condition are calculated e.g. using CFD software. Then, the manufacturing geometry is determined (e.g. using FEA analysis) using the calculated theoretical operational forces.

Abstract: This invention concerns alignment of parts of a multi-part component such as an Intermediate Pressure Compressor (IPC) or High Pressure Compressor (HPC) casing. First and second sections (124,126) of a component (114) are provided with flanges (128,130) having contact surfaces (138,140) provided with corresponding surface profiles formed using smooth radius curves to limit the relative locations of the first and second sections (124,126).

Abstract: Described is a seal segment (310) for a gas turbine engine, comprising: a gas facing wall (312) having a gas facing surface (314) and a first internal surface (316); an outboard wall (318) having an outboard facing surface (320) and a second internal surface (322) which is radially separated from the first internal surface with a gap therebetween; a first conduit (324) located between the first and second internal surfaces; and, a second conduit (326) located between the first and second internal surfaces, wherein the first and second conduits are radially separated by a party wall (328).

Abstract: A method of repairing a metallic component (formed from a first material) by powder feeding laser deposition, comprises the step of depositing a plurality of first repair layers onto a repair surface of the component to form a first repair zone, the first of the plurality of first repair layers comprising a mixture of A/B by weight of the first material and a second material, each nth successive one of the plurality of first repair layers comprising a change in the proportion of the second material in the mixture, the last of the plurality of first repair layers comprising a mixture of C/D by weight of the first material and the second material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a casting/hot forging die having a forming surface and an opposing rear surface. The rear surface has a plurality of cavities spaced by a plurality of walls. Each of the plurality of walls has a substantially equal width. At least one transverse wall may also be provided such that the walls define a grid spacing a series of rectangular or triangular cavities.

Abstract: An electrical network for an aircraft. The aircraft includes at least one variable pitch propulsor. The electrical network includes a wound field synchronous AC electrical generator having a wound rotor driven by an internal combustion engine. The network further includes a voltage regulator configured to regulate output voltage of the electrical generator by regulating rotor winding magnetic field strength, and a synchronous AC drive motor coupled to a respective variable pitch propulsor and provided with power from the output of the electrical generator.

Abstract: A method for casting a turbine blade body comprises; providing a mould defining the external geometry of the blade body; providing a core defining an internal geometry of the blade body, the core comprising a main body defining an internal chamber of the blade body and having a root end and a tip end and a plurality of pedestals defining an array of cooling channels extending from the internal chamber; casting a molten material between the mould and the core; and removing the core after the molten material has solidified, wherein the pedestals are arranged in a single row starting from the root end to a mid-portion of the main body branching into multiple and divergent rows towards the tip end of the body.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine component having a raised rim located along one or more edges of a tip region of the component, and an abrasive coating formed of hard particles embedded in a retaining matrix covering the tip region within an area bounded by the raised rim.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprising a compressor, a compressor case surrounding the compressor and a compressor tip injector system is disclosed. The compressor tip injector system comprises a cabin blower system comprising a cabin blower compressor arranged in use to compress air used in a cabin of an aircraft and by the compressor tip injector system. The compressor case comprises one or more injectors of the compressor tip injector system through which in use air from the cabin blower compressor is injected towards blade tip ends of blades of the compressor as they rotate.

Abstract: Method for determining an adaptive tool path: provides an aerofoil with deposition plane; determines deposition plane points corresponding to leading and trailing edges and circle center constrained by suction and pressure surfaces at their greatest distance apart; determines circle center point edge position passing through deposition plane points; determines trailing and leading edge reference lines extending from the circle center point through trailing and leading edge points, respectively and mid-reference line(s) extending from the circle center point through mid-reference point(s) between leading and trailing edge points; trims and determines each mid reference line to the bounds of the suction and pressure surfaces; applies an adaptive factor to each mid reference line providing an adaptive point for each mid-reference line; determines an spline extending through the leading and trailing edge points and each adaptive point; and traverses a tool along the spline or offset path from the spline by a fact

Abstract: A propeller assembly comprises two or more blade elements each comprising two or more blade element portions arranged sequentially radially along the blade element. Each of the two or more blade element portions that are radially equi-positioned along corresponding ones of the two or more blade elements together form a blade element portion array. Each of the two or more blade element portions comprise at least one heating element with each one of the at least one heating elements that is located in a correspondingly radially positioned blade element portion being connected to one another to form a heating element array. The two or more heating element arrays are adapted to sequentially heat respective ones of the two or more blade element portion arrays so as to de-ice the blade elements.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an annular wall (46) of a combustion chamber (15) comprises depositing layers of a metal sequentially one upon the other to form layers of a spiral wall (45) of the combustion chamber (15). Each layer of metal is deposited in a spiral pathway (122). The ends (E1, E2) of the spiral wall (45) of the combustion chamber (15) are joined together to form the annular wall (46) of the combustion chamber (15). The ends (E1, E2) of the spiral wall (45) of the combustion chamber (15) are at the opposite ends of the spiral pathway (122).

Abstract: A method is provided of replacing a damaged blade of an integrally bladed rotor assembly including a disc and a plurality of blades extending outwardly from a rim of the disc. The method includes the steps of: removing the damaged blade to leave a blade repair stub projecting from the rim; locating sacrificial supports at the underside of the rim beneath the repair stub, the supports projecting axially beyond the trailing and leading edges of the rim; depositing metal around the trailing and leading edges of the repair stub, the deposited metal, supported by the sacrificial supports, projecting axially beyond the trailing and leading edges of the rim; attaching a replacement blade to the repair stub by linear friction welding; and removing excess deposited metal, upset metal from the linear friction welding, and the sacrificial supports.

Abstract: A lateral field effect transistor device has a plurality of source and drain cells. Each source cell has a central semiconductor source region, and each drain cell has a central semiconductor drain region. The device has a first metallic conductive path which extends from a source electrode to join the source regions, thereby connecting the source cells in series to the source electrode. The device has a second metallic conductive path which extends from a drain electrode to join the drain regions, thereby connecting the drain cells in series to the drain electrode. The device has a gate path which extends from a gate electrode around the edges of the cells to form boundaries between neighboring source and drain cells, thereby forming respective field effect transistors between the source and drain regions of neighboring cells. The source cells and drain cells tessellate to cover an area of the device.