Abstract: Cooling air manifold splash plates and gas turbine engine systems involving such splash plates are provided. In this regard, a representative cooling air manifold splash plates includes: a base having an aperture; and an air deflector supported by the base, the air deflector being positioned relative to the base to receive, from the aperture, a radial flow of gas turbine engine cooling air, the air deflector being operative to redirect at least some of the air received circumferentially.

Abstract: Methods for repairing a gas turbine engine knife edge seals are provided. A representative method includes: providing a knife edge of a gas turbine component, the component comprising IN-100, the knife edge being degraded; directing a laser beam toward the knife edge; and dispensing IN-100 powder such that the IN-100 powder is melted by the laser beam and is deposited on the knife edge.

Abstract: System and methods involving pattern molds are provided. In this regard, a representative system includes a mold assembly unit having a movable fixture holder operative to engage a portion of a pattern mold and position the pattern mold for assembly.

Abstract: Systems and methods involving air seals are provided. In this regard, a representative air seal for a gas turbine engine comprises a layer of ceramic exhibiting patterned surface features, wherein a substrate supporting the layer of ceramic lacks the patterned surface features.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing localized heat treatment of gas turbine components are provided. In this regard, an exemplary method includes: identifying an area of a gas turbine component to which localized heat treatment is to be performed; positioning a resistance heating element, sized and shaped to transfer heat to the area, adjacent the area; electrically coupling a current-limiting power controller to the resistance heating element; and locally heating the area using the resistance heating element, with power being provided to the resistance heating element via the current-limiting power controller.

Abstract: Transition duct assemblies and gas turbine engine systems involving such assemblies are provided. In this regard, a representative a transition duct assembly for a gas turbine engine includes: an impingement sheet having cooling holes formed therethrough, an inlet end and a non-flanged outlet end, the impingement sheet being operative to be positioned about an exterior of a transition duct such that cooling air is directed to flow about the transition duct; the non-flanged outlet end of the impingement sheet being operative to attach the impingement sheet to the transition duct such that the inlet end is positioned adjacent to an intake end of the transition duct and the outlet end is positioned adjacent to an exhaust end of the transition duct.

Abstract: Gas turbine engine systems involving cooling of combustion section liners are provided. In this regard, a representative liner includes: an outer side, an inner side, an upstream end and a downstream end, the outer side being configured to face away from a combustion reaction, the inner side being configured to face the combustion reaction; a cooling air channel, at least a portion of the cooling air channel being located in a vicinity of the downstream end; and cooling holes formed through the inner side of the liner, the cooling holes being in fluid communication with the cooling air channel such that cooling air provided to the cooling air channel is directed through the cooling holes and to the inner side of the liner such that at least a portion of the inner side of the liner receives cooling air despite a corresponding portion located on the outer side of the liner being obstructed from directly receiving cooling air.

Abstract: Systems and methods involving struts are provided. In this regard, a representative system includes a gas turbine engine defining a gas flow path. The gas turbine engine comprises a strut extending into the gas flow path. The strut has an interior operative to receive pressurized air, an outer surface, and ports communicating between the outer surface and the interior of the strut, the ports are operative to receive the pressurized air from the interior and emit the pressurized air into the gas flow path such that an effective aerodynamic length of the strut along the gas flow path is increased.

Abstract: Gas turbine engines systems and related methods involving dimensionally restored fasteners are provided. In this regard, a representative method for dimensionally restoring a mechanical fastener for a gas turbine engine includes: providing a mechanical fastener; and relocating existing material of the fastener such that a dimension of the fastener is restored.

Abstract: Systems and methods for cooling vane platforms are provided. In this regard, a representative method for cooling a vane platform includes: providing a cooling channel on a platform from which a vane airfoil extends, the cooling channel being defined by a cooling surface and a channel cover, the channel wall being spaced from the cooling surface and located such that the cooling surface is positioned between a gas flow path of the vane and the channel cover; and directing a flow of cooling air through the cooling channel such that heat is extracted from the cooling surface of the platform by the flow of cooling air.

Abstract: Systems and methods for communicating aircraft data are provided. In this regard, a representative system includes a data reduction system operative to: receive aircraft data; store a first set of the aircraft data; analyze a next set of the aircraft data; and store the next set of the aircraft data if the next set of aircraft data differs from the first set of the aircraft data.

Abstract: Gas turbine engine systems and related methods involving vane-blade count ratios greater than unity are provided. In this regard, a representative turbine stage for a gas turbine engine includes a first set of rotatable blades operative to be positioned downstream of and adjacent to a first set of vanes, a number of blades of the first set of blades being less than a number of vanes of the first set of vanes.

Abstract: Roller bearings, and struts and gas turbine engines using such bearings are provided. In this regard, a representative roller bearing for a gas turbine engine includes: a roller having a rolling surface and an end; a race having a flange and defining a raceway, the raceway terminating at the flange, the raceway being operative to receive the roller such that the rolling surface of the roller engages in rolling contact with the raceway; and a hard coating applied to the flange such that the end of the roller engages in sliding contact with the coating.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring gas turbine engines are provided. In this regard, a representative method includes: monitoring lubrication oil at multiple locations of the gas turbine engine to detect a presence of debris in the oil; determining a characteristic of the debris in the oil; and correlating the characteristic of the debris with the location of detection to determine, while the gas turbine engine is operating, whether the engine is operating within predetermined limits.

Abstract: X-ray detector assemblies and related computed tomography systems are provided. In this regard, a representative X-ray detector assembly includes: a scintillator assembly having a scintillation component and an optical fiber; the scintillation component being operative to emit light responsive to X-rays being incident thereon; the optical fiber being positioned to receive light emitted from the scintillation component.

Abstract: Computed tomography (CT) systems and related methods involving multi-target inspection are provided are provided. In this regard, a representative method includes: simultaneously directing X-rays toward multiple targets from an X-ray source; during the directing of the X-rays, independently reorienting the targets with respect to the X-ray source; and obtaining information corresponding to attenuation of the X-rays attributable to the multiple targets for producing computed tomography images of the targets.

Abstract: A method for evaluating three-dimensional (3-D) coordinate system measurement accuracy of an optical 3-D measuring system using targeted artifacts is provided. In this regard, an exemplary embodiment of a method for evaluating 3-D coordinate system measurement accuracy using targeted artifacts comprises: taking a series of measurements from different positions and orientations using target dots on a targeted artifact with an optical 3-D measuring system; and calculating measurement errors using the series of measurements. An exemplary embodiment of a targeted artifact used with the method includes a base and target dots located on the base.

Abstract: Systems and methods involving engine models are provided. A representative method for updating a gas turbine engine reference model includes: determining whether an absolute difference between a dominant time constant of a sensor and an assumed sensor model time constant is outside a tolerance value; and responsive to determining that the absolute difference is outside the tolerance value, updating the assumed sensor model time constant with the dominant time constant of the sensor.

Abstract: Gas turbine engine systems involving I-beam struts are provided. In this regard, a representative strut assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a first I-beam strut having first and second flanges spaced from each other and interconnected by a web, the first strut exhibiting a twist along a length of the web.

Abstract: Systems and methods for filtering analog signals corresponding to sensed parameters are provided. In this regard, a representative method includes: sampling the analog signal to acquire a sequential series of data points; determining a first cumulative change in value with respect to a first of the data points relative to at least two subsequent data points in the series, the subsequent data points including a second of the data points; determining a second cumulative change in value with respect to the second of the data points relative to at least two data points adjacent to the second of the data points in the series, the at least two adjacent data points including an immediately preceding and an immediately succeeding one of the data points relative to the second of the data points; comparing the first cumulative change and the second cumulative change to respective data thresholds; and outputting a filtered analog signal based, at least in part, on results of the comparing.