Abstract: A fan assembly for directing fluid flow in a hybrid radial and axial direction includes a backplate having an inner diameter portion and a substantially frusto-conical outer diameter portion positioned about a center axis (CL), a plurality of blades extending from the backplate, and an annular fan shroud positioned adjacent to the plurality of blades and configured for co-rotation therewith. The backplate, the plurality of fan blades and the fan shroud form a fan subassembly, and an overall depth of the fan subassembly is approximately 20-35% of an overall fan subassembly diameter (øD1).

Abstract: A method of making a fan (20) includes making a subassembly (48) comprising a backplate (22) and a plurality of blades (24) extending from the backplate (22), making a fan shroud (26), positioning the fan shroud (26) adjacent to the blades (24) of the subassembly (48), providing ferromagnetic particles at a first weld location, and directing electromagnetic energy toward the ferromagnetic particles at the first weld location to melt surrounding material and structurally join the fan shroud (26) and at least one of the blades (24).