Abstract: A method for refurbishing turbine engine vanes in which the airfoils are removed and replaced. The original configuration of the vanes can be modified from a single casting or welded pair to a multi-piece component assembly comprising individual airfoil segments attached to the inner and outer platforms. The component assembly allows replacement of airfoils and/or platforms with improved castings in the form of improved alloys, improved physical geometry, or both. Modifications can be made in the vane class area without the need to modify the airfoil contour by brazing or other contour alteration processes. According to the method, the platforms are separated from the airfoils, the openings in the platforms are sealed, new airfoil sockets are cut into the platforms, and the vane is reassembled.

Abstract: A process is provided to strip a metallic coating from a turbine blade comprising attaching the blade to a positive lead from a power supply, submersing a portion of the blade with a metallic coating to be stripped into a bath of acidic electro stripping solution, said bath containing a negative lead from a power supply attached to a conductive grid; and providing a current to the blade in the bath for a period of time effective to remove the coating on the portion of the blade.

Abstract: A method of refurbishing turbine engine vanes in which an alloy blend of a cobalt based superalloy and a nickel based superalloy corresponding to the base material of the turbine vane cobalt platform and the base nickel material of the replacement turbine vane airfoils is laser clad to the gaspath surfaces of the turbine vane platform. Laser cladding with the alloy blend allows the use of replacement airfoils with improved castings in the form of improved nickel based superalloys, and allows a coating to be uniformly applied to the gaspath surfaces of the vane. According to the method, the platforms are separated from the airfoils and laser clad with a blend of cobalt based superalloy and nickel based superalloy. The vane is then reassembled using the laser clad platform and at least one replacement airfoil.

Abstract: A process is provided for plating a coating onto a gas turbine engine component without detrimentally effecting air flow through cooling holes by injecting a maskant into the cooling passage to fill the cooling holes with the maskant, plating the external surface of the component with a coating, then removing the maskant from the component.

Abstract: A process and apparatus is provided for laser welding a nickel and/or cobalt based superalloy article comprising: preheating the entire weld area and adjacent region to a ductile temperature with an induction heat coil and maintaining such temperature during welding and solidification of the weld; and welding the preheated article utilizing a laser with a powder alloy feed with a control means controlling the laser, power feed and motion system on which the article is fixtured, wherein the control means includes a vision system which digitizes the weld area providing a path for the laser welding to follow.