Abstract: A composite core die includes a reusable core die; and a disposable core die. The disposable core die is in physical communication with the reusable core die and surfaces of communication between the disposable core die and the reusable core die serve as barriers to prevent the leakage of a slurry that is disposed in the composite core die.

Abstract: A system and a method of fabricating a complex three dimensional part are described. The system comprises a rapid prototyping machine configured to provide a disposable mold having a negative imprint of a complex three dimensional structure, a mixer, an injection molding machine, and a furnace system. A slurry comprising a powder and a binder is introduced into the disposable mold, the binder is cured, the disposable mold is removed, and the binder is removed, leaving an intact cured structure. The cured structure is sintered to fabricate the complex three dimensional part.

Abstract: A method of modifying an end wall contour is provided. The method includes creating a weld pool using a laser, adding a metal or a ceramic powder or a wire filler to the melt pool and modifying the part of the turbine in a manner that results in a change of about 0.005 to about 50 volume percent in the part of the turbine. The weld pool is created on a turbine component and contains molten metal or ceramic derived as a result of a heat interaction between the laser and the turbine component.

Abstract: A composite core die includes a reusable core die; and a disposable core die. The disposable core die is in physical communication with the reusable core die and surfaces of communication between the disposable core die and the reusable core die serve as barriers to prevent the leakage of a slurry that is disposed in the composite core die.

Abstract: A composite core die includes a reusable core die and a disposable core die; where the disposable core die is in physical communication with the reusable core die; and further where surfaces of communication between the disposable core die and the reusable core die serve as barriers to prevent the leakage of a slurry that is disposed in the composite core die.

Abstract: A system and a method of fabricating a complex three dimensional part are described. The system comprises a rapid prototyping machine configured to provide a disposable mold having a negative imprint of a complex three dimensional structure, a mixer, an injection molding machine, and a furnace system. A slurry comprising a powder and a binder is introduced into the disposable mold, the binder is cured, the disposable mold is removed, and the binder is removed, leaving an intact cured structure. The cured structure is sintered to fabricate the complex three dimensional part.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an integral casting core including a solidified first portion of a ceramic core and a solidified second portion of the ceramic core; wherein the solidified second portion is disposed upon the solidified first portion of the ceramic core by laser consolidation. The first solidified portion of the integral casting core, is manufactured by a process which includes disposing a slurry including ceramic particles into a metal core die; wherein an internal volume of the metal core die has a geometry equivalent to a portion of the geometry of the integral casting core; curing the slurry to form a cured first portion of the ceramic core; and firing the cured first portion of the ceramic core to form a solidified first portion of the ceramic core.

Abstract: A method of applying an outer insulation to a bare stator bar to form an insulated stator bar. The method entails extruding at least one extruded member that will form the outer insulation. The extruded member has an opposing pair of edges that are parallel to the longitudinal length of the extruded member. In addition, the extrusion process creates an inner cavity that extends the longitudinal length of the extruded member. A bare stator bar is then inserted into the inner cavity of the outer insulation so that the outer insulation surrounds the perimeter of the bar and extends along a longitudinal length thereof. The opposing pair of edges of the extruded member are then attached together so that the perimeter of the bar is entirely enclosed by the extruded member.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a spray coating process for a robotic spray gun assembly comprising importing a discretized model of an object geometry to be coated; importing a numerically characterized spray pattern file; importing a robot motion file comprising a plurality of motion positions, dwell times and orientations defining a spray direction of the robotic spray gun; reading each motion position within the motion file; determining which portions of the object geometry are visible at each motion position; computing a void volume fraction at each visible portion of the object geometry based on the core compression, the incident angle of the robotic spray gun and the ricocheting of the spray for each motion position; and calculating total coating thickness on portions of the object geometry for the complete motion step.

Abstract: A process for the formation of positive features on the surface of a turbine shroud component is described. The process involves applying a feature-forming material to a selected portion of the component surface with a laser consolidation apparatus, according to a pre-selected shape and size for the positive features. A gas turbine engine, comprising a shroud component which contains positive features formed according to embodiments of this process, represents another embodiment of this invention. Methods for modifying the shape of at least one positive feature on a surface of a shroud component are also described.

Abstract: Methods involving providing an integrated disposable core and shell die of an authentic gas turbine component, inserting at least one through-rod through the integrated disposable core and shell die, casting an integrated core and shell mold inside of the integrated disposable core and shell die, removing the integrated disposable core and shell die to obtain the integrated core and shell casting mold having the at least one through-rod disposed therein, casting an authentic gas turbine component replica using the integrated core and shell casting mold, and removing the integrated core and shell casting mold and the at least one through-rod to obtain the authentic gas turbine component replica.

Abstract: A method of forming an integral casting core includes adding a disposable insert to a metal core die and disposing a slurry into the metal core die. The slurry includes ceramic particles. The method further includes firing the slurry to form a integral casting core and removing the disposable insert from the integral casting core.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising injecting into a thin wall disposable core die a slurry having a viscosity of about 1 to about 1,000 Pascal-seconds at room temperature when tested at a shear rate of up to 70 seconds?1 and a flow index of less than 0.6 at a pressure of up to about 7 kilograms-force per square centimeter; wherein the thin wall disposable core die has an average wall thickness of about 1.5 to about 10 millimeters; curing the slurry to form a cured ceramic core; removing the thin wall disposable core die from the cured ceramic core; and firing the cured ceramic core to form a solidified ceramic core.

Abstract: A method of applying an outer insulation to a bare stator bar to form an insulated stator bar. The method entails extruding at least one extruded member that will form the outer insulation. The extruded member has an opposing pair of edges that are parallel to the longitudinal length of the extruded member. In addition, the extrusion process creates an inner cavity that extends the longitudinal length of the extruded member. A bare stator bar is then inserted into the inner cavity of the outer insulation so that the outer insulation surrounds the perimeter of the bar and extends along a longitudinal length thereof. The opposing pair of edges of the extruded member are then attached together so that the perimeter of the bar is entirely enclosed by the extruded member.

Abstract: A synthetic model of a component is created from a 3-D numerical model thereof. A core is then cast inside the synthetic model. The synthetic model may then be removed from the cast core, and then the cast core is used for casting an authentic component therearound. The core is removed from inside the authentic component, which authentic component precisely matches the original synthetic model therefor.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an article comprising a solidified first portion of a ceramic core; wherein the first solidified portion is manufactured by a process comprising disposing a slurry comprising ceramic particles into a metal core die; wherein an internal volume of the metal core die has a geometry equivalent to a portion of the geometry of the integral casting core; curing the slurry to form a cured first portion of the ceramic core; firing the cured first portion of the ceramic core to form a solidified first portion of the ceramic core; and a solidified second portion of the ceramic core; wherein the solidified second portion is disposed upon the solidified first portion of the ceramic core by laser consolidation.

Abstract: A method of applying an outer insulation to a stator bar to form an insulated stator bar. The method entails extruding at least one extruded member that will form the outer insulation. The extruded member has an opposing pair of edges that are parallel to the longitudinal length of the extruded member. The extrusion process creates an inner cavity that extends the longitudinal length of the extruded member. A bare stator bar is then inserted into the inner cavity of the outer insulation so that the outer insulation surrounds the perimeter of the bar and extends along a longitudinal length thereof. The edges of the extruded member are then attached together so that the perimeter of the bar is entirely enclosed by the extruded member.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising creating a weld pool using a laser; wherein the weld pool is created on a part of a turbine; and wherein the weld pool comprises molten metal or ceramic derived as a result of a heat interaction between the laser and the part of the turbine; adding a metal or a ceramic powder or a wire filler to the melt pool; and modifying the part of the turbine in a manner that results in a change of about 0.005 to about 50 volume percent in the part of the turbine, while improving the aerodynamic efficiency of the turbine in an amount of about 0.1 to about 5 percent over a corresponding unmodified turbine.

Abstract: Disclosed herein too is a method of forming an integral casting core comprising adding a disposable insert to a metal core die; disposing a slurry into the metal core die; wherein the slurry comprises ceramic particles; firing the slurry to form a integral casting core; and removing the disposable insert from the integral casting core.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising injecting into a thin wall disposable core die a slurry having a viscosity of about 1 to about 1,000 Pascal-seconds at room temperature when tested at a shear rate of up to 70 seconds?1 and a flow index of less than 0.6 at a pressure of up to about 7 kilograms-force per square centimeter; wherein the thin wall disposable core die has an average wall thickness of about 1.5 to about 10 millimeters; curing the slurry to form a cured ceramic core; removing the thin wall disposable core die from the cured ceramic core; and firing the cured ceramic core to form a solidified ceramic core.