Abstract: A method for laser shock peening rotor blade leading and trailing edges of gas turbine engine integrally bladed rotors and disks that are not blocked by other rows of blades. The method includes continuously firing a stationary laser beam, which repeatable pulses between relatively constant periods, along at least a portion of leading or trailing edges of the blade, with the laser beam aimed at an oblique angle with respect to a surface of the edge such that laser pulses form overlapping elliptical shaped laser spots. In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the elliptical shaped laser spots have an overlap of about 50% and are on the order of 11.7 mm by 4 mm in diameter. Another method is for laser shock peening rotor blade leading and trailing edges of gas turbine engine integrally bladed rotors and disks that are blocked by other rows of blades.

Abstract: A stator vane frame assembly including an outer structure ring, an inner structure ring, a set of discrete vanes each connecting the outer structure ring and the inner structure ring forming an inner and outer platforms with neighboring vanes defining a set of flow paths, a set of sealing members contoured to a set of gaps between the set of vanes disposed to sealing the gap. A method for applying a sealing member to the gaps between a platform formed resulting from the coupling between vanes including affixing a set of stator vanes on an inner frame and an outer frame, and sealing a set of sealing members on the backside surface of a stator vane frame. The discrete nature of individual vane blade sealed by the sealing members renders the stator vane frame assembly to add a damping effect which increases the fatigue life of the vane, and permits the use of lower strength, lighter, and less expensive material.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for operating a gas turbine engine airfoil having leading and trailing edges subject to FOD (foreign object damage) damage. The method includes inspecting the airfoil along at least a first one of the edges having at least a first laser shock peened patch along the first one of the edges, ascertaining FOD lengths of foreign object damage (FOD) extending from the first one of the edges into the airfoil within the patch, and allowing the airfoil to remain in service without repair if the FOD lengths are up to a maximum length of about one-half of a width of the laser shock peened patch, as measured from the edge.