Abstract: Disclosed herein is a composite co-fiber comprising a plurality of ceramic tows; one or more sacrificial yarns; where the sacrificial yarns are operative to undergo dissolution, decomposition or melting upon being subjected to an elevated temperature; and wherein the sacrificial yarns leave open spaces in the co-fiber upon being subjected to decomposition, dissolution or melting.

Abstract: A tackified ceramic fabric sheet includes a pre-preg layer having a fabric of woven ceramic tows and a tackifier compound surrounding the tows and comprising 15% to 60% polyvinyl butyral with ethanol. The sheet further includes a removable first backing film layer on a first side of the pre-preg layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a ceramic matrix composite includes applying a tackifier of ethanol and 3% to 12% polyvinyl butyral to a ceramic material, removing the ethanol from the ceramic material, and removing the polyvinyl butyral. The step of applying the tackifier includes one of a spraying, pipetting, painting, and immersing technique.

Abstract: A tackified ceramic fabric sheet includes a pre-preg layer having a fabric of woven ceramic tows and a tackifier compound surrounding the tows and comprising 15% to 60% polyvinyl butyral with ethanol. The sheet further includes a removable first backing film layer on a first side of the pre-preg layer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a ceramic matrix composite airfoil comprising a triple bifurcated ply that defines a suction side, an outer platform, a pressure side and an inner platform of the airfoil, wherein the triple bifurcated ply comprises at least one ply that comprises a consolidated region, wherein the consolidated region is split into two bifurcated regions in three locations in three different directions.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a ceramic matrix composite airfoil comprising a triple bifurcated ply that defines a suction side, an outer platform, a pressure side and an inner platform of the airfoil, wherein the triple bifurcated ply comprises at least one ply that comprises a consolidated region, wherein the consolidated region is split into two bifurcated regions in three locations in three different directions.

Abstract: A method of forming a ceramic matrix composite component according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, among other possible things includes laying up plies of ceramic reinforcement material with sacrificial plies to form a preform, infiltrating the preform with a ceramic matrix material, and machining away the sacrificial plies to reveal a surface profile of the ceramic matrix composite component. A preform for a ceramic matrix composite component is also disclosed.

Abstract: An adaptive surface texturing method is provided for use with a part formed of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) to be coated with an environmental barrier coating (EBC). The method includes coating a CMC surface of the part with an initial coating, determining a contour and an undulation pattern of the CMC surface and designing a texturing pattern to follow the contour and the undulation pattern and to be formed in the initial coating based on a thickness of the initial coating and an average particle size of a slurry of the EBC.

Abstract: A waterjet-guided laser machine includes a laser source, an LED, a waterjet head, and a light sensor. The waterjet head includes a water inlet and a nozzle having an outlet for a discharging a waterjet. There is a laser optical path along which a pulsed laser beam travels to the nozzle outlet. There is also a light beam optical delivery path along which the light beam travels from the LED to the nozzle outlet. The light beam optical delivery path is coincident with the laser optical path in the nozzle. There is a light beam optical return path along which the light beam that is reflected off of a workpiece travels to the light sensor. The light beam optical return path is coincident with the laser optical path inside the nozzle and coincident with the light beam optical delivery path inside the nozzle.

Abstract: A method is provided for machining a workpiece. During this machining method, an aperture is formed in the workpiece using a machining system. The machining system includes an ultrasonic machining device, a slurry delivery device and a controller. The forming of the aperture includes delivering a slurry to an interface between the ultrasonic machining device and the workpiece using the slurry delivery device, and transmitting ultrasonic vibrations into the slurry using the ultrasonic machining device. A feedback parameter is monitored during the forming of the aperture using the controller. A slurry delivery parameter for the slurry delivery device is adjusted during the forming of the aperture based on the feedback parameter using the controller.

Abstract: A method of machining cooling holes includes providing a workpiece in which a cooling hole is to be formed. The cooling hole, once formed, defines distinct first and second sections. The workpiece is secured in a fixture that is mounted in a first machine. In the first machine, a laser is used to drill a through-hole in a wall of the workpiece. The through-hole is spatially common to the first and second sections of the cooling hole. After drilling the through-hole, the fixture with the workpiece secured therein is removed from the first machine and mounted in a second machine. In the second machine, ultrasonic machining is used to expand a portion of the through-hole to form the second section. An abrasive slurry used in the process is drained through the through-hole during the ultrasonic machining.

Abstract: A method for machining a ceramic workpiece includes providing a sonotrode that has a transducer and a horn arranged along an axis, and the horn has helical slots and terminates at a tip, bringing the tip into proximity of the ceramic workpiece and providing an abrasive media to a work zone around the tip, using the transducer to produce ultrasonic vibration that axially propagates down the horn and causes axial vibration at the tip, and the helical slots convert a portion of the axial vibration to torsional vibration at the tip, and the axial vibration and the torsional vibration causing the abrasive media to abrade the ceramic workpiece in the work zone and thereby remove a localized portion of the ceramic workpiece.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for composite-to-metal hybrid bonded structures compromising the laser surface treatment on titanium alloys to promote adhesive bond performance. For example, a computer may be programmed to set a laser path corresponding to a predetermined geometric pattern. A laser may be coupled to the computer and apply a pulsed laser beam to a contact surface of the titanium alloy along the predefined geometric pattern. The laser may generate an open pore oxide layer on the contact surface of the substrate with a thickness of 100 and 500 nm. The open pore oxide layer may have a topography corresponding to the predefined geometric pattern. The topography may contain high degree of open pore structure and promote adhesive bond performance. Adhesive, primer or composite resin matrix may fully infiltrate into the open pore structures. Adhesive and composite laminate may co-cure to form composite-to-titanium hybrid bonded structures.

Abstract: A drench system includes a rotating mount to rotate a workpiece, a showerhead to dispense a fluid onto the workpiece; and a tray to collect the fluid and recirculate the fluid to the shower. A method of repairing or remanufacturing a coating includes abrading a surface to at least partially remove a portion of a coating to leave an abraded surface; applying a sol-gel over the abraded surface; applying a corrosion resistant primer onto the sol-gel; and applying an erosion coating onto the corrosion resistant primer.

Abstract: A method of machining includes removing material from a target region of a ceramic component to form a blind opening in the ceramic component via removing a bulk of the material by a laser machining operation and then removing a remainder of the material by a mechanical machining operation.

Abstract: A method of forming a ceramic matrix composite includes applying a tackifier of ethanol and 3% to 12% polyvinyl butyral to a ceramic material, removing the ethanol from the ceramic material, and removing the polyvinyl butyral. The step of applying the tackifier includes one of a spraying, pipetting, painting, and immersing technique.

Abstract: A tackified ceramic fabric sheet includes a pre-preg layer having a fabric of woven ceramic tows and a tackifier compound surrounding the tows and comprising 15% to 60% polyvinyl butyral with ethanol. The sheet further includes a removable first backing film layer on a first side of the pre-preg layer.

Abstract: A method of machining includes mounting a component in a drilling machine. The component has a target region where the hole is to be drilled. The component and a jet head are situated relative to each other in a drilling arrangement in which the target region is at a first position that is vertically equal to or vertically above a second position at which the jet head is located. A liquid stream is jetted from the jet head and contains either abrasive particles or a laser beam. The stream impinges the target region, and the abrasive particles or the laser beam cause removal of material from the component to form the hole. The liquid stream rebounds off of the component as back-splash. The drilling arrangement causes gravitational draining of the back-splash from the target region to reduce interference between the back-splash and the liquid stream.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for composite-to-metal hybrid bonded structures compromising the laser surface treatment on titanium alloys to promote adhesive bond performance. For example, a computer may be programmed to set a laser path corresponding to a predetermined geometric pattern. A laser may be coupled to the computer and apply a pulsed laser beam to a contact surface of the titanium alloy along the predefined geometric pattern. The laser may generate an open pore oxide layer on the contact surface of the substrate with a thickness of 100 and 500 nm. The open pore oxide layer may have a topography corresponding to the predefined geometric pattern. The topography may contain high degree of open pore structure and promote adhesive bond performance. Adhesive, primer or composite resin matrix may fully infiltrate into the open pore structures. Adhesive and composite laminate may co-cure to form composite-to-titanium hybrid bonded structures.

Abstract: A method of preparing a woven fabric material for use in a ceramic matrix composite includes securing a woven fabric tape in tension across a roller, the roller having an outer surface with a plurality of spiked protrusions extending radially therefrom, each of the plurality of spiked protrusions having a diameter between 10 microns and 500 microns. The method further includes passing the woven fabric along the roller, such that the roller rotates with the passing of the woven fabric tape, thereby impinging the spiked protrusions into the woven fabric tape, and separating filaments within tows of the woven fabric tape by penetration of at least one of the spiked protrusions into the woven fabric tape, such that filaments within various tows of the woven fabric tape are pushed apart to form a separated woven fabric tape with a greater number of tows per unit area than the woven fabric tape.