Abstract: A turbine engine compressor design utilizing multiple component integration, thereby reducing the number of required engine components. In conventional compressor designs, a multiple component system makes it difficult to predict the structural behaviors due to thermal and mechanical loading during transient conditions. The compressor design of the present invention has three main parts: a forward bearing housing, a bell-mouth (heat shield) and a coupled impeller shroud/diffuser. Such a design achieves the design objectives of the present invention, including reducing weight, reducing cost, minimizing tolerance build up and improving aerodynamic performance by utilizing multiple component integration for multiple modes of engine operation.

Abstract: Rigid flex printed circuit boards are formed with great efficiency and high yield in an assembly process wherein each circuit layer is punched in peripheral regions with alignment slots along two orthogonal radii and all layers are assembled without any acrylic bonding in a single hot press operation. A central flex layer spans a window defined in the rigid boards, and is covered with an insulating layer that overshoots the window and underlaps a rigid layer. At least the first rigid layer extends inwardly past the edge of the window, and provides a cantilevered edge support ribbon at the flex region boundary. Preferably the rigid and flex layers are all formed with a glass/epoxy material.