Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes a root, a tip, a leading edge, a trailing edge, and opposed pressure and suction sidewalls extending generally along a radial axis. The airfoil includes a tip cap extending between the pressure and suction sidewalls; and spaced-apart suction-side and pressure-side tip walls extending radially outward from the tip cap to define a tip cavity therebetween. The pressure-side tip wall includes a continuously concave curved arcuate portion, at least a section of which extends circumferentially outward from a radial axis of the airfoil.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a turbine rotor blade includes casting a turbine rotor blade including a dovetail, a platform having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a cast-in plenum defined between the outer surface and the inner surface, and an airfoil, and forming a plurality of openings between the platform inner surface and the platform outer surface to facilitate cooling an exterior surface of the platform.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a rotor blade includes casting the turbine rotor blade to include a shank, and a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface, and coupling a first component to the rotor blade such that a first substantially hollow plenum is defined between the first component, the shank, and the platform lower surface.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a turbine rotor blade includes casting a turbine rotor blade including a dovetail, a platform having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a cast-in plenum defined between the outer surface and the inner surface, and an airfoil, and forming a plurality of openings between the platform inner surface and the platform outer surface to facilitate cooling an exterior surface of the platform.

Abstract: An apparatus enables a turbine nozzle, including at least two turbine nozzle singlets to be fabricated. Each singlet includes inner and outer bands and a vane extending therebetween. The vane also includes first and second sidewalls coupled together at a leading edge and a trailing edge. The apparatus comprises a fixture, and at least two support members extending from the fixture. Each support member has first and second abutment surfaces, wherein a first of the at least two support members contacts at least one of the leading and trailing edges of a first of the vanes. At least two locating features extend from the fixture, wherein a first of the locating features contacts one of the first and second sidewalls of the first vane. At least two biasing members are coupled to the fixture, wherein a first of the biasing members biases the first vane against the first locating feature.