Abstract: A turbine rotor blade is provided. The turbine rotor blade includes a root, a platform coupled to the root, and an airfoil extending from the platform. The platform has a leading edge, a trailing edge, a suction side edge, and a pressure side edge. The pressure side edge includes a first concave portion.

Abstract: A method for improving the surface of an aluminum alloy article includes manufacturing the aluminum alloy article using an additive manufacturing technique, wherein the article as-manufactured includes one or more of cracks, roughness, or porosity at a surface of the article; coating the surface of the aluminum alloy article with a diffusion element, the diffusion element being capable of diffusing at least 0.2 mils into the article; heating the aluminum alloy article coated with the diffusion element to cause the diffusion element to diffuse the at least 0.2 mils into the article, thereby forming a diffusion layer of at least 0.2 mils in thickness comprising both aluminum alloy and diffusion element; and removing the diffusion layer from the aluminum alloy article, whereby upon the removing, a resulting improved surface of the article comprises fewer or smaller cracks, reduced roughness, or reduced porosity.

Abstract: In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a method for manufacturing a bypass valve of a turbine engine control system is described. The bypass valve includes a proportional valve and an integrator valve and the integrator valve includes an integrator spring assembly. The method includes forming the integrator spring assembly using an additive manufacturing technique. The integrator spring assembly comprises first and second end portions with a spring portion disposed between the first and second end portions. The first and second end portions and the spring portion are formed as an integral unit without welding or brazing using the additive manufacturing technique. The method further includes assembling the integrator spring assembly, the integrator valve, and the proportional valve into a complete bypass valve assembly.

Abstract: Hybrid bonded turbine rotors and methods for manufacturing the same are provided.

Abstract: A cooling arrangement is provided for a gas turbine engine with a turbine section. The cooling arrangement includes a first conduit to receive cooling air that includes particles; a separator system coupled to the first conduit to receive the cooling air and configured to remove at least a portion of the particles to result in relatively clean cooling air and scavenge air including the portion of the particles; and a second conduit coupled to the separator system and configured to direct the relatively clean cooling air to the turbine section.

Abstract: A turbine rotor blade for a turbine section of an engine is provided. The rotor blade includes a platform and an airfoil extending from the platform into a mainstream gas path of the turbine section. The airfoil includes a pressure side wall, a suction side wall joined to the pressure side wall at a leading edge and a trailing edge, and a tip cap extending between the suction side wall and the pressure side wall. The rotor blade further includes an internal cooling circuit having a tip cap passage configured to deliver cooling air to the tip cap and a flow accelerator positioned within the tip cap passage of the internal cooling circuit.

Abstract: A coupling apparatus for use in sealingly connecting a first fluid flow path to a second fluid flow path. The coupling apparatus includes a rigid fluid flow channel having a first end and a second end, wherein the fluid flow channel is substantially rigid in an axial direction and a radial direction, a first sealing terminus that is rigidly connected to the first end and that is configured for sealing with the first fluid flow path, and a second sealing terminus that is slidingly disposed about the second end such that the second sealing terminus is configured for relative movement with respect to the second end, and wherein the second sealing terminus is further configured for sealing with the second fluid flow path.

Abstract: Nickel-based superalloys and additive manufacturing processes using nickel-based superalloys are disclosed herein. For example, a nickel-based superalloy includes, on a weight basis of the overall superalloy: about 9.5% to about 10.5% tungsten, about 9.0% to about 11.0% cobalt, about 8.0% to about 8.8% chromium, about 5.3% to about 5.7% aluminum, about 2.8% to about 3.3% tantalum, about 0.3% to about 1.6% hafnium, about 0.5% to about 0.8% molybdenum, about 0.005% to about 0.04% carbon, and a majority of nickel. Exemplary additive manufacturing processes include subjecting such a nickel-based superalloy in powdered build material form to a high energy density beam in an additive manufacturing process to selectively fuse portions of the build material to form a built component and subjecting the built component to a finishing process to precipitate a gamma-prime phase of the nickel-based superalloy.

Abstract: In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a method of forming a oxide dispersion-strengthened alloy metal includes the steps of providing, in a powdered form, an oxide dispersion-strengthened alloy composition that is capable of achieving a dispersion-strengthened microstructure, directing a low energy density energy beam at a portion of the alloy composition, withdrawing the energy beam from the portion of the powdered alloy composition, and cooling the portion of the powdered alloy composition at a rate greater than or equal to about 106° F. per second, thereby forming the oxide dispersion-strengthened alloy metal.

Abstract: In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a method for manufacturing a component using additive manufacturing techniques includes providing a 3D design model for the component, adding one or more crack resistant features to the 3D design model of the component to produce an enhanced design model, and manufacturing the component using an additive manufacturing technique in accordance with the enhanced design model. The one or more crack resistant features are provided to reduce or eliminate the incidence of cracking in the manufactured component.

Abstract: In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a method of forming a ceramic reinforced titanium alloy includes the steps of providing, in a pre-alloy powdered form, a ceramic reinforced titanium alloy composition that is capable of achieving a dispersion-strengthened microstructure, directing a low energy density energy beam at a portion of the alloy composition, and forming a ceramic reinforced titanium alloy metal having ceramic particulates of less than 10 ?m on a weight-average basis. The step of forming includes the sub-steps of withdrawing the energy beam from the portion of the powdered alloy composition and cooling the portion of the powdered alloy composition at a rate greater than or equal to about 106° F. per second, thereby forming the ceramic reinforced titanium alloy metal.

Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine is provided. The airfoil includes a body with a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first side wall extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge, and a second side wall extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The body defines an interior cavity. The airfoil includes an interior wall disposed within the interior cavity of the body and extending between the first wall and the second wall to define a supply chamber and a leading edge chamber. The interior wall defines a cooling hole with a base portion and a locally extended portion to direct cooling air from the supply chamber to the leading edge chamber such that the cooling air impinges upon the leading edge.

Abstract: Hybrid bonded turbine rotors and methods for manufacturing the same are provided. A hybrid bonded turbine rotor comprises a turbine disk and a plurality of turbine blades each metallurgically bonded to a corresponding raised blade attachment surface of a plurality of raised blade attachment surfaces of the turbine disk to define a bond plane located at a selected radial position. Turbine disk has a rim portion comprising a live rim of circumferentially continuous material and a plurality of live rim notches in an outer periphery of the turbine disk alternating with the plurality of raised blade attachment surfaces defining the outer periphery. The selected radial position is outboard of the live rim. Each pair of adjacent turbine blades defines a shank cavity therebetween. The shank cavity extends radially outwardly from the live rim and includes a live rim notch disposed below the bond plane and above the live rim.

Abstract: An apparatus including a housing, an electrical conductor, and a suction control valve. The housing forms a handle and a shaft. The housing defines a suction channel from a distal end of the shaft. The electrical conductor extends to the distal end of the shaft. The suction control valve is connected to the suction channel at the handle. The suction control valve includes a valve body having a first channel and a second channel connected to the first channel, where the first channel forms a portion of the suction channel; and a valve barrel rotatably connected to the valve body. The valve barrel includes a rotatable ring extending around the handle and forming a portion of the housing. The ring includes an orifice configured to be rotated into and out of registration with an end of the second channel as the ring is rotated about the valve body.

Abstract: In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a method of manufacturing a stator airfoil assembly includes forming an interior wall of a stator airfoil using an additive manufacturing technique, forming an exterior wall of the stator airfoil using the additive manufacturing technique, and forming a plurality of internal ribs between the interior wall and the exterior wall using the additive manufacturing technique. A cooling air circuit is formed in a space between the interior wall and the exterior wall. Further, the interior wall, the exterior wall, and the internal ribs are formed simultaneously as an integral structure by using the additive manufacturing technique.

Abstract: Methods are provided for producing alloy forms from alloys containing one or more extremely reactive elements and for fabricating a component therefrom. The fabricating method comprises substantially removing a reactive gas from the fabrication environment. An alloy form of the alloy is formed. The alloy form is formed by melting the alloy or by melting one or more base elements of the alloy to produce a molten liquid and introducing the one or more extremely reactive elements into the molten liquid. The molten alloy is shaped into the alloy form. The component is formed from the alloy form. If the one or more extremely reactive elements are introduced into the molten liquid, such introduction occurs just prior to the shaping step.

Abstract: A turbine component for a turbine of an engine is provided. The turbine component includes a blade portion of a first material; and an attachment portion coupled to the blade portion, the attachment portion being a second material.

Abstract: In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, disclosed is an air-cooled turbine blade having an airfoil shape, including a convex suction side wall, a concave pressure side wall, the walls including an interior surface that defines an interior with the blade, a suction side flow circuit formed within the blade interior, a pressure side flow circuit formed within the blade interior; and a trailing edge pin bank positioned aft of the suction side and pressure side flow circuits. The turbine blade includes a wishbone-shaped architecture at a transition point between the suction side flow circuit and the pressure side flow circuit and the trailing edge pin bank.

Abstract: In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a method of forming a dispersion-strengthened aluminum alloy metal includes the steps of providing a dispersion-strengthened aluminum alloy composition in a powdered form, directing a low energy density laser beam at a portion of the powdered alloy composition, and withdrawing the laser beam from the portion of the powdered alloy composition. Subsequent to withdrawal of the laser beam, the portion of the powdered alloy composition cools at a rate greater than or equal to about 106° C. per second, thereby forming the dispersion-strengthened aluminum alloy metal.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments generally relate to non-destructive evaluation methods. In an embodiment, a method for non-destructive evaluation of a aerospace component includes positioning a first plurality of sensors in the region of interest, positioning a second plurality of sensors in the region of interest, inducing a vibration in the region of interest using the first plurality of sensors and receiving a resonance frequency spectra using the second plurality of sensors, and comparing the received resonance frequency spectra against a reference spectra to determine the presence of an anomaly in the region of interest.