Abstract: A method of manufacturing a woven fabric for a composite component for a turbine engine. The method includes weaving a plurality of reinforcing fiber tows to form a woven fabric with a surface. The reinforcing fiber tows include a plurality of first fiber tows and a plurality of second fiber tows oriented transversely to the plurality of first fiber tows. The woven fabric is a three-dimensional woven fabric. The method also includes forming, during weaving the plurality of reinforcing fiber tows, a cavity extending in the first direction. Forming the cavity includes positioning the plurality of first fiber tows to create the cavity and weaving the plurality of second fiber tows around the cavity. The method further includes forming, during weaving the plurality of reinforcing fiber tows, a slit connecting the cavity to the surface.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite component having an outer shell, an inner hub, and a plurality of struts connecting the outer shell and the inner hub. An initial outer shell hoop preform is woven and includes a plurality of bifurcated strut portions on an exterior side of the initial outer shell hoop preform. The initial outer shell hoop preform is turned inside-out to form a woven outer shell hoop preform so that the bifurcated strut portions are arranged on the interior side to extend inward. The woven outer shell hoop preform is installed on a mold tooling structure, along with an inner hub preform, and the bifurcated strut portions are connected to inner hub pi-joint members of the inner hub preform. A matrix material is injected into the mold tooling structure and a curing process is applied to the mold tooling structure to obtain the composite component.

Abstract: An airfoil includes a non-uniform weave structure that is two-dimensional or three-dimensional, the non-uniform weave structure including a plurality of reinforcing fibers, the non-uniform weave structure having a first region with a first stiffness and a second region with a second stiffness higher than the first stiffness, wherein the plurality of reinforcing fibers include higher density fibers in the second region and lower density fibers in the first region so as to increase a stiffness of the airfoil at the second region of the airfoil in a desired orientation to achieve a desired aeromechanics response of the airfoil.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a woven fabric for a composite component for a turbine engine. The method includes arranging a plurality of warp fiber tows to extend in the warp direction. The plurality of warp fiber tows is arranged in a thickness direction to form a plurality of warp fiber layers and is arranged in a weft direction to form a plurality of warp fiber columns. The method also includes weaving the plurality of weft fiber tows with the plurality of warp fiber tows. The plurality of weft fiber tows includes a multi-layer weft fiber tow. The multi-layer weft fiber tow is woven with a multi-layer portion that extends two or more warp fiber layers of the plurality of warp fiber layers.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a woven fabric for a composite component for a turbine engine. The method includes weaving a plurality of reinforcing fiber tows to form a woven fabric with a surface. The reinforcing fiber tows include a plurality of first fiber tows and a plurality of second fiber tows oriented transversely to the plurality of first fiber tows. The woven fabric is a three-dimensional woven fabric. The method also includes forming, during weaving the plurality of reinforcing fiber tows, a cavity extending in the first direction. Forming the cavity includes positioning the plurality of first fiber tows to create the cavity and weaving the plurality of second fiber tows around the cavity. The method further includes forming, during weaving the plurality of reinforcing fiber tows, a slit connecting the cavity to the surface.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite component having an outer shell, an inner hub, and a plurality of struts connecting the outer shell and the inner hub. An outer shell hoop preform and an inner hub hoop preform are woven and installed on a mold tooling structure, a plurality of outer shell pi-joint members are integrally woven to the outer shell hoop preform, and a plurality of inner hub pi-joint members are integrally woven to the inner hub hoop preform. A plurality of strut preforms are connected between respective ones of the outer shell pi-joint members and the inner hub pi-joint members. A matrix material is injected into the mold tooling structure and a curing process is applied to the mold tooling structure to obtain the composite component.

Abstract: An airfoil includes a non-uniform weave structure that is two-dimensional or three-dimensional, the non-uniform weave structure including a plurality of reinforcing fibers, the non-uniform weave structure having a first region with a first stiffness and a second region with a second stiffness higher than the first stiffness, wherein the plurality of reinforcing fibers include higher density fibers in the second region and lower density fibers in the first region so as to increase a stiffness of the airfoil at the second region of the airfoil in a desired orientation to achieve a desired aeromechanics response of the airfoil.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite component having an outer shell, an inner hub, and a plurality of struts connecting the outer shell and the inner hub. An initial outer shell hoop preform is woven and includes a plurality of bifurcated strut portions on an exterior side of the initial outer shell hoop preform. The initial outer shell hoop preform is turned inside-out to form a woven outer shell hoop preform so that the bifurcated strut portions are arranged on the interior side to extend inward. The woven outer shell hoop preform is installed on a mold tooling structure, along with an inner hub preform, and the bifurcated strut portions are connected to inner hub pi-joint members of the inner hub preform. A matrix material is injected into the mold tooling structure and a curing process is applied to the mold tooling structure to obtain the composite component.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite component including an outer shell, an inner hub, and a plurality of struts connecting the outer shell and the inner hub. The method includes installing an outer shell hoop preform on a mold tooling structure, installing an inner hub hoop preform on the mold tooling structure, and inserting strut preforms through outer shell strut slots, and through inner hub strut slots. A first end of the strut preform has bifurcated end portions that are overlayed onto the outer shell hoop preform, and a second end of the strut preform has bifurcated end portions that are overlayed onto one of the outer shell hoop preform or the inner hub hoop preform. A matrix material is injected into the mold tooling structure and a curing process is applied to the mold tooling structure to obtain a molded composite component.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite component including an outer shell, an inner hub, and a plurality of struts connecting the outer shell and the inner hub. The method includes installing an outer shell hoop preform on a mold tooling structure, installing an inner hub hoop preform on the mold tooling structure, and inserting strut preforms through outer shell strut slots, and through inner hub strut slots. A first end of the strut preform has bifurcated end portions that are overlayed onto the outer shell hoop preform, and a second end of the strut preform has bifurcated end portions that are overlayed onto one of the outer shell hoop preform or the inner hub hoop preform. A matrix material is injected into the mold tooling structure and a curing process is applied to the mold tooling structure to obtain a molded composite component.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite component including an outer shell, an inner hub, and a plurality of struts connecting the outer shell and the inner hub. The method includes installing an outer shell hoop preform on a mold tooling structure, installing an inner hub hoop preform on the mold tooling structure, and inserting strut preforms through outer shell strut slots, and through inner hub strut slots. A first end of the strut preform has bifurcated end portions that are overlayed onto the outer shell hoop preform, and a second end of the strut preform has bifurcated end portions that are overlayed onto one of the outer shell hoop preform or the inner hub hoop preform. A matrix material is injected into the mold tooling structure and a curing process is applied to the mold tooling structure to obtain a molded composite component.

Abstract: A preform for making a casing structure for turbine engines. The preform includes a plurality of reinforcing fiber tows arranged in a two-dimensional weave structure, a three-dimensional weave structure, or a braided structure. The plurality of reinforcing fiber tows include integrally woven or braided fiber tows having a diameter or a density greater than a respective diameter or density of other woven or braided fiber tows in the two-dimensional weave structure, the three-dimensional weave structure, or the braided structure. The integrally woven or braided fiber tows are located in an area of the preform that is bent to form an angled corner to thereby provide strength to a casing structure comprising the angled corner.