Abstract: Cover plate connections for a hollow fan blade are disclosed. An example fan blade includes a hollow body including a surface defining an airfoil, the hollow body including an aperture extending through the surface, a cover plate, and at least one connection element to couple the cover plate to the surface such that the cover plate encloses the aperture.

Abstract: Cover plate connections for a hollow fan blade are disclosed. An example fan blade includes a hollow body including a surface defining an airfoil, the hollow body including an aperture extending through the surface, a cover plate, and at least one connection element to couple the cover plate to the surface such that the cover plate encloses the aperture.

Abstract: Compressor blades constructed of composite materials are disclosed. Some example compressor blades may include a composite blade panel including an airfoil having a span extending radially outward with respect to an axis of rotation and/or a blade attachment feature radially inward from the airfoil with respect to the axis of rotation. The blade attachment feature may be circumferentially oriented with respect to the axis of rotation. The blade attachment feature may be arranged to releasably engage a generally circumferentially oriented spool attachment feature. The spool attachment feature may be generally shaped as a circumferential dovetail slot configured to slidably receive the blade attachment feature therein.

Abstract: Compressor blades constructed of composite materials are disclosed. Some example compressor blades may include a composite blade panel including an airfoil having a span extending radially outward with respect to an axis of rotation and/or a blade attachment feature radially inward from the airfoil with respect to the axis of rotation. The blade attachment feature may be circumferentially oriented with respect to the axis of rotation. The blade attachment feature may be arranged to releasably engage a generally circumferentially oriented spool attachment feature. The spool attachment feature may be generally shaped as a circumferential dovetail slot configured to slidably receive the blade attachment feature therein.

Abstract: A method of optimizing an autoclave volume utilization includes, in an exemplary embodiment, determining process parameters of an autoclave; modeling an autoclave configuration to determine airflow patterns in the autoclave, temperature variation throughout the autoclave, and the distribution of turbulent intensity in the autoclave; and modifying the autoclave configuration with hardware changes to the autoclave to alter the airflow patterns in the autoclave. The method also includes modeling the modified autoclave configuration to determine modified airflow patterns in the autoclave, modified temperature variation throughout the autoclave, and the modified distribution of turbulent intensity in the autoclave; and modeling the modified autoclave configuration with parts to be cured in the modified autoclave configuration to determine an arrangement of parts that maximizes the number of parts in the autoclave that meet predetermined cured properties of the parts.

Abstract: A method of optimizing an autoclave volume utilization includes, in an exemplary embodiment, determining process parameters of an autoclave; modeling an autoclave configuration to determine airflow patterns in the autoclave, temperature variation throughout the autoclave, and the distribution of turbulent intensity in the autoclave; and modifying the autoclave configuration with hardware changes to the autoclave to alter the airflow patterns in the autoclave. The method also includes modeling the modified autoclave configuration to determine modified airflow patterns in the autoclave, modified temperature variation throughout the autoclave, and the modified distribution of turbulent intensity in the autoclave; and modeling the modified autoclave configuration with parts to be cured in the modified autoclave configuration to determine an arrangement of parts that maximizes the number of parts in the autoclave that meet predetermined cured properties of the parts.