Abstract: A forming apparatus (20) and method are provided for forming an item (10). The item includes an end part (12), a body part (14) and a tip (16), the body part extending from the end part, the tip being located at an end of the body part remote from the end part. The invention is characterized in that the apparatus includes a tip holder (22) for holding the tip and an end die (26) for clamping the end part; a rotator (42) for inducing relative rotation between the end die and the tip holder which, in a twisting step, induces a twist in the body part in use; and a body die (32), the body die including one or more formation surfaces (34), the body die being arranged in use in a conformation step to conform one or more surfaces (50) of the twisted body part to the or each formation surface.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a blade comprising: applying a stop-off material in a first predetermined pattern between a first layer and a membrane so as to prevent a diffusion bond from forming between the first layer and the membrane across said first predetermined pattern; and applying the stop-off material in a second predetermined pattern between a second layer and the membrane; wherein the first and second predetermined patterns are arranged to allow a diffusion bond to be formed along the blade tip edge, the diffusion bond along the blade tip edge extending across the blade in a chord-wise direction; applying the first and second predetermined patterns so that over at least a first portion of the blade chord at the blade tip, a greater portion of the first layer at the tip edge, extending in a span-wise direction, is diffusion bonded to the membrane than the opposing second layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a blade (20) for a turbomachine by superplastic forming and diffusion bonding a first layer (18), a second layer (16) and a membrane (2), the membrane (2) being disposed between the first and second layers (18, 16), the method comprising: applying a stop-off material in a first predetermined pattern between the first layer (18) and the membrane (2) so as to prevent a diffusion bond from forming between the first layer and the membrane across said first predetermined pattern; and applying the stop-off material in a second predetermined pattern between the second layer (16) and the membrane (2) so as to prevent a diffusion bond from forming between the second layer and the membrane across said second predetermined pattern.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a blade comprising: applying a stop-off material in a first predetermined pattern between a first layer and a membrane so as to prevent a diffusion bond from forming between the first layer and the membrane across said first predetermined pattern; and applying the stop-off material in a second predetermined pattern between a second layer and the membrane; wherein the first and second predetermined patterns are arranged to allow a diffusion bond to be formed along the blade tip edge, the diffusion bond along the blade tip edge extending across the blade in a chord-wise direction; applying the first and second predetermined patterns so that over at least a first portion of the blade chord at the blade tip, a greater portion of the first layer at the tip edge, extending in a span-wise direction, is diffusion bonded to the membrane than the opposing second layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a blade (20) for a turbomachine by superplastic forming and diffusion bonding a first layer (18), a second layer (16) and a membrane (2), the membrane (2) being disposed between the first and second layers (18, 16), the method comprising: applying a stop-off material in a first predetermined pattern between the first layer (18) and the membrane (2) so as to prevent a diffusion bond from forming between the first layer and the membrane across said first predetermined pattern; wherein the first pattern is applied such that it defines one or more first strips (12) and one or more first dots (15), the first strips and first dots being void of the stop-off material, and wherein the first strips are arranged in a span-wise direction, and the first dots are located between the first strips and the blade tip edge, the first dots (15) being offset from a longitudinal axis of the first strips (12) in a chord-wise direction; and applying the stop-off material in a second predetermined pattern b

Abstract: A forming apparatus (20) and method are provided for forming an item (10). The item includes an end part (12), a body part (14) and a tip (16), the body part extending from the end part, the tip being located at an end of the body part remote from the end part. The invention is characterised in that the apparatus includes a tip holder (22) for holding the tip and an end die (26) for clamping the end part; a rotator (42) for inducing relative rotation between the end die and the tip holder which, in a twisting step, induces a twist in the body part in use; and a body die (32), the body die including one or more formation surfaces (34), the body die being arranged in use in a conformation step to conform one or more surfaces (50) of the twisted body part to the or each formation surface.