A system and method for forming a porous ceramic preform is provided. The method may include forming a stacked powder structure including a binder layer and a powder layer on the binder layer. The binder layer may be formed by depositing a binder with a spray nozzle on a substrate. The powder layer may be formed by depositing a powder on the binder layer. The porous ceramic preform may be formed by heating the stacked powder structure to pyrolyze the binder. The porous ceramic preform is configured to be infiltrated by a molten material. The substrate may comprise a ceramic fiber preform. After melt infiltration of the porous ceramic preform and the ceramic fiber preform, a densified ceramic feature having a predetermined geometry may be formed on a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component.

A system and method for forming a porous ceramic preform is provided. The method may include forming a stacked powder structure including a binder layer and a powder layer on the binder layer. The binder layer may be formed by depositing a binder with a spray nozzle on a substrate. The powder layer may be formed by depositing a powder on the binder layer. The porous ceramic preform may be formed by heating the stacked powder structure to pyrolyze the binder. The porous ceramic preform is configured to be infiltrated by a molten material. The substrate may comprise a ceramic fiber preform. After melt infiltration of the porous ceramic preform and the ceramic fiber preform, a densified ceramic feature having a predetermined geometry may be formed on a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component.

An airfoil piece includes at least one inner ceramic matrix composite ply which defines an internal cavity of an airfoil section and first and second collar projections. At least one inner ceramic matrix composite ply is continuous through the airfoil section and first and second collar projections, first and second platforms at the first and second ends of the airfoil section. The first and second collar projections extend radially past the first and second platforms, respectively. A vane for a gas turbine engine and a method of assembling a vane are also disclosed.

A method to form a machinable ceramic matrix composite comprises forming a porous ceramic multilayer on a surface of a fiber preform. In one example, the porous ceramic multilayer comprises a gradient in porosity in a direction normal to the surface. In another example, the porous ceramic multilayer includes low-wettability particles having a high contact angle with molten silicon, where an amount of the low-wettability particles in the porous ceramic multilayer varies in a direction normal to the surface. After forming the porous ceramic multilayer, the fiber preform is infiltrated with a melt, and the melt is cooled to form a ceramic matrix composite with a surface coating thereon. An outer portion of the surface coating is more readily machinable than an inner portion of the surface coating. The outer portion of the surface coating is machined to form a ceramic matrix composite having a machined surface with a predetermined surface finish and/or dimensional tolerance.

A vane arc segment includes an airfoil fairing that has a fairing platform and an airfoil section that extends there from. The fairing platform defines a gaspath side and a non-gaspath side and includes a flange that projects from the non-gaspath side. The airfoil fairing is formed of a fiber-reinforced composite that includes a wishbone-shaped fiber layer structure that has first and second arms that converge and merge into a single leg. The first and second arms are formed of fiber plies comprised of a network of fiber tows. The single leg comprises fiber tows from each of the fiber plies of the first and second arms. The fiber tows of the first arm are interwoven in the single leg with the fiber tows of the second arm. The first arm, the second arm, or the single leg forms at least a portion of the flange.

Particles of a refractory metal or a refractory-metal compound capable of decomposing or reacting into refractory-metal nanoparticles, elemental silicon, and an organic compound having a char yield of at least 60% by weight are combined to form a precursor mixture. The mixture is heating, forming a thermoset and/or metal nanoparticles. Further heating form a composition having nanoparticles of a refractory-metal silicide and a carbonaceous matrix. The composition is not in the form of a powder

Particles of a refractory metal or a refractory-metal compound capable of decomposing or reacting into refractory-metal nanoparticles, elemental silicon, and an organic compound having a char yield of at least 60% by weight are combined to form a precursor mixture. The mixture is heating, forming a thermoset and/or metal nanoparticles. Further heating form a composition having nanoparticles of a refractory-metal silicide and a carbonaceous matrix. The composition is not in the form of a powder

A method of manufacturing a CMC structure includes infiltrating a porous substrate with a composite material and performing a first densification on the infiltrated porous substrate, forming a first densified porous substrate, wherein the first densification includes techniques selected from the group of techniques comprising photonic curing, photonic sintering, pulsed thermal heating, or combinations thereof.

A method of forming a ceramic matrix composite component according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, among other possible things includes laying up plies of ceramic reinforcement material with sacrificial plies to form a preform, infiltrating the preform with a ceramic matrix material, and machining away the sacrificial plies to reveal a surface profile of the ceramic matrix composite component. A preform for a ceramic matrix composite component is also disclosed.

A method for producing a consolidated fiber preform intended for the manufacture of a part made of composite material, includes shaping a fiber texture in a heated metal mold, the texture being pre-impregnated with a transient or fugitive material, or shaping a fiber texture in a metal mold and injecting a transient or fugitive material into the fiber texture held in shape in the metal mold, cooling the mold, removing the set fiber preform from the mold, coating the fiber preform with a slurry containing a powder of ceramic or carbon particles, heat-treating the coated fiber preform so as to form a porous shell around the fiber preform by consolidation of the slurry and so as to remove the transient or fugitive material present in the fiber preform, consolidating the fiber preform by gas-phase chemical infiltration.