A method of forming a thermal barrier coating on a metal part includes laser cleaning a surface of the metal part to remove undesirable oxides and residues from the surface of the part. It further includes depositing an aluminum containing bondcoat on the part and thermally interdiffusing the bondcoat and the part with a heat treatment. Laser cleaning a surface of the bondcoat to remove oxides and debris from the surface forms an alpha aluminum oxide layer on the bondcoat. A ceramic topcoat is then deposited on the alpha aluminum oxide layer at a temperature above 1800 F. (982 C.).

A hydrophilic surface pattern on a removal surface of a steam turbine directs surface moisture in at least one predetermined direction to enhance moisture management by enhancing moisture removal or otherwise reducing erosion caused by moisture in the steam turbine. In some embodiments, the removal surface is located on the outer surface of the nozzle wall adjacent an extraction opening. In some embodiments, the removal surface is located on the surface of the bucket and directs moisture toward the turbine rotor. In some embodiments, the removal surface is located on the surface of the turbine casing or the surface of the nozzle and directs moisture toward a drain in the turbine casing. The hydrophilic surface pattern is preferably laser-etched as a nano-scale pattern to create the hydrophilic surface. In some embodiments, the hydrophilic surface pattern creates a superhydrophilic surface.

A method for manufacturing a component having a defined geometry includes: a) defining a pre-component geometry including interim shape elements and additional, sacrificial elements for supporting interim elements; b) on a base plate, depositing multiple layers of a powder including a material from which the pre-component will be manufactured; c) sintering the powder to form the pre-component to the defined geometry; d) removing at least some of the sacrificial elements from the pre-component; e) subjecting the remaining pre-component from step d) to a HIP step; and f) removing remaining sacrificial elements from the pre-component product of step e) to provide a component to the defined component geometry. In the definition of the pre-component geometry, the interim elements differ from the corresponding final shape elements in the defined component geometry such that during the HIP step, the interim shape elements adjust to form final shape elements in the defined component geometry.

A manufacturing method is provided. During this method, a preform component for a turbine engine is provided that includes a substrate. A meter section of a cooling aperture is formed in the substrate. An external coating is applied over the substrate. At least a portion of the substrate and the external coating is scanned with an imaging system to provide scan data indicative of an internal structure of the portion of the substrate and the external coating. A diffuser section of the cooling aperture is formed in the external coating and the substrate based on the scan data.

A method for forming a housing for a flow-conducting component includes forming at least two functional regions of the housing having different material properties using at least one of radiation-induced melting and solidification of a build material and a process gas jet. Each functional region of the housing may be generated from a different construction material, and at least one functional layer may be formed with a reduced weight structure such as a honeycomb structure.

A process of producing a ceramic matrix composite component. The process includes positioning a plurality of ceramic matrix composite plies on top of one another and forming a cavity therein. At least a portion of the cavity includes a terminal diameter sufficiently small to permit infiltration of a densifying material. The plurality of ceramic matrix composite plies are densified to form a densified body. The densifying results in the portion of the cavity including the terminal diameter being filled with densifying material and the cavity is present in the densified body. A ceramic matrix composite having cavities therein is also disclosed.

Methods and systems for characterizing holes in a combustor liner of a gas turbine engine, and associated repair methods are provided. One method comprises receiving first measured data of the combustor liner in an uncoated state. The method includes determining a first location and a first orientation of a first hole and a first location and a first orientation of a second hole in the combustor liner using the first measured data. The method includes receiving second measured data of the combustor liner in a coated state where the second hole is at least partially obstructed by a coating and the first hole is substantially unobstructed by the coating. The method includes inferring a second location of the second hole of the combustor liner in the coated state using a known spacing between the first location of the first hole and the first location of the second hole. The characterization of the holes may be used to re-drill the obstructed second hole.

A blade is used in fluid and includes: a base member; and a coat layer that is formed on the base member, a plurality of first grooves and a plurality of second grooves are formed on a surface of the coat layer, a pitch of the plurality of first grooves is different from a pitch of the plurality of second grooves.

A single-body balance correction range in which a weight has been removed by single-body balance correction performed on a turbine wheel (a rotor) as a single body is calculated, an assembly balance correction range is calculated in an assembled state of the turbine wheel, and assembly balance correction is performed in a case where the single-body balance correction range and the assembly balance correction range overlap each other, such that an outermost diameter of an arc-shaped assembly-balance correction groove provided by removal of an inner part of a turbine wheel head is smaller than a remaining height a of the single-body balance correction range. By such a correction process, it is possible to perform weight removal for assembly balance correction by excluding a range in which the weight has been removed by the single-body balance correction, thereby making it possible to restrain an indicated value of a weight removal amount from deviating from an actual weight removal amount.

The present application provides a method of repairing a turbine blade. The method may include the steps of removing an existing squealer tip from the turbine blade in whole or in part, positioning the turbine blade in an additive manufacturing system, and building up an extension of a replacement squealer tip on the turbine blade in whole or in part.