A directional solidification apparatus includes a mold heating chamber, a solidification chamber, and a gas source. The solidification chamber is adjacent the mold heating chamber for solidifying molten metal formed from an air melt allow system as a cast body as the metal is withdrawn from the mold heating chamber. The gas sources is in fluid communication with the mold heating chamber for providing a pressurized atmosphere for directionally solidifying metal as cast body having single crystal or multi-crystal columnar micro structure.

A gas turbine engine component formed of material having phononic regions. The phononic regions are formed of alloys or allotropes of the material. The phononic regions modify the behavior of the phonons and control heat conduction.

A method for casting comprising: providing a seed, the seed characterized by: an arcuate form and a crystalline orientation progressively varying along an arc of the form; providing molten material; and cooling and solidifying the molten material so that a crystalline structure of the seed propagates into the solidifying material.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to compact bearing assemblies configured to operate in small spaces and/or in harsh environments, bearing apparatuses including such bearing assemblies, and method of operating such bearing assemblies and apparatuses. For instance, one or more compact bearing assemblies may at least partially rotatably secure a shaft of a power generation unit to a housing thereof. Also, a first compact bearing assembly may connect or couple to the shaft and may rotatably engage a second compact bearing assembly, which may be connected or otherwise secured to the housing.

A method for casting comprising: providing a seed, the seed characterized by: an arcuate form and a crystalline orientation progressively varying along an arc of the form; providing molten material; and cooling and solidifying the molten material so that a crystalline structure of the seed propagates into the solidifying material.

A gas turbine engine includes a rotor that has a rim, blades extending radially outwards from the rim, a hub extending radially inwards from the rim, an arm extending axially from the rim, the arm having a radially outer surface, and a coating disposed on the radially outer surface. The coating is zirconia-toughened alumina in which the alumina is a matrix with grains of the zirconia dispersed there through. The grains of zirconia are predominantly a tetragonal crystal structure.

A fan blade and method of manufacturing a fan blade includes a metallic fan blade body with a crystalline oxidation layer and immersing the crystalline oxidation layer in a solution of ceramic nanosheets in suspension. A fan blade for a gas turbine engine includes a metallic fan blade body having a tip with a crystalline oxidation layer, wherein the crystalline oxidation layer includes pores containing ceramic nanosheets.

An engine component for a turbine engine, the engine component comprising a wall bounding an interior; a panel portion defining a portion of the wall, the panel portion comprising: an outer wall; an inner wall spaced from the outer wall to define a wall gap; and a structural segment formed within the wall gap comprising at least one structural element. The apparatus formed from a method including calculating a factor and adjusting a variable until the factor is between a given range.

The present disclosure provides a fir tree coupling for gas turbine engine parts comprising a load beam having a longitudinal axis, a rounded base, a first side, and a second side, wherein the rounded base has a radius of curvature from the first side to the second side, a tooth running parallel to the longitudinal axis and disposed on the first side of the load beam. The fir tree coupling may comprise a channel through the rounded base across a portion of the radius of curvature from the first side to the second side. The channel may comprise a sidewall having a sidewall step cut into a portion of the channel sidewall.

A fan slider for use in a fan assembly to push a fan blade radially outward of a rotating axis of the gas turbine engine. The fan slider may include a fan slider body coated with a nanocrystalline metallic coating and a slider spring.