An apparatus and method for producing a core for use in casting a gas turbine component is provided. The apparatus comprises a system having a cavity block with an upper portion, a lower portion, and a recessed cavity in each of the upper portion and the lower portion. Positioned within the cavity block is an adapter insert, and within the adapter insert is positioned a core die insert, where the core die insert is fabricated from a sacrificial material and has a hollow internal profile corresponding to an external surface of a core. A ceramic-based material is supplied to the core die insert where it solidifies. The core die insert is placed into a water-based solution and the core die insert is removed from around the core.

An apparatus and method for producing a core for use in casting a gas turbine component is provided. The apparatus comprises a system having a cavity block with an upper portion, a lower portion, and a recessed cavity in each of the upper portion and the lower portion. Positioned within the cavity block is an adapter insert, and within the adapter insert is positioned a core die insert, where the core die insert is fabricated from a sacrificial material and has a hollow internal profile corresponding to an external surface of a core. A ceramic-based material is supplied to the core die insert where it solidifies. The core die insert is placed into a water-based solution and the core die insert is removed from around the core.

A manufacturing method for a composite material part includes injecting under pressure a slip containing a refractory ceramic particle powder into the moulding cavity of an injection tooling, draining the liquid from the slip that passed through the moulding cavity and retaining the particle powder inside the moulding cavity to obtain a blank including refractory particles, demoulding the blank, and heat treating the blank to form a part. The injection tooling includes a porous material mould consisting of a moulding cavity, an enclosure of rigid material in which the porous material mould is held, the enclosure further including an injection port, a discharge vent and an injection canal connecting the injection port to the moulding cavity of the porous mould for the injection of the slip into the moulding cavity. The injection tooling includes a sacrificial capsule of porous material placed in moulding cavity.

A manufacturing method for a composite material part includes injecting under pressure a slip containing a refractory ceramic particle powder into the moulding cavity of an injection tooling, draining the liquid from the slip that passed through the moulding cavity and retaining the particle powder inside the moulding cavity to obtain a blank including refractory particles, demoulding the blank, and heat treating the blank to form a part. The injection tooling includes a porous material mould consisting of a moulding cavity, an enclosure of rigid material in which the porous material mould is held, the enclosure further including an injection port, a discharge vent and an injection canal connecting the injection port to the moulding cavity of the porous mould for the injection of the slip into the moulding cavity. The injection tooling includes a sacrificial capsule of porous material placed in moulding cavity.

A method of forming a coating includes providing a mold that has a flexible wall that defines a mold cavity, inserting a component that is to be coated into the mold cavity, the component having a component surface roughness and there being a coating gap defined between the component and the flexible wall of the mold cavity, introducing a molding slurry into the mold cavity, the molding slurry filling the coating gap and contacting the component so as to overcoat the component surface roughness, solidifying the molding slurry to form a green coating on the component, and consolidating the green coating to form a final coating on the component, the final coating having a coating surface roughness that is less than the component surface roughness.

A method of forming a coating includes providing a mold that has a flexible wall that defines a mold cavity, inserting a component that is to be coated into the mold cavity, the component having a component surface roughness and there being a coating gap defined between the component and the flexible wall of the mold cavity, introducing a molding slurry into the mold cavity, the molding slurry filling the coating gap and contacting the component so as to overcoat the component surface roughness, solidifying the molding slurry to form a green coating on the component, and consolidating the green coating to form a final coating on the component, the final coating having a coating surface roughness that is less than the component surface roughness.

A composite material structure can be constructed using an airforming process that includes filling the inflated support mold with a fluid structural material and allowing the fluid structural material to harden within the support mold. Additional steps can include inflating the support mold with a first fluid, forming fluid escape outlets in the support mold, and removing the support mold after allowing the fluid structural material to harden. The first fluid can be air, the support mold can be a fiberglass resin, and/or the fluid structural material can be a concrete composite material. Fluid can escape through the fluid escape outlets during the filling. The finished structure can include multiple structural components formed from a homogenous concrete composite material and having curved and non-planar geometries. The concrete composite material can include aluminum alloy fibers.

A composite material structure can be constructed using an airforming process that includes filling the inflated support mold with a fluid structural material and allowing the fluid structural material to harden within the support mold. Additional steps can include inflating the support mold with a first fluid, forming fluid escape outlets in the support mold, and removing the support mold after allowing the fluid structural material to harden. The first fluid can be air, the support mold can be a fiberglass resin, and/or the fluid structural material can be a concrete composite material. Fluid can escape through the fluid escape outlets during the filling. The finished structure can include multiple structural components formed from a homogenous concrete composite material and having curved and non-planar geometries. The concrete composite material can include aluminum alloy fibers.

A method for preparing a carbon/boron carbide composite material includes the following steps (A) providing a carbon compound, a carbon fiber, a boron compound and a binder to perform a pretreatment mixing procedure to form a precursor; (B) putting the precursor into a spray granulator for performing a granulation process and mixing the precursor to form an injection material with a uniform composition; (C) feeding the injection material into an injection molding machine for performing a compression molding process, thereby forming a carbon compound/boron compound green body; and (D) subjecting the carbon compound/boron compound green body to a two-stage heat treatment process to obtain the carbon/boron carbide composite material.

A method for preparing a carbon/boron carbide composite material includes the following steps (A) providing a carbon compound, a carbon fiber, a boron compound and a binder to perform a pretreatment mixing procedure to form a precursor; (B) putting the precursor into a spray granulator for performing a granulation process and mixing the precursor to form an injection material with a uniform composition; (C) feeding the injection material into an injection molding machine for performing a compression molding process, thereby forming a carbon compound/boron compound green body; and (D) subjecting the carbon compound/boron compound green body to a two-stage heat treatment process to obtain the carbon/boron carbide composite material.