Methods of manufacturing or repairing a turbine blade or vane are described. The airfoil portions of these turbine components are typically manufactured by casting in a ceramic mold, and a surface made up of the cast airfoil and at the least the ceramic core serves as a build surface for a subsequent process of additively manufacturing the tip portions. The build surface is created by removing a top portion of the airfoil and the core, or by placing an ultra-thin shim on top of the airfoil and the core. The overhang projected by the shim is subsequently removed. These methods are not limited to turbine engine applications, but can be applied to any metallic object that can benefit from casting and additive manufacturing processes. The present disclosure also relates to finished and intermediate products prepared by these methods.

A component is provided and includes a core including a ceramic matrix composite material, one or more cooling channels formed about the core, an outer metal shell disposed about the core and the one or more cooling channels and a protective material between the core and the outer metal shell. The one or more cooling channels are formed about the core as an array of cooling channels in the protective material.

Methods of manufacturing or repairing a turbine blade or vane are described. The airfoil portions of these turbine components are typically manufactured by casting in a ceramic mold, and a surface made up of the cast airfoil and at the least the ceramic core serves as a build surface for a subsequent process of additively manufacturing the tip portions. The build surface is created by removing a top portion of the airfoil and the core, or by placing an ultra-thin shim on top of the airfoil and the core. The overhang projected by the shim is subsequently removed. These methods are not limited to turbine engine applications, but can be applied to any metallic object that can benefit from casting and additive manufacturing processes. The present disclosure also relates to finished and intermediate products prepared by these methods.

A method of making a composite core includes forming first and second cores of refractory metal and ceramic material. Each of the first and second cores is formed with two layers of a material. The layers are bonded together to form a laminate master pattern, and a flexible mold is formed around the pattern. The pattern is removed from the flexible mold, and slurry material, either pulverulent refractory metal material or ceramic material, is poured into the flexible mold. The slurry material is sintered to form each core. The first core is used as an insert while making the second core to create a final composite core.

A method of making a refractory metal core includes forming two layers of the core out of a material. The layers are bonded together to form a laminate master pattern, and a flexible mold is formed around the pattern. The pattern is removed from the flexible mold, and pulverulent refractory metal material is poured into the flexible mold. The pulverulent refractory metal material is sintered to form the refractory metal core.

The present disclosure generally relates to integrated core-shell investment casting molds that provide a filament structure corresponding to a cooling hole pattern in the surface of the turbine blade, stator vane, or shroud. The disclosure also relates to the forming of a ceramic coating on at least a portion of the shell of the core-shell casting mold.

A method for manufacturing a turbine engine blade (25) comprising a pressure side and a suction side separated from one another by an inner space for the circulation of cooling air, the blade (25) comprising a tip (S) with a closing wall (29) joining the pressure side and suction side walls in the region of this tip (S) in order to define a well shape, the closing wall including through-holes. The closing wall (29) obtained by moulding has a considerable nominal thickness with pits (36, 37) locally reducing this thickness at each through-hole in order to facilitate the removal by chemical etching of alumina rods defining the holes. Since the closing wall (29) thus has a large nominal thickness, it can then be machined in order to form raised patterns or complex shapes inside the well.

A casting method and cast manifold are provided. The method allows configuring conduits, such as conduits in a fuel feed boss and/or a base rocket, which are part of the manifold for removing a ceramic core from the cast without forming extraneous holes in the body of the manifold. Absence of such extraneous holes in turn allows eliminating sealing plugs and welds, which otherwise would be needed for sealing the extraneous holes.

A method is provided for casting a component. Accordingly, a casting core is provided within a cavity of a component mold. The casting core defines an inner component shape and includes a core wall. The core wall defines a core outer surface and a core inner surface disposed opposite the core outer surface. The core inner surface defines a core cavity. The casting core also includes a removal facilitation feature. The component is cast within the cavity of the component mold with the casting core positioned therein. The cast component is removed from the component mold and the casting core is removed from the cast component.

A process for forming a component is provided. The process includes providing a cooling channel flow definition at least partially about a core including a ceramic matrix composite material. A metal material is cast about the core and the cooling channel flow definition to form an outer metal shell. In addition, a cooling channel is formed from the cooling channel flow definition in the component.