A preform has a fibrous reinforcement woven in one piece by three-dimensional weaving to create a fan inter-blade platform The platform includes an aerodynamic base and a fixing structure having stiffening elements that extend from the aerodynamic base. The preform includes a first fibrous part configured to form the aerodynamic base, second fibrous part configured to at least partially form the stiffening elements of the inter-blade platform, a first connection zone in which the first and second parts are woven together, and a first disconnection zone delimited by a first disconnection line extending in a transverse direction and in which the first and second parts are separated from one another. The first disconnection zone is adjacent to the first connection zone in a longitudinal direction L.

A composite article including composite component mounted on a spar including a shank extending heightwise from below component base up into composite component. Tab at an upper end of shank substantially or fully embedded in the composite component and at least one ply surface pattern of the composite component contacting and generally conforming to at least one spar surface pattern on the tab. Spar surface pattern may include spaced apart spar surface protrusions with spar surface spaces therebetween and spar surface protrusions extending outwardly from spar and disposed between tows in ply surface pattern. Tows may be layed up in spar surface spaces. Spar surface pattern may include continuous or segmented spaced spar surface protrusions and spar surface spaces therebetween with tows in ply surface pattern disposed in spar surface spaces. The composite article may be a composite blade or vane including a composite airfoil.

Airfoils (12) are molded of material (28), such as silicon rubber, which is fluent during molding, becoming solid and compliant at temperatures of use, with rigidly fixed vanes (25) and rotatable vanes (26), as inserts which are co-molded within the airfoil. The inserts are pre-prepared of either stiff or semi-stiff material to suit the intended needs of the airfoil. Then, with inserts in place within a mold, the airfoil is molded of compliant material. At least one of the inserts (26) is rotatable so as to force at least some portion of the compliant airfoil to alter camber, the compliant material between the inserts smoothing out the surface of the airfoil. The airfoils thus molded are then inserted between the inner hub (18) and the outer ring (22) of the rotary machine in which a fan or compressor is being constructed. Rods of the movable vanes extend to a unison ring connected (32) to rotate the vanes.

A method for manufacturing an outer skin of a rotor blade includes forming an outer skin layer of the outer skin from a first combination of at least one of one or more resins or fiber materials. The method also includes forming an inner skin layer of the outer skin from a second combination of at least one of one or more resins or fiber materials. More specifically, the first and second combinations are different. Further, the method includes arranging the outer and inner skin layers together in a stacked configuration. In addition, the method includes joining the outer and inner skin layers together to form the outer skin.

Single-airfoil vanes each having an inner platform, an outer platform, and an airfoil are obtained by three-dimensionally weaving a fiber blank in a single piece, by shaping the fiber blank to obtain a single-piece fiber preform, and by densifying the preform with a matrix to obtain a vane of composite material forming a single piece with inner and outer platforms incorporated therein. A plurality of vanes is assembled together at an intermediate stage of densification to form a multi-airfoil composite material guide vane sector for a turbine nozzle or a compressor diffuser and the assembled-together vanes are bonded together.

A process for repairing a part made of organic matrix composite material coated with at least one layer of paint includes removing the paint at a damaged area of the part, removing the composite material at the damaged area so as to form a recessed portion, depositing a repair resin in the recessed portion, curing the repair resin, applying at least one layer of paint to the repair area. The repair resin is loaded with magnetically detectable particles.

The present invention relates to a ceramic or metallic component including a first region having a first porosity ranging between 1 and 30%. The component includes a second region having a second porosity that is less than the first porosity. The component includes at least one graded transition between the first and second regions.

The application describes methods of making composite bodies including fibre-reinforced composite material with carbon fibre reinforcement and also a metal-containing portion (4). The metal-containing portion (4) is formed by laying up metal reinforcement elements, such as tapes of titanium alloy, among the carbon fibre reinforcement tapes which make up the composite body. The proportion of metal reinforcement may increase progressively towards the surface and/or towards an edge (14) of the composite body. In an example, metal leading and trailing edges (14,15) of a fan blade (1) are integrally formed in this way.

A method of mounting a replacement tip section to an exposed end of a rotor blade includes removing an existing tip section from the rotor blade to create the exposed end of the rotor blade, installing the rotor blade having the exposed end onto a holding fixture, assembling the replacement tip section about the exposed end of the rotor blade, positioning a bonding fixture about the replacement tip section, and curing the replacement tip section to the exposed end of the rotor blade.

A system and method for manufacturing a part in a mold having a mold cavity including a printhead for depositing a first material within the mold cavity, and an injection head for depositing a second material within the mold cavity. A part can be made in the mold cavity by the cooperative use of both injection molding and additive manufacturing steps.