A method and apparatus for securing a rotor blade is disclosed. The apparatus includes a base and an offset member configured to maintain the base at a selected distance from a set point. A clamping member is supported by the base and is receptive of the rotor blade at a selected location of the rotor blade, wherein the rotor blade is positioned against the set point. A slidable component supports the clamping member and slides the clamping member within the base to the selected location of the rotor blade. The free end of the clam shell assembly can be secured to a support beam that raises the clam shell assembly and rotor blade from the base for immersion testing.

A method for cutting machining of turbine blades (1) on a multi-axis machine tool, the turbine blade (1) is held by a rotatable blade-root clamping device and a rotatable blade-tip clamping device (2) and is machined by means of a tool which is chucked in a tool spindle. A first profile section (4) which is adjacent to the blade tip is first of all machined by the tool and the tool is then removed. The tool spindle then grabs an already horizontal additional clamping device (5) which has clamping jaws (6.1, 6.2) adapted to the first profile section (4). The additional clamping device (5) is positioned on the blade-tip clamping device (2) in such a way that the clamping jaws (6.1, 6.2) rest in the first profile section (4). The tool spindle then grabs a tool and machines the remaining profile section with it.

A holding fixture includes a first blade support assembly and a second blade support assembly. The second blade support assembly is spaced at a distance from the first blade support assembly and includes a base plate removably mounted to a milling machine, an adjustable conic support connectable to the base plate via a spacer block, and a blade adjustment assembly movable to control a pressure applied by the blade adjustment assembly.

A tooling fixture assembly for processing a component of a gas turbine engine is provided. The tooling fixture assembly includes a component nesting fixture for precisely positioning the component within the fixture using a plurality of datum locators. A transfer block is also positioned at a known location and orientation relative to the component and an adhesive is used to fix the relative position of the component and the transfer block. The component and the transfer block are then removed from the component nesting fixture and installed on a machine for drilling, machining, or otherwise processing the component. After the machining is complete, the adhesive may be removed, such that the component may be detached from the transfer block.

The rotary workhead device, which is loaded on the table of a machine tool and onto which a workpiece to be machined is rotatably mounted, is equipped with: a base plate that is attached to the table of the machine tool; two rotary workheads that are provided on the base plate and disposed so that the axes of rotation coincide and the workpiece-fixing parts face each other; a guide means that is provided so as to be capable of moving at least one of the rotary workheads back and forth in the direction of the rotation axes; and an impelling means for impelling the one rotary workhead in a direction that separates or brings together the two rotary workheads. The rotary workhead device applies a tensile force or a compressive force on a workpiece, the respective ends of which are fixed between the two rotary workheads.

A bond fixture including a plurality of supports mounted about a surface. At least one of the plurality of supports includes a vertical member and a hand crank operable to adjust a position of the vertical member. A first fixture is disposed at an end of the bond fixture and is movable relative to the surface. The first fixture includes a base and a support extending from the base. A second fixture includes a first member and a second member movably coupled. A fastener extending between the first member and the second member controls relative movement of the first member and the second member to define an opening there between. Each of the first member and the second member includes a plate having a heater formed therein.

A device for clamping a turbine blade (9) during a welding repair of the blade tip (11). The blade has a peripheral surface that has a suction side (5) and pressure side (7) and has a blade tip. The device has at least one movable clamping structure (1,3) for pressing on the suction side (5) or the pressure side (7) of a turbine blade (9) in the region of the blade tip (11) of the turbine blade, wherein the clamping structure (1,3) is designed to remove heat from the turbine blade (9). The at least one movable clamping structure (1,3) has a plurality of clamping elements (13), which are each individually movably supported in such a way that the clamping elements can be moved toward the peripheral surface of a turbine blade (9) to be clamped and away from the peripheral surface.

A handling system for a turbine component and a computerized machining system are provided. A gripper of the system includes a mounting arm operatively coupled to a tool handler of the machining system, a plurality of contact members configured to collectively grasp the turbine component, and a first actuator configured to move at least one of the contact members between a release position in which the contact members receive a part of the turbine component therebetween at a first longitudinal position thereof and a grasp position in which the contact members grasp the part at a second longitudinal position thereof different than the first longitudinal position. The tool handler and/or the turbine component is linearly moved to move the gripper relative to the turbine component between the first longitudinal position and the second longitudinal position. A loading system allowing easier loading/unloading of the turbine component may also be provided.

An EDM machine includes a machine head, a wire guide, a machining wire extending from the wire guide to the machine head, a rotary table mounted to a first surface and a fixed table mounted to the rotary table, and a fixture mounted to the fixed table. The fixture includes a mounting portion substantially circumscribing the fixture. The mounting portion further includes a mounting surface. The mounting surface is closer to a first surface than an upper surface of the fixed table.

A method of securing an workpiece for machining the trailing edge. The workpiece has a platform from which extends an airfoil, the airfoil including a leading edge and a trailing edge, and a pressure side and a suction side. A fixture with at least one locating datum that relates to the platform and at least one locating datum that relates to the leading edge is provided. The fixture does not contact the trailing edge of the workpiece. The workpiece is positioned so that the platform is against the related locating datum and the leading edge is against the related locating datum. The workpiece is secured within the fixture, and the trailing edge of the workpiece is machined.