A blade damage evaluation apparatus includes: a registration unit for design information of a turbine and maintenance information; an acquisition processor for detection data of sensors; a first discrimination processor for first facility states of the turbine at a plurality of past time points; a classification processor for classes C.sub.n of a plurality of first facility states; a first determination processor for first operating state values of the turbine; another registration unit for first damage rates at past time points; a setting processor of a characteristic function for each of the classes C.sub.n; a second discrimination processor for a second facility state of the turbine at the current time point; a second determination processor for a second operating state value of the turbine at the current time point; and an analyzer for a second damage rate at the current time point.

There is described a fixture for supporting a plurality of gas turbine engine blades that are to be imaged. The mobile fixture comprises a plurality of interconnected mounts arranged to lie within a common plane, wherein each mount comprises at least one support surface for holding a respective blade. Support surfaces of respective mounts are oriented such that their respective normal vectors have the same angle with respect to the common plane.

A rotor for a turbomachine includes a disc and a plurality of blades fixed to the disc. Each blade of the plurality of blades is fixed to the disc via a lattice structure configured so that a tensile force applied to the lattice structure induces a change in the angle of incidence of the blade. The blades and the lattice structures are configured so that: (i) when the rotor is stationary, the distribution of the angles of incidence of the blades around the disc is aperiodic, and (ii) when the rotor is rotating at a predetermined rotational speed, the angles of incidence of the blades are identical.

A nondestructive method for a volumetric examination of a blade root of a turbine blade while the turbine blade is installed in a turbine shaft of a steam turbine includes attaching a bracket to the turbine blade, the bracket conforming to the geometry of the turbine blade, positioning an ultrasonic phased array probe within a slot formed in the bracket to enable the probe to translate along the geometry of the turbine blade to a desired position for generation of a scan of a portion of the blade root, generating a scan of the desired position by directing ultrasonic waves via the ultrasonic phased array probe, and capturing reflected ultrasonic waves by a receiver to generate the scan and comparing the scan to a reference scan of the blade root to determine defects within the blade root.

An assembly is provided for an aircraft propulsion system. This aircraft propulsion system assembly includes an aircraft propulsion system component with a leading edge. The aircraft propulsion system assembly also includes artificial ice attached to the aircraft propulsion system component. The artificial ice at least partially covers and extends longitudinally along the leading edge.

Test rig for a back-to-back test of a turbine, including an axle supported in at least one bearing fixed to a carrier, a gear coupled to the axle and a motor coupled to the gear, whereby a gear bearing arrangement comprising two radially extending arms to be coupled to the gear and extending in opposite directions, which arms are pivotally connected to a pair of torque arms extending in a basically parallel direction, with the ends of the torque arms being pivotally coupled to a frame including lateral extensions extending in opposite directions with connection segments, to which segments respective second torque arms arranged in a basically vertical direction in respect to the pair of torque arms are pivotally connected, which second torque arms are pivotally connected to a respective connection element arranged at the carrier.

A rotor assembly (30) comprising a rotor (32) having an annular array of rotor blades (34), the rotor mounted to a shaft (38). A phonic wheel (40) coupled to the shaft. A speed sensor (44) axially aligned with the phonic wheel and configured to measure voltage (V), amplitude of the voltage being proportional to clearance (46) between the sensor and phonic wheel. A processor (48) configured to: receive the voltage measurement; derive shaft speed (ω) from the voltage measurement; identify modulation of the voltage amplitude at a frequency which is an integer multiple of the shaft speed; compare voltage amplitude to a threshold; and output a rotor damage signal based on the comparison.

A suspending tool includes a suspending tool main body that extends to be parallel with an axial direction above a rotor main body, a pair of bearing supporting portions that are disposed at an interval in the axial direction and are detachable from the bearing portions, a pair of seal supporting portions that are disposed inside the pair of bearing supporting portions in the axial direction at an interval in the axial direction and are detachable from the seal portions, and a plurality of diaphragm supporting portions that are disposed inside the pair of seal supporting portions in the axial direction such that the diaphragm supporting portions are disposed at intervals in the axial direction and are detachable from the diaphragms.

A system and a method for configuring at least one variable geometry mechanism (VGM) of an aircraft engine are provided. Pass-off testing data for the aircraft engine is obtained, the pass-off testing data indicative of an actual value of at least one operating parameter of the aircraft engine. Based on the pass-off testing data, at least one trim value to be used to adjust a setting of the at least one VGM to bring the actual value of the at least one operating parameter towards a target value is determined, a running line of the aircraft engine being substantially constant when the actual value of the at least one operating parameter is at the target value. The setting of the at least one VGM is adjusted, during pass-off testing of the aircraft engine, using the at least one trim value.

A method for creating a three-dimensional (3D) mark in a protective coating including at least one of a TBC and a bond coating over a metal part, is provided. The method may include positioning a mask over the protective coating, the mask including an opening pattern therein; and performing an abrasive waterjet process on the protective coating using the mask. The abrasive waterjet erodes a first portion of the protective coating exposed through the first opening pattern to create the 3D mark. The mask is removed, leaving the 3D mark in the protective coating. The 3D mark only partially penetrates through the protective coating. A metal part may include a metal body, a protective coating over the metal body, and the 3D mark in the protective coating, is also provided. The 3D mark in the protective coating may include an opening having a width of between 30 and 300 micrometers.