Dual alloy gas turbine engine rotors and methods for the manufacture thereof

A method for manufacturing a bladed Gas Turbine Engine (GTE) rotor, the method comprising:

• arranging bladed pieces in a ring formation such that shank-to-shank junctions are formed between circumferentially-adjacent bladed pieces;
• depositing a first alloy along the shank-to-shank junctions utilizing a localized fusion deposition process to produce a plurality of alloy-filled joints bonding the bladed pieces in a bonded blade ring having a central opening;
• inserting a hub disk into the central opening of the bonded blade ring;
• positioning metal diaphragms over opposing faces of the hub disk after inserting the hub disk into the central opening of the bonded blade ring:
• forming circumferential joints around outer peripheries of the metal diaphragms. the circumferential joints bonding the metal diaphragms to the bonded blade ring and overlapping with the alloy-filled joints;
• and
• bonding the bonded blade ring to the hub disk;
• wherein, during the step of depositing, a localized heat input is applied to the first alloy utilizing a computer-controlled deposition tool to form each of the plurality of alloy-filled joints in a single pass or to gradually build-up each of the plurality of alloy-filled joints along the shank-to-shank junctions in accordance with pre-established three dimensional object data;
• and
• wherein the same localized fusion deposition process is utilized to deposit first alloy and to form the circumferential joints around the outer peripheries of the metal diaphragms.