# US 10,502,063 B2 · Airfoil and method of fabricating same

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,502,063 B2
- Document ID: US10502063B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/609,602
- Filed: 2017-05-31
- Published: 2018-12-06
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-31
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Applicants: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Scott Andrew Weaver; Scott Michael Oppenheimer; William Thomas Carter
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502063B2

## CPC

- F01D 5/147: {Construction, i.e. structural features, e.g. of weight-saving hollow blades (F01D5/148, F01D5/16 and F01D5/20 take precedence; blade shape F01D5/141; blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities F01D5/18; heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades F01D5/18)}
- B22F 5/04: of turbine blades
- B22F 7/062: {involving the connection or repairing of preformed parts}
- B22F 10/25: Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS]
- B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing
- F01D 5/005: {Repairing methods or devices}
- F01D 5/20: Specially-shaped blade tips to seal space between tips and stator {(F01D5/225 takes precedence)}
- B22F 10/80: Data acquisition or data processing
- F05D 2230/21: by casting
- F05D 2230/22: by sintering
- F05D 2230/23: by permanently joining parts together
- F05D 2230/30: with deposition of material
- F05D 2230/31: Layer deposition
- F05D 2230/50: Building or constructing in particular ways
- Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A method of fabricating an airfoil includes forming a tip portion and imaging a second end of a body portion to obtain image data of one or more mortises formed therein. One or more tenons are formed on the first end of the tip portion using the image data of the second end of the body portion. The one or more tenons are manufactured using one of additive or subtractive manufacturing techniques. To complete assembly, the first end of the tip portion is positioned relative to the second end of the body portion such that each of the one or more tenons of the tip portion align with and are in sliding engagement with a respective one of the one or more mortises of the body portion. The body portion and the tip portion are coupled together such that the tip portion and the body portion form the airfoil. An airfoil formed by the method is also disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of fabricating an airfoil, the airfoil including a tip portion including a first end and a second end and a body portion including a first end and a second end, said method comprising:
forming the tip portion;
imaging the second end of the body portion to obtain image data of one or more mortises formed therein;
forming one or more tenons extending therefrom the first end of the tip portion using the image data of the second end of the body portion, wherein the one or more tenons are formed using additive manufacturing techniques;
positioning a first end of the tip portion relative to the second end of the body portion such that the one or more tenons of the tip portion align with and engage with the one or more mortises of the body portion; and
coupling the first end of the tip portion to the second end of the body portion such that the tip portion and the body portion form the airfoil.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein forming the tip portion includes additively manufacturing the tip portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method in accordance with claim 2, wherein forming the tip portion includes additively manufacturing the tip portion on a plate-like component, and wherein the plate-like component defines the first end of the tip portion.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method in accordance with claim 1, where the one or more mortises of the body portion are one or more cooling passages.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising depositing a bonding material on at least one of the first end of the tip portion, at least a portion of the one or more tenons and the second end of the body portion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein coupling the first end of the tip portion to the second end of the body portion includes heating the bonding material above a specified temperature, wherein the specified temperature is less than a melting point of at least one of the tip portion and the body portion.

### Claim 7

A method of fabricating an airfoil, the airfoil including a tip portion including a tip portion including a first end and a second end and a body portion including a first end and a second end, said method comprising:
forming the tip portion;
imaging a second end of the body portion to obtain image data of one or more mortises formed therein an end portion;
manufacturing one or more tenons extending therefrom the first end of the tip portion using the image data of the second end of the body portion, wherein the step of manufacturing includes additive manufacturing;
depositing a bonding material on at least one of a first end of the tip portion, the one or more tenons and a second end of the body portion;
positioning the first end of the tip portion relative to the second end of the body portion to allow sliding engagement of each of the one or more tenons into a respective one of the one or more mortise and define a mechanical interlocking interface; and
coupling the first end of the tip portion to the second end of the body portion such that the tip portion and the body portion form the airfoil.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein forming the tip portion includes additively manufacturing the tip portion.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein forming the tip portion includes additively manufacturing the tip portion on a plate-like component, and cutting the tip portion from the plate-like component subsequent to manufacturing the one or more tenons, wherein the plate-like component defines the first end of the tip portion.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method in accordance with claim 7, where the one or more mortises of the body portion are one or more cooling passages.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising coupling the airfoil to a rotor such that the airfoil directs fluid, wherein the airfoil has a pressure side and a suction side, the pressure side and the suction side extending from the body portion to the tip portion.

### Claim 12

An airfoil of a rotary machine comprising:
a tip portion comprising a first end and a second end, the tip portion including one or more additively manufactured tenons extending from the first end; and
a body portion comprising a first end and a second end, said second end of the body portion configured to couple to said first end of said tip portion, said body portion including one or more mortises extending into the second end, wherein each of said one or more tenons of the tip portion are in sliding engagement with a corresponding one of said one or more mortises of the body portion,
wherein said one or more tenons of the tip portion are based on image data of the second end of the body portion.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The airfoil in accordance with claim 12, wherein the tip portion is an additively manufactured tip portion.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The airfoil in accordance with claim 12, wherein the tip portion includes a plate-like component that defines the first end of the tip portion.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The airfoil in accordance with claim 12, wherein the body portion is one of an open tip turbine blade casting or a tipless turbine blade.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The airfoil in accordance with claim 12, wherein the one or more mortises of the body portion are one or more cooling passages.