Chemical vapor infiltration tooling for optimizing infiltration in ceramic matrix composites

A tooling fixture suitable for use in infiltrating a fibrous preform with a flow of reactant gas, the tooling fixture comprising:

• a plurality of walls arranged to define an enclosure for a fibrous preform, each of the plurality of walls comprising:
• an outer surface and opposing inner surface defining a thickness therebetween, the inner surface disposed to face the fibrous preform;
• and
• a plurality of holes extending through the thickness of at least a first wall of the plurality of walls, each hole of the plurality of holes comprising:
• an inlet at the outer surface;
• an outlet at the inner surface;
• and
• a transition point between the inlet and the outlet;
• wherein the outer surface transitions into the inlet via a first corner;
• wherein an angle of the first corner is greater than 90 degrees;
• wherein each hole of the plurality of holes has a first diameter at the inlet and a second diameter at the outlet;
• and
• wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter.