Triple phase titanium fan and compressor blade and methods therefor

Abstract

Article (e.g., turbine engine fan or compressor blade) comprising a titanium alloy has a first portion with alpha+beta microstructure and a second portion with martensitic or a bimodal microstructure. The modified microstructure of the second portion is provided by selectively heating, and immediately quenching, the second portion without substantially heating the first portion. An exemplary method includes providing a near net-shaped article having a first portion (e.g., an airfoil region) and a second portion (e.g., an unfinished dovetail region). Initially, the article comprises an alpha+beta microstructure throughout. Thereafter, the second portion is selectively heated, followed by immediate quenching, without substantially heating the first portion, to modify the microstructure of the second portion to a martensitic or bimodal microstructure without substantially modifying the microstructure of the first portion. Thereafter, the second portion may be processed to a final body dimension.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.