Cavity consolidation apparatus
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorThomas Francis McNulty
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cavity consolidation apparatus for consolidating a preform of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component defining a cavity includes a pressurization device and an expandable band wrapped around the pressurization device, wherein the expandable band has a first band portion with a first thickness in a first region of the cavity and a second band portion with a second thickness in a second region of the cavity, wherein the first thickness of the expandable band is different from the second thickness of the expandable band.
Claims20
A cavity consolidation apparatus for consolidating a preform of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component defining a cavity, the apparatus comprising:
- a pressurization device;
- and
- an expandable band wrapped around the pressurization device;
- wherein the expandable band has a first band portion with a first thickness in a first region of the cavity and a second band portion with a second thickness in a second region of the cavity,
- wherein the first thickness of the expandable band is different from the second thickness of the expandable band.
A method for consolidating a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component, the method comprising:
- wrapping an expandable band around a pressurization device such that the expandable band has a first band portion having a first thickness adjacent a first portion of the pressurization device and a second band portion having a second thickness adjacent a second portion of the pressurization device, the first thickness being different than the second thickness;
- inserting the pressurization device and the expandable band into a cavity of a preform of the CMC component such that the first thickness is in a first region of the cavity and the second thickness is in a second region of the cavity;
- and
- inflating the pressurization device to provide a proportionate compaction of the preform, the proportionate compaction being an equal percentage of a thickness of the preform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.