Composite airfoils having leading edge protection made using high temperature additive manufacturing methods

Abstract

Composite airfoils including a leading edge, and a near net shape metal leading edge protective strip operably connected to the leading edge, the protective strip made by providing a high temperature additive manufacturing device; providing a tooling system including a mandrel; a metallic cladding; and at least one cooling channel applying a metallic deposit to the mandrel having the metallic cladding using the high temperature additive manufacturing device; and concurrently removing heat from the mandrel using the at least one cooling channel.

1 . A composite airfoil comprising:
 a leading edge; and   a near net shape metal leading edge protective strip operably connected to the leading edge, the protective strip made by
 providing a high temperature additive manufacturing device; 
 providing a tooling system comprising:
 a mandrel; 
 a metallic cladding; and 
 at least one cooling channel 
 
 applying a metallic deposit to the mandrel having the metallic cladding using the high temperature additive manufacturing device; and 
 concurrently removing heat from the mandrel using the at least one cooling channel. 
   
     
     
         2 . The airfoil of  claim 1  wherein the metallic deposit comprises titanium or a titanium alloy. 
     
     
         3 . The airfoil of  claim 2  wherein the high temperature additive manufacturing device is capable of carrying out a process selected from the group consisting of plasma transferred arc deposition, laser cladding, gas metal arc welding, ultrasonic welding, electron beam free-form fabrication, and shaped metal deposition. 
     
     
         4 . The airfoil of  claim 3  comprising removing heat from the mandrel by passing a cooling medium through the at least one cooling channel. 
     
     
         5 . The airfoil of  claim 4  wherein the high temperature additive manufacturing device has an operating temperature above about 3000° C. 
     
     
         6 . The airfoil of  claim 5  wherein the metallic deposit comprises a thermal conductivity and wherein the mandrel comprises a thermal conductivity at least twice the thermal conductivity of the metallic deposit. 
     
     
         7 . The airfoil of  claim 6  wherein the metallic cladding comprises the same material as the metallic deposit. 
     
     
         8 . The airfoil of  claim 7  comprising finishing the near net shape airfoil metal leading edge protective strip to a final dimension. 
     
     
         9 . The airfoil of  claim 8  wherein the metallic cladding comprises a thickness of from about 2 microns to about 2 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The airfoil of  claim 9  wherein the airfoil comprises a blade or a vane. 
     
     
         11 . A turbine engine comprising:
 a composite airfoil having a leading edge; and   a near net shape metal leading edge protective strip operably connected to the leading edge, the protective strip made by providing a high temperature additive manufacturing device;
 providing a tooling system comprising:
 a mandrel; 
 a metallic cladding; and 
 at least one cooling channel 
 
 applying a metallic deposit to the mandrel having the metallic cladding using the high temperature additive manufacturing device; and 
 concurrently removing heat from the mandrel using the at least one cooling channel. 
   
     
     
         12 . The engine of  claim 11  wherein the metallic deposit comprises titanium or a titanium alloy. 
     
     
         13 . The engine of  claim 12  wherein the airfoil comprises a blade or a vane. 
     
     
         14 . The engine of  claim 13  wherein the high temperature additive manufacturing device is capable of carrying out a process selected from the group consisting of plasma transferred arc deposition, laser cladding, gas metal arc welding, ultrasonic welding, electron beam free-form fabrication, and shaped metal deposition. 
     
     
         15 . The engine of  claim 14  comprising removing heat from the mandrel by passing a cooling medium through the at least one cooling channel. 
     
     
         16 . The engine of  claim 15  wherein the high temperature additive manufacturing device has an operating temperature above about 3000° C. 
     
     
         17 . The engine of  claim 16  wherein the metallic deposit comprises a thermal conductivity and wherein the mandrel comprises a thermal conductivity at least twice the thermal conductivity of the metallic deposit. 
     
     
         18 . The engine of  claim 17  wherein the metallic cladding comprises the same material as the metallic deposit. 
     
     
         19 . The engine of  claim 18  comprising finishing the near net shape airfoil metal leading edge protective strip to a final dimension. 
     
     
         20 . The engine of  claim 19  wherein the metallic cladding comprises a thickness of from about 2 microns to about 2 mm.