Integrally Cast Airfoil Components for Small Gas Turbine Engines

Abstract

In the past two decades, remarkable progress has been made in investment casting of airfoil components for gas turbine engines. Cast turbine blades, operating at high stresses and high temperatures, have been widely accepted. Improved production techniques, notably vacuum melting and casting, have stimulated development of greatly improved nickel and cobalt based superalloys. Although individual turbine blades and vanes have been produced in large quantities since 1950, a more recent development is high-volume production of integrally cast turbine wheels and nozzles for small gas turbine engines. This paper is a review of the state of the art in integrally cast airfoil components. The Monoshell process, as applied to integral castings is reviewed and representative illustrations of a wide range of engine castings are presented.