Direct Fabrication of Titqnium Matrix Composite Components for Advanced Turboshaft Engine Technology

The successful development and deployment of lightweight, high temperature. metal matrix and intermetallic matrix composites are critical to reaching the goals of the Joint Turbine Advanced Gas Generator (JTAGG) advanced development program. Current methods for processing these advanced materials into complex shape components and structures are expensive, requiring multiple processing steps and tooling specific to the desired shape. Directed Light Fabrication (DLF) is a solid freeform fabrication process that directly fabricates metal components from a computer generated solid model. Phase I will demonstrate the DLF process for producing titanium alloy continuous SiC fiber monotapes and titanium matrix composites (TMC) with improved control over matrix composition and microstructure. The Phase I effort is directed towards defining the optimum materials processing parameters necessary for direct fabrication of a TMC ring structure with properties comparable to conventionally processed materials with emphasis on control of matrix microstructure and matrix fiber interaction. The follow-on Phase II program will focus on fabricating full scale TMC ring structures for testing and evaluaflon on gas generator cores. BENEFITS: Technology will meet the need to rapidly develop and process high temperature, high specific strength metal matrix and intermetallic matrix composites into complex shape components and structures. Applications include: hollow fan blades, diskless rotors, spacers, shafts, structural rods, links and vanes in aircraft engines, turbopump blades and rocket nozzles used in advanced space propulsion and power systems as well as biomedical implants.