Importance

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Abstract

A turbine blade (1), for example, for a ram air turbine engine, and method of making the turbine blade, wherein the turbine blade (1) includes a blade retention insert member (2) having a hub connector (3). The turbine blade (1) is fabricated by using sheet molding compound consisting essentially of discontinuous short fibers (7) initially random spaced within a polymer matrix sheet. A plurality of sheets of sheet molding compound are precut to a desired configuration or shape and placed in a heated blade mold. Heat and pressure are applied to the mold causing the sheet molding compound to flow around the blade retention insert member (2) and fill the mold cavity. The flow of the sheet molding compound causes the initially randomly oriented short fibers (7) to preferentially align in the direction of flow to rigidify the turbine blade (1). Fiber woven cloth skins (8) may integrally molded with the sheet molding compound during the compression molding process to accommodate high loads, and an aluminum chopped strand veil cloth (9) may also be integrally molded into the blade (1) or layers of conductive material may be deposited on at least portions of the surface of the turbine blade (1) during a secondary operation. At least one woven cloth material (6) may also be integrally molded into the turbine blade (1) to react to bending loads and to provide additional load transfer capabilities.

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First Claim