Patent ID: 6706323
Filing Date: 2004-03-16
Classification: C23C

Abstract:
A method for simultaneously vapor phase coating airfoil flowpath surfaces and upper platform surfaces of a plurality of turbine airfoils while masking dovetail sections of said turbine airfoils, the method comprising:inserting dovetail sections of a plurality of turbine airfoils into a dovetail section receptacle comprising a chamber having an opening at a top of the receptacle for inserting said plurality of turbine airfoil dovetail sections into the chamber, and a rim around the opening, the rim being sized for supporting the platforms of the turbine airfoils, such that the dovetail section of each turbine airfoil extends into said chamber and the platform of each turbine airfoil rests on the rim, with upper platform surfaces and airfoil flowpath surfaces external to the receptacle; inserting a spacer adjacent each platform of adjacent pairs of airfoils of said plurality of turbine airfoils to prevent the platforms from contacting each other; placing the dovetail section receptacle with dovetail sections and spacers therein into a coating apparatus; and introducing coating vapor into the coating apparatus to form a coating on the airfoil flowpath surfaces and upper platform surfaces external to the dovetail receptacle while avoiding coating the dovetail sections inside the chamber.