But the story doesn't begin there. Smith pointed to a collection of molds. These, he said, are where the wax patterns originate. The molds, installed into wax injection machines manufactured by subsidiary Howmet-Tempcraft of Cleveland, generate what will become the final forms of gas turbine blades and buckets. Tempcraft makes the tooling as well, Smith explained.
Patterns emerge from the injection molds shiny and pink.
Some comprise as many as four airfoil segments. Others must be individually assembled to form a multi-airfoil vane segment. A great measure of handcraft comes into play here and at other steps along the casting process. Many turbine blades and vanes rely on internal cooling passages to circulate air through them so they can better withstand the metal-melting heat of the turbine's hot section. Ceramic cores, installed during the wax injection, form the interior surfaces of these parts during the casting, Smith said.