Patent ID: 7766623

Claim:
A system for manufacturing an integrally bladed rotor, comprising: (a) a ring component, wherein the ring component further includes: (i) at least one metal matrix composite, wherein the metal matrix composite includes at least one reinforcing fiber, and wherein the reinforcing fiber extends circumferentially in the direction of rotor rotation, and the circumferentially oriented fiber includes a stack of multiple fiber layers oriented in a radial manner within the ring; (ii) a plurality of radially outwardly facing blade conical surfaces or a continuous outwardly facing conical surface; and iii) a build-up region, wherein the build-up region is located along the plurality of radially outwardly facing blade conical surfaces or the continuous outwardly facing conical surface of the outer diameter of the ring component; (b) an airfoil component, wherein the airfoil component further includes: (i) a plurality of individual airfoil blades; (ii) wherein each of the plurality of airfoil blades further includes a radially inwardly facing blade conical surface; and (c) inertia welding means for frictionally engaging under an axially applied weld load the ring component and the airfoil component to effect an inertia weld therebetween along the build-up region of the ring component and the inwardly facing blade conical surface of the airfoil component.