Patent ID: 8727729

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a shrouded impeller, comprising the steps of: forming a one-piece partially shrouded impeller, said one-piece partially shrouded impeller comprising a centrally located hub formed around a center bore, said hub having a hub bore edge with a hub bore edge radius and a hub rim with a hub rim radius, a plurality of blades integrally attached to said hub, an integral partial shroud integrally attached to said plurality of blades, said integral partial shroud comprising an outer rim with an outer rim radius, and an inner edge with an inner edge radius, said integral partial shroud inner edge radius being smaller than said integral partial shroud outer rim radius; forming an inner shroud section comprising an inner shroud section inner surface configured to abut said plurality of blades, an inner shroud section connecting outer edge configured to abut said integral partial shroud inner edge, and forming an outer shroud section comprising an outer shroud section inner surface configured to abut said plurality of blades, an outer shroud section connecting inner edge configured to abut said integral partial shroud outer rim, wherein said inner shroud section and said outer shroud section are configured to join said integral partial shroud as a substantially contiguous shroud.