Patent ID: 8357323

Claim:
A method of forming a ceramic composite matrix (CMC) wall comprising: creating a plurality of sheets of ceramic fibers; infusing the sheets of ceramic fibers with a first wet ceramic matrix; stacking the infused sheets to form a laminated CMC wall with first and second opposed exterior surfaces; forming a row of holes through the laminated CMC wall; at least partially curing the laminated CMC wall by a first heating; infusing a thread of ceramic fibers with a second wet ceramic matrix; passing the thread of ceramic fibers through the holes to form a row of CMC stitches through the laminated CMC wall, each stitch comprising a surface-spanning portion on both the first and the second opposed exterior surfaces of the laminated CMC wall, a through-wall portion, and a stitch direction; and curing the infused thread of ceramic fibers by a second heating that shrinks the CMC stitches relative to the laminated CMC wall, tensioning the CMC stitches; wherein the stitches resist interlaminar separation in the laminated CMC wall; wherein each through-wall portion forms an oblique angle with a line perpendicular to the laminated CMC wall, wherein said oblique angle is a function of a ratio of interlaminar shear over interlaminar tension at a location of each stitch; and wherein the laminated CMC wall forms an airfoil comprising a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, and a suction side, and wherein the through-wall portions of the stitches vary from less oblique or normal to the laminated CMC wall at the leading and trailing edges to more oblique at the pressure and suction sides of the airfoil.