Patent ID: 8127444

Claim:
A method of forming a closely spaced radial array of overlapping shaped twisted airfoil blades for use in an axial compressor or turbine in a gas turbine engine, respectively by removing material from a solid blank disk to leave the twisted airfoil blades upstanding as the residual material of the solid blank disk, each airfoil blade comprising a concave pressure side and opposed convex suction side extending axially between opposing side edges and twisted lengthwise, comprising the steps of: mounting said solid blank disc on a spindle for rotation about a first axis; manipulating a tool in proximity of said solid blank disc to remove portions thereof, said tool comprising a fixed length of shaped wire held fixedly clamped in a holder, said holder being both rotatable and extendable about a second axis to selectively advance or withdraw said shaped wire to and from said solid blank disc and to orient the wire tool in relation to the solid blank disc, said holder turning as it advances thereby changing both orientation and proximity of the tool in relation to the solid blank disc, said tool manipulating step further comprising the substeps of, advancing said holder along said second axis to bring said wire tool in edgewise proximity of said solid blank disc, advancing and concurrently rotating said holder about said second axis while radially cutting through said solid blank disc, retracting and concurrently counter-rotating said holder about said second axis to remove said wire tool, rotating said spindle to rotate the solid blank disc; repeating said advancing and retracting substeps to define a twisted airfoil blade on said solid blank disc; whereby to generate a surface of a said twisted airfoil blade in which the shape of the surface so generated is governed by the shape of the wire tool and orientation of the wire tool in the tool holder, and also by the relation between the advance and the rotation of the holder.