Patent ID: 7343677

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a fiber reinforced metal matrix composite article, the method comprising the steps of: (a) placing at least one fiber and filler metal between a first metal component and a second metal component and forming a circumferentially extending groove in an axial face of said first metal component, placing at least one circumferentially extending fiber and said filler metal in said circumferentially extending groove of said first metal component and placing said second metal component in the circumferentially extending groove of said first metal component and forming a projection on said second metal component and placing the projection of said second metal component in the circumferentially extending groove of said first metal component, (b) heating to a first temperature and applying a first pressure for a predetermined period of time in order to partially consolidate the at least one fiber and filler metal and to provide partial densification of the metal on the metal coated fibers and (c) heating to a second temperature and applying a second pressure for a predetermined period of time in order to consolidate the metal of said first and second metal components, and to diffusion bond said filler metal and said first and second metal components, wherein the first temperature is about 700 C the second temperature is about 925 C the first pressure is about 50 Mpa and the second pressure is about 100 Mpa.