Patent ID: 7748956

Claim:
A method of assembling a stator apparatus, the method comprising: providing a first vane having an airfoil section located between a first platform section and a second platform section; positioning a first shroud ring adjacent to the first vane; welding the first platform section of the first vane to the first shroud ring relative to a first edge of the of the first platform section of the first vane to create a first weld; welding the first platform section of the first vane to the first shroud ring relative to a second edge of the first platform section to create a second weld, wherein the second edge is located opposite the first edge, wherein the first shroud ring is welded to the second edge of the first platform section of the first vane using electron beam welding; passing an electron beam used for electron beam welding from the second weld to a groove in the first shroud ring located adjacent to the second weld; and limiting progress of an electron beam with a weld backstrike surface on the first shroud ring, wherein the weld backstrike surface is located along a cavity formed by the groove in the first shroud ring and opposite the second weld, and wherein the weld backstrike surface is spaced, across at least a portion of the cavity formed by the groove in the first shroud ring, from the second weld such that the second weld does not bridge the cavity formed by the groove.