Patent ID: 8146250

Claim:
A method of replacing a portion of a composite airfoil in a turbine, the method comprising the steps of: providing a turbine with a plurality of composite airfoils mounted on a wheel, at least one of the composite airfoils having a core made of a non-plastic material and a plastic airfoil portion to envelope at least a portion of the core; accessing a composite airfoil having an airfoil portion in need of replacement; removing the plastic airfoil portion to expose the core while the core is mounted on the wheel; and molding a plastic airfoil portion to envelope the core while the core is mounted on the wheel, wherein the molding step comprises the steps of: providing a mold; placing and sealing the mold around the core; and directing flowable plastic material into the mold by injection molding to form the plastic airfoil portion enveloping the core.