Gas turbine engine composite vane assembly and method for making the same

1. A method for forming a gas turbine engine component comprising:

providing at least two composite preform components, the composite preform components comprising an airfoil and an endwall shaped to define an opening sized to receive a portion of the airfoil,

interlocking the composite preform components with a first locking component so that mating faces of the composite preform components face each other, and

inserting a filler material between the mating faces of the composite preform components,

wherein the airfoil includes an airfoil body, a seat portion defined by a portion of an outer end of the airfoil body, and at least one airfoil connecting tab that extends from the outer end perpendicular to the seat portion, the airfoil body including a pressure side wall and a suction side wall that define a hollow space therebetween, and the opening of the endwall is sized to receive therethrough the at least one airfoil connecting tab,

wherein the providing step comprises inserting the at least one airfoil connecting tab of the airfoil into the opening of the endwall so that the endwall rests over the seat portion, and

wherein the seat portion provides the mating face of the airfoil and the portion of the endwall over the seat portion provides the mating face of the endwall, and the inserting the filler material comprises inserting the filler material between the mating face of the airfoil and the mating face of the endwall.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the composite preform components are provided in a partially rigidized state.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composite preform components comprise woven fiber.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interlocking comprises inserting the first locking component into a through hole in the at least one airfoil connecting tab so that a rear portion of the first locking component rests over a portion of the endwall to interlock the endwall between the first locking component and the seat portion.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the endwall includes a platform portion and at least one endwall connecting tab that extends from the platform portion perpendicular to the platform portion, and the interlocking comprises inserting the first locking component into a through hole in the at least one airfoil connecting tab and a through hole in the at least one endwall connecting tab.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising rigidizing the assembly of the composite preform components, the first locking component, and the filler material.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the rigidizing comprises using vapor infiltration.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein airfoil includes a first airfoil connecting tab that extends from the pressure side wall of the airfoil body and a second airfoil connecting tab that extends from the suction side wall of the airfoil body, wherein the endwall includes a first endwall connecting tab that extends from the platform portion perpendicular to the platform portion and a second endwall connecting tab spaced apart from the first endwall connecting tab that extends from the platform portion perpendicular to the platform portion, and wherein the first airfoil connecting tab is in side-by-side relation to the first endwall connecting tab and the second airfoil connecting tab is in side-by-side relation to the second endwall connecting tab.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the providing comprises inserting the at least one connecting tab of the airfoil into the opening of the endwall so that the at least one airfoil connecting tab is in side-by-side relation with the at least one endwall connecting tab.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one airfoil connecting tab of the airfoil provides a first tab mating face, the at least one endwall connecting tab of the endwall provides a second tab mating face that faces the first tab mating face when the composite preform components are interlocked with the first locking component, and the inserting the filler material comprises inserting the another filler material between the first tab mating face of the airfoil and the second tab mating face of the endwall.

11. A method for forming a gas turbine engine component comprising:

providing at least two composite preform components, the composite preform components comprising a first component and a second component, wherein the first component includes a body, at least one seat portion defined by a portion of an outer end of the body, and at least one connecting tab that extends from the outer end perpendicular to the at least one seat portion, and the second component is shaped to define an opening,

inserting the at least one connecting tab of the first component into the opening of the second component so that the second component rests over the at least one seat portion,

interlocking the composite preform components with a first locking component so that a first mating face of the first component and a second mating face of the second component face each other, and

inserting a first filler material between the first mating face of the first component and the second mating face of the second component,

wherein the at least one seat portion provides the first mating face of the first component and the portion of the second component over the at least one seat portion provides the second mating face of the second component.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein one or more of the composite preform components are provided in a partially rigidized state.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the composite preform components comprise woven fiber.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the interlocking comprises inserting the first locking component into a through hole in the at least one connecting tab of the first component so that a rear portion of the first locking component rests over a portion of the second component to interlock the second component between the first locking component and the seat portion.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the airfoil includes a pair of seat portions having a first seat portion located at a leading edge of the airfoil and a second seat portion located at the trailing edge of the airfoil, wherein the first seat portion provides the first mating face of the first component and the portion of the second component over the at least one seat portion provides the second mating face of the second component.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising inserting a second filler material between a third mating face of the first component and a fourth mating face of the second component that face each other when the composite preform components are interlocked with the first locking component, wherein the second seat portion of the first component provides the third mating face of the first component and another portion of the second component over the second seat portion provides the fourth mating face of the second component.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second component includes a platform portion and at least one connecting tab that extends from the platform portion perpendicular to the platform portion, the at least one connecting tab of the first component is in side-by-side relation with the at least one connecting tab of the second component when inserting the at least one connecting tab of the first component into the opening of the second component, and the interlocking comprises inserting the first locking component into a through hole in the at least one connecting tab of the first component and a through hole in the at least one connecting tab of the second component.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising inserting a second filler material between a third mating face of the first component and a fourth mating face of the second component that face each other when the composite preform components are interlocked with the first locking component, wherein the at least one connecting tab of the first component provides the third mating face of the first component and the at least one connecting tab of the second component provides the fourth mating face of the second component.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising rigidizing the assembly of the composite preform components, the first locking component, and the filler material.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the rigidizing comprises using vapor infiltration.