Gas turbine engine components and method of assembly

Abstract

An exemplary gas turbine engine component assembly includes, among other things, a case having a generally cylindrical outer surface. At least one synchronizing ring is received at least partially about the outer surface of the case. A plurality shims situated between an inner surface on the at least one synchronizing ring and the outer surface of the case at a plurality of shim locations are circumferentially spaced about the case outer surface. Each shim location includes at least one of the shims. A radial thickness of the shims at a first one of the shim locations is different than the radial thickness of the shims at a second one of the shim locations.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A gas turbine engine component assembly, comprising:
 a case having a generally cylindrical outer surface;   at least one synchronizing ring received at least partially about the outer surface of the case; and   a plurality shims situated between an inner surface on the at least one synchronizing ring and the outer surface of the case at a plurality of shim locations that are circumferentially spaced about the case outer surface, each shim location including at least one of the shims, a radial thickness of the shims at a first one of the shim locations being different than the radial thickness of the shims at a second one of the shim locations.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , comprising at least one bumper at each of the shim locations. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , comprising
 a plurality of synchronizing rings; and   a plurality of shims between the case and each of the synchronizing rings, respectively.   
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein
 the synchronizing ring has an outer surface; and   a distance between the outer surface of the synchronizing ring and a center of the case is approximately equal at each of the shim locations.   
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the distance between the outer surface of the synchronizing ring and the center of the case is approximately equal around an entire circumference of the synchronizing ring. 
     
     
         6 . A device for facilitating assembling gas turbine engine components, comprising:
 at least one computing device including a data storage and a processor associated with the digital data storage,   the data storage including a memory portion configured to at least temporarily store user input regarding at least one dimension associated with the gas turbine engine components,   the processor being configured to   determine an assembled shim thickness for each of a plurality of shim locations between an outer surface of a case and an inner surface of a synchronizing ring received about the case based on the user input in the data storage, at least one of the assembled shim thicknesses being different than another one of the assembled shim thicknesses.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to
 determine an initial shim thickness corresponding to each of the plurality of shim locations from a corresponding plurality of user inputs indicating the initial shim thicknesses;   determine a measurement shim thickness to be placed at each of the shim locations based on the determined plurality of initial shim thicknesses, the measurement shim thickness being the same for all of the shim locations;   determine a distance between the outer surface of the synchronizing ring and a center of the case near each of the shim locations based on user inputs regarding a measured dimension near each of the shim locations with the uniform measurement shim thickness at each of the shim locations; and   determine the assembled shim thickness for each of the shim locations from the determined distances, respectively.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to
 provide a prompt for a user to enter the user inputs indicating the initial shim thicknesses;   provide an indication of the determined measurement thickness after receiving the user inputs indicating the initial shim thicknesses;   provide a prompt for a user to enter the user inputs regarding the measured dimension near each of the shim locations; and   provide an indication of the assembled shim thicknesses after receiving the user inputs regarding the measured dimensions.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to
 provide a prompt for a user to enter at least two user inputs regarding two measured dimensions near each of the shim locations;   determine an average of the two measured dimensions for each shim location; and   use the determined average for each shim location for determining the corresponding assembled shim thicknesses.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the measured dimension near each shim location comprises at least one of
 a distance between an outer surface on the synchronizing ring and the outer surface of the case, or   a distance between the outer surface on the synchronizing ring and the inner surface on the synchronizing ring.   
     
     
         11 . A method of assembling gas turbine engine components, comprising the steps of:
 situating at least one synchronizing ring about a generally cylindrical case such that an inner surface of the synchronizing ring faces an outer surface of the case;   determining an assembled shim thickness for each of a plurality of shim locations, respectively, between the inner surface of the synchronizing ring and the outer surface of the case for establishing a substantially equal spacing between an outer surface of the synchronizing ring and a reference location; and   situating a number of shims corresponding to the determined assembled shim thickness at each of the shim locations, respectively.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising
 positioning shims having an initial shim thickness at each of the plurality of shim locations, respectively;   determining a measurement shim thickness to be placed at each of the shim locations based on the initial shim thicknesses, the measurement shim thickness being the same for all of the shim locations;   positioning shims having the measurement shim thickness at each of the shim locations;   determining a distance between the outer surface of the synchronizing ring and the reference location associated with the case near each of the shim locations with the uniform measurement shim thickness at each of the shim locations; and   determine the assembled shim thickness for each of the shim locations from the determined distances, respectively.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising
 determining two distances between the outer surface of the synchronizing ring and the reference location near each of the shim locations;   determine an average of the two measured dimensions for each shim location; and   use the determined average for each shim location for determining the corresponding assembled shim thicknesses.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining the measured dimension near each shim location comprises at least one of
 determining a distance between an outer surface on the synchronizing ring and the outer surface of the case near each shim location, or   determining a distance between the outer surface on the synchronizing ring and the inner surface on the synchronizing ring near each shim location.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein
 establishing the assembled shim thickness at each of the shim locations establishes a distance between the outer surface of the synchronizing ring and a center of the case that is approximately equal at each of the shim locations.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein establishing the assembled shim thickness at each of the shim locations establishes a distance between the outer surface of the synchronizing ring and a center of the case that is approximately equal around an entire circumference of the synchronizing ring. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the assembled shim thickness at a first one of the shim locations is different than the assembled shim thickness at a second one of the shim locations.