US Patent 11203058 Turbine blade casting with strongback core

A method for casting a blade, the blade with an airfoil having: a tip having at least one of a tip pocket and a tip shelf. Each said at least one of a tip pocket and a tip shelf having a base surface and a sidewall surface. The method includes forming a shell, the forming of the shell including shelling a pattern having at least one ceramic casting core; and casting in the shell, the shell having a first portion formed by the at least one ceramic casting core and a second potion formed by applied shell material. For at least a first tip pocket or tip shelf of the least one of a tip pocket and a tip shelf, the at least one ceramic casting core molds the base surface and the sidewall surface and an adjacent portion of at least one of the pressure side and the suction side spanwise inboard of the base surface.