An end or intermediate casing for a combustion turbine engines includes prefabricated vanes of a first metal. Ends of the prefabricated vanes are then embedded within cast-in place inner and outer, annular-shaped ring castings, formed from a second metal having a lower melting point than the first metal. The respective ends of the prefabricated vanes include first and second shanks, with respective first and second surface features that are oriented transverse to the central axis of the vane are encapsulated in the molten second metal during the inner and outer ring casting. Once the castings harden, the first and second surface features, such as for example circumferential fillets projecting outwardly from the airfoil portion of the vane, inhibit separation of the vanes from the respective inner and outer rings.