VERFAHREN ZUM SUPERPLASTISCHEN VERFORMEN VON METALLEN MIT GLEICHZEITIGER DIFFUSIONSVERBINDUNG

• Main Authors: ANGELO ASCANI JUN.,LEONARD, HOWARD HAMILTON,CHARLES
• Format: Patent
• Language: German
• Published: 15.04.1976
• Edition: 2
• Subjects: CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; COMBINED OPERATIONS; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; MACHINE TOOLS; MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVINGMATERIAL; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; OTHER WORKING OF METAL; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PUNCHING METAL; SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; TRANSPORTING; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS; WELDING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM; WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS ORPROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL

A method for fabrication of metal structures, especially those with a complex variable thickness form, in which a metal such as a titanium alloy blank is superplastically formed and concurrently diffusion bonded to other metal workpieces to form a desired structure. The metal blank, at least one shaping member, and at least one metal workpiece to be bonded to the metal blank are located within an enclosure. The metal blank and metal workpieces are heated to a suitable forming and bonding temperature and the metal blank stretched substantially in excess of the original surface area under a fluid pressure loading causing it to deform against the shaping member and intimately contact the other metal workpieces for diffusion bonding. An inert gas and/or vacuum environment can be provided in the enclosed area to prevent contamination by air at the elevated temperatures employed.