EP2828413B1 - Holding tool for the heat treatment of metal parts - Google Patents

Holding tool for the heat treatment of metal parts Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2828413B1
EP2828413B1 EP13715340.9A EP13715340A EP2828413B1 EP 2828413 B1 EP2828413 B1 EP 2828413B1 EP 13715340 A EP13715340 A EP 13715340A EP 2828413 B1 EP2828413 B1 EP 2828413B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
support structure
jaws
tooling
elements
plane
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
EP13715340.9A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP2828413A1 (en
Inventor
Frédéric Guichard
Jean-Pierre Maumus
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ArianeGroup SAS
Original Assignee
Herakles SA
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Publication of EP2828413A1 publication Critical patent/EP2828413A1/en
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Publication of EP2828413B1 publication Critical patent/EP2828413B1/en
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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F27—FURNACES; KILNS; OVENS; RETORTS
    • F27D—DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES OF FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS, OR RETORTS, IN SO FAR AS THEY ARE OF KINDS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN ONE KIND OF FURNACE
    • F27D5/00—Supports, screens, or the like for the charge within the furnace
    • F27D5/0006—Composite supporting structures
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D1/00—General methods or devices for heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering
    • C21D1/62—Quenching devices
    • C21D1/673—Quenching devices for die quenching
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D9/00—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor
    • C21D9/0006—Details, accessories not peculiar to any of the following furnaces
    • C21D9/0025—Supports; Baskets; Containers; Covers
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D9/00—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor
    • C21D9/0068—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor for particular articles not mentioned below
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D9/00—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to holding tools used to hold metal parts during heat treatments of such parts such as annealing, brazing, conformations, etc.
  • Heat treatments of parts made of metallic material, such as titanium or other are carried out at high temperatures that may exceed 1000 ° C.
  • metallic material such as titanium or other
  • annealing it is common to subject the part during its manufacture a heat treatment called "annealing" at temperatures where the titanium becomes soft.
  • the titanium piece deforms (flue) under the effect of simple gravity and remains deformed after cooling.
  • the part can also be twisted during temperature drops by releasing internal stresses.
  • these supports are usually very bulky and heavy. They reduce, therefore, the loading capacity of the oven used for heat treatments while being difficult to handle. They also have a significant thermal inertia, which results in significant energy consumption for the temperature setting of the tool and requires a long cooling time reducing the productivity of the installation. In addition, this significant thermal inertia limits the thermal gradients needed to obtain the desired microstructure.
  • This type of support also has a high coefficient of thermal expansion, most of the time different from that of the material of the part to be treated, which limits its use to parts having simple geometric shapes and requires the provision of rework. machining on the parts to conform to their final geometry.
  • EP 2014777 A1 discloses a holding tool having resilient members that maintain for the duration of a heat treatment.
  • the present invention therefore aims to provide a new holding tool for metal material parts to be heat treated which, in addition to being lighter, less bulky and reduce the thermal inertia in the oven , makes it possible to respect precisely the geometries of the pieces, from the simplest to the most complex, and this even in case of movements of these last ones during the variations of temperature.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a tool that does not flow during heat treatments and retains its mechanical characteristics over time.
  • the tooling of the invention implements an elastic holding of a metal part in a housing respecting the final geometry of the part, which allows the maintenance or compliance of the part in its precise geometry during heat treatments .
  • the structure defining the housing and the elements of the holding system being of thermostructural composite material, that is to say a material having a very low coefficient of thermal expansion, the tool undergoes very little deformation during temperature variations. and the spring elements have a stiffness, and, therefore, a bearing force on the holding elements, almost constant regardless of the temperature.
  • the elastic holding force exerted on the part in a virtually uniform manner regardless of the temperature, it is possible to conform the latter during the heat treatment and thus correct deformations generated during previous operations performed on the part as pre-machining closer to the final rib.
  • the principle of elastic retention of the workpiece in the tool of the invention allows to mount therein a relatively deformed piece which will not be initially (ie cold) in contact with all the holding elements of reference but which, once in temperature, will be constrained by the spring elements and therefore conform to the desired geometry. Such hot conforming would be very difficult to implement with a metal tool.
  • thermostructural composite material used for the realization of the constituent elements of the tool of the invention, it is much less bulky and heavy than the usual refractory steel tools.
  • the tooling of the invention thus makes it possible to increase the loading capacity of metal parts to be treated in the same furnace, which makes it possible to reduce the costs of the heat treatments. It also makes it possible to reduce the number of manipulations and treatments for a given number of parts, which makes it possible to significantly reduce the costs of heat treatments.
  • the tooling comprises a plurality of pairs of jaws placed on each side of the metal part, each pair of jaws being slidably mounted on the support structure.
  • the movements of the room during mounted or lowered in temperature, can be accompanied by the jaws without exerting stress on the workpiece and while following the precise geometry of the latter defined by the support structure of the tooling.
  • each jaw is provided with at least one guide cooperating with a slideway formed in the support structure.
  • the side walls of the support structure comprise at least one slide intended to receive a guide of a jaw of a pair of jaws, spring elements being interposed between at least one jaw of each pair of jaws and the side walls of the support structure.
  • the support structure has a housing having at least a first portion extending in a first plane and a second portion extending in a second plane forming an angle with the first plane. It is thus possible to maintain and conform the same piece in different planes forming between them angles in one or more directions.
  • variable planar geometry maintenance tooling can also be obtained with a support structure having a housing extending in the same first plane and at least a portion of which is provided with angular spacers arranged between one or more pairs of jaws and the side walls of the support structure so that the part of the housing present between the angular wedges extends in a second plane forming an angle with the first plane.
  • the tooling comprises a plurality of spacer elements interposed between first and second metal parts and a plurality of jaws placed against the first metal part and support plates placed against the second metal part, the spring elements being interposed between the jaws and the support structure.
  • the spring elements are connected to the jaws by first articulated links and to the support structure by second links. articulated, the spacer elements resting on movable carriages on the support structure and the support plates being held against rollers integral with the support structure. In this way, all the holding elements are able to move with the metal parts relative to the fixed support structure and can thus accompany the movements of the parts during temperature changes.
  • the support structure, the first and second holding elements and each spring-type elastic element are made of carbon / carbon composite material.
  • each elastic member has a predetermined cold stiffness which defines the holding force applied by the jaws to the workpiece, and this for an extended temperature range because the spring element is made of thermostructural composite material .
  • the invention also relates to a heat treatment installation comprising an oven and one or more holding tools according to the invention placed inside the oven.
  • the invention applies generally to tools for maintaining metal parts in precise geometry during processing involving temperature rises, such as annealing, quenching, tempering, maturing, conformations or hot brazing. or any other treatment involving temperature variations.
  • a particular, but not exclusive, field of application of the invention is that of the hot conformation of titanium or similar parts of large size and whose geometry must be very precisely respected or heat recovery (conforming parts out of tolerance Cold).
  • the figure 1 illustrates an installation 300 for heat treating metal parts whose geometry must be precisely respected throughout the treatment.
  • the 300 installation comprises an oven 200 and a plurality of holding tools 100 resting on a base 101.
  • each holding tool 100 comprises a support structure 110.
  • the structure 110 consists of a frame 111, formed by two crosspieces 1110 and 1111, and side walls 1120 to 1124 and 1140 to 1144. maintained above the frame 111 by uprights 114.
  • the shape of the housing 115 corresponds to the general shape of the metal part to be treated 150, namely here a part having in its longitudinal direction a curved shape.
  • the holding tool 100 also comprises a plurality of pairs of jaws, here pairs of jaws 116 to 126, the jaws 1161 to 1261 located on one side of the part 150 corresponding to all or part of the first holding elements of the jaws. tooling of the invention and the jaws 1162 to 1262 located on the other side of the part corresponding to all or part of the second holding elements of the tool of the invention.
  • Each pair of jaws like the pair 119 illustrated on the figure 4 , is formed of two jaws 1191 and 1192 between which the metal part 150 is maintained.
  • the jaws of each pair like the jaws 1191 and 1192 of the pair 119, each have an inner face 1191a, 1192a whose shape corresponds to the geometry of the part of the part intended to be maintained at this location. tooling.
  • resilient spring-like elements are interposed between at least the outer face of one of the jaws of each pair of jaws and the corresponding vertical wall.
  • elastic elements 130 to 134 are respectively interposed between the jaws 1161 to 1261 and the side walls 1140 to 1144, support plates (not shown) which can be further interposed between the spring elements and the jaws.
  • Special tools for holding the elastic elements 130 to 134 respectively in maximum compression is used when mounting the workpiece and jaws in the tooling, the elastic members 130 to 134 then being released to exert a holding force on the jaws and on the workpiece in the tool housing .
  • the elastic elements 130 to 134 are each constituted respectively by two elastic blades 1301/1302, 1311/1312, 1321/1322, 1331/1332 and 1341/1342 which exert an elastic holding force on each pair of jaws 116 to 126, and this according to the geometry of the housing 115 which corresponds to the precise geometry of the part to be respected.
  • each jaw comprises on its outer face a guide engaged in a slide formed in the side wall opposite the jaw considered.
  • the outer walls of the jaws 1161 to 1261 are respectively provided with a guide 1163 to 1263 while the outer walls of the jaws 1162 to 1262 are respectively provided with a guide 1164 to 1264.
  • the guides 1163 to 1263 are respectively engaged in slides 1140a, 1140b, 1141a, 1141b, 1141c, 1142a, 1143a, 1143b, 1143c, 1144a, 1144b of the side walls 1140 to 1144.
  • the guides 1164 to 1264 are respectively engaged in slides 1120a , 1120b, 1121a, 1121b, 1121c, 1122a, 1123a, 1123b, 1123c, 1124a, 1124b of the side walls 1120-1124.
  • the jaw 1191 of the pair of jaws 119 is held on the support structure 110 by means of the guide 1193 which is engaged in the slide 1141b formed in the side wall 1141.
  • the slide 1141b has the shape of an oblong hole in which the guide 1193 can move between a first position A corresponding to the position of the cold holding element and a second position B corresponding to the position of the holding element 1191 when the metal part 150 expands during a a climb in temperature.
  • the orientation of the oblong hole of the slide 1131b as well as its position on the side wall 1131 oriented according to the geometry of the piece in the longitudinal direction, here a curved shape, allow the holding system constituted by the holding elements associated with the elastic elements to follow the movements of the part during its expansion and / or retraction by ensuring a conservation of the geometry in the holding plane or planes defined by the housing of the structure of support.
  • the elements constituting the holding tool of the present invention as the support structure, the holding elements of each pair and the spring-like elastic elements are made of thermostructural composite material which has a low coefficient of thermal expansion in comparison to metallic materials such as steel.
  • the manufacture of composite material parts consisting of a fiber reinforcement densified by a matrix is well known. It mainly comprises the production of a fibrous structure, here made of carbon or ceramic fibers, the shaping of the structure in a shape similar to that of the part to be manufactured (fibrous preform) and the densification of the preform by the matrix. .
  • the shaping is performed by weaving, stacking, needling of two-dimensional / three-dimensional strata or layers of cables, etc.
  • the fiber preform is then densified, in a well-known manner, by liquid and / or gaseous means.
  • Liquid densification comprises impregnating the preform with a liquid composition containing a precursor of the matrix material.
  • the precursor is usually in the form of a polymer, such as a resin, optionally diluted in a solvent.
  • the transformation of the precursor into carbon or ceramic is carried out by heat treatment after removal of the optional solvent and crosslinking of the polymer. Several successive impregnation cycles can be performed to achieve the desired degree of densification.
  • a carbon precursor resin may for example be a phenolic type resin.
  • a ceramic precursor resin may be, for example, a polycarbosilane precursor resin of silicon carbide (SiC), or a polysiloxane resin precursor of SiCO, or a polyborocarbosilazane resin precursor of SiCNB, or a polysilazane resin (SiCN).
  • the impregnation and polymerization operations of carbon precursor resin and / or ceramic precursor resin can be repeated several times if necessary to obtain specific mechanical characteristics.
  • the densification of the fiber preform may also be carried out, in a known manner, by gaseous method by chemical vapor infiltration of the matrix (CVI).
  • CVI chemical vapor infiltration of the matrix
  • the fiber preform corresponding to the structure to be produced is placed in an oven in which a gaseous reaction phase is admitted.
  • the pressure and the temperature prevailing in the furnace and the composition of the gas phase are chosen so as to allow the diffusion of the gas phase within the porosity of the preform to form the matrix by deposition, in the heart of the material in contact with it.
  • a carbon matrix can be achieved with hydrocarbon gases such as methane and / or propane giving the carbon by cracking while an SiC matrix can be obtained with methyltrichlorosilane (MTS) giving SiC by decomposition of the MTS.
  • hydrocarbon gases such as methane and / or propane giving the carbon by cracking
  • SiC matrix can be obtained with methyltrichlorosilane (MTS) giving SiC by decomposition of the MTS.
  • MTS methyltrichlorosilane
  • the first carbon phase may be formed with hydrocarbon gases giving the carbon by cracking, the second SiC phase being then deposited on the first carbon phase, for example by decomposition of the MTS.
  • a densification combining liquid route and gaseous route can also be used to facilitate implementation, limit costs and production cycles while obtaining satisfactory characteristics for the intended use.
  • the elements like the side walls of the support structure, are then machined in order to form in them the slides and possibly lights to lighten the entire structure and reduce its thermal inertia. Similarly, lights can be machined in the other components of the support structure to further lighten the mass and reduce thermal inertia.
  • thermostructural composite material such as C / C for spring-like elastic elements
  • the advantage of using a thermostructural composite material such as C / C for spring-like elastic elements is to be able to maintain a predetermined cold stiffness during temperature rises.
  • the force exerted by the holding element on the part thus remains almost constant, and this independently of temperature variations. In this way, the maintenance or conformation of the part in its final geometry is precisely controlled, even when the material of the piece is flowing under high temperatures.
  • the holding elements of the metal part are slidably mounted on the support structure, they adapt to the expansions and shrinkages of the part during climbs and descents in temperature during the heat treatments by following the displacements of the latter while respecting its geometry because the displacements are made according to the housing geometry of the support structure.
  • the maintenance and conformation of the metal part in the tooling of the invention can be carried out in the same plane as is the case with the holding tool 100 described above which comprises a housing 115 extending into the same plane over the entire length of the housing, that is to say over the entire length of the metal part 150.
  • a holding tool 400 can also allow the maintenance and conformation of a metal part in several differently oriented planes.
  • a holding tool whose support structure defines a non-rectilinear housing thus creating portions extending at different angles.
  • a holding tool 400 comprises a support structure (not shown on the Figure 6A ) which defines a housing 415 comprising a first central portion 415a and second and third end portions 415b and 415c extending in different planes from that of the central portion 415a. More specifically, the central portion 415a extends along a plane P1 parallel to reference directions X and Z.
  • the end portion 415b extends along a plane P2 forming an angle ⁇ 1 with respect to the plane P1 in the X direction
  • the end portion 415c extends along a plane P3 forming an angle ⁇ 2 with respect to the plane P1 in the direction X.
  • the end portions 415b and 415c are "twisted" with respect to the central portion 415a, that is to say that the planes P2 and P3 of these portions extend further into the Y direction respectively forming angles ⁇ 1 and ⁇ 2 with the plane P1 of the central portion 415a ( Figure 6B ).
  • the maintenance and the conformation of a metal part 550 can be made by adapting a holding tool having a housing extending in the same plane as the tool 100 described above.
  • a holding tool 500 is used, the support structure 510 of which extends in a longitudinal direction along the same plane.
  • Pair of complementary angular wedges 540/541 and 542/543 are arranged at the end portions 511 and 512 of the support structure 510 so as to define a housing 515 having a central portion 515a extending in a plane identical to the plan P1 described above in relation to the Figures 6A and 6B and two end portions 515b and 515c extending respectively along identical planes to the P2 and P3 planes previously described with the Figures 6A and 6B .
  • the holding tool 500 makes it possible to maintain, at the end portions 511 and 512 of the support structure 510, the metal part 550 in planes forming one or more screw angles at -vis other portions of maintenance of the tooling.
  • the support structure 510 differs from the support structure 110 described above in that it has a greater width at the end portions 511 and 512 in order to allow the integration of angular wedge pairs 540/541 and 542/543.
  • the angular wedge 540 is fixed to a side wall 5140 of the support structure while the wedge 541 is fixed to the opposite side wall 5120.
  • a support plate 5130 provided with slides 5130a and 5130b to allow the displacement of the jaws is fixed on the angular wedge 541 with interposition of a spring element 530 ensuring the elastic holding of the workpiece.
  • a spring element 530 ensuring the elastic holding of the workpiece.
  • the angular wedge 543 is fixed on a side wall 5144 of the support structure while the wedge 542 is fixed on the opposite side wall 5124.
  • a support plate 5134 provided with slides 5134a and 5134b to allow the movement of the jaws is fixed on the angular wedge 543 with the interposition of a spring element 534 ensuring the elastic holding of the piece.
  • the tool can maintain and conform a metal part in two or more planes oriented next different angles.
  • the angular wedges are also made of thermostructural composite material, preferably of carbon / carbon composite material.
  • FIGS 9 to 11 illustrate a holding tool according to another embodiment which differs from that described above mainly in that the displacements (expansion / retraction) of the part during temperature variations are accompanied by holding elements which are mounted on tooling via mobile links type spherical or rollers.
  • the holding tool 600 comprises a support structure 610 consisting of a frame 6100 supporting, on one side of the tool, a side wall 6110 provided with rollers 6111 to 6116 and, on the other side of the tooling, amounts 6120 to 6125.
  • a central wall 6130 having plates 6131 to 6136 is further mounted on the frame 6100 between the side wall 6110 and the posts 6120 to 6125 ( figure 10 ).
  • Tooling 600 is intended to simultaneously hold two metal parts 680 and 690 of the same final geometry.
  • the parts 680 and 690 are placed facing one another by means of spacers 620 to 625 each mounted respectively on a carriage 630 to 635.
  • the carriages 630 to 635 each comprise a roller respectively 6300 to 6350, which rests on a plate, respectively 6131 to 6136 of the central wall 6130.
  • the part 680 is also maintained on its opposite side to the spacer elements 620 to 625 by support plates 640 to 645 each respectively resting on one of the rollers 6111 to 6116 of the side wall 6110.
  • the part 690 is held on its opposite side to the spacing elements 620 to 625 by jaws 650 to 655 which respectively comprise lateral portions 6501 to 6551 and horizontal upper portions 6502 to 6552.
  • the jaws 650 to 655 are mounted on the upper side. tooling by articulated spring links. More precisely, resilient elements of the spring type 660 to 665 are respectively interposed between the jaws 650 to 655 and the uprights 6120 to 6125.
  • the elastic elements 660 to 665 are respectively connected to the jaws 650 to 655 by means of ball joints 6601 to 6651.
  • the elastic elements 660 to 665 are also connected to the uprights 6120 to 6125 of the support structure by ball joints 6602 to 6652.
  • the spring elements 650 to 655 and the ball joints 6601 to 6651 and 6602 to 6652 form links articulated elastics which allow to exert a holding force both lateral and vertical on the parts 680 and 690.
  • the side portions 6531 of the jaw 653 perform, under pressure of the spring element 663, a lateral holding force F s on parts 680 and 690 while the upper horizontal portions 6532 of the jaw 653 exert under the pressure of spring element 663, a vertical holding force F v of the parts 680 and 690.
  • the spacer elements 620 to 625 and the support plates 640 to 645 are also able to accompany the movements of the parts during their maintenance in the tools.
  • the spacers 620 to 625 are associated with the carriages 630 to 635 which each rest on one of the plates 6131 to 6136 of the central wall 6130 so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the parts.
  • the backing plates 640 to 645 are held against the rollers 6111 to 6116 of the sidewall 6110 and can therefore follow the movements of the parts in the tooling.
  • Tooling 600 thus comprises holding means for maintaining and / or hot-conforming metal parts in a precise geometry while adapting to the expansions and shrinkage of parts during temperature changes.
  • the constituent elements of the tooling 600 and in particular the support structure 610, the spacer elements 620 to 625, the carriages 630 to 635, the support plates 640 to 645, the rollers 6111 to 6116, the jaws 650 at 655 and the elastic elements 660 to 665 are made of composite material.
  • the holding tool 600 is particularly suitable for holding large metal parts because it allows to support in a balanced and reliable way parts having a large mass.

Description

Arrière-plan de l'inventionBackground of the invention

La présente invention concerne les outillages de maintien utilisés pour maintenir des pièces métalliques lors de traitements thermiques de ces pièces tels que des recuits, brasages, conformations etc.The present invention relates to holding tools used to hold metal parts during heat treatments of such parts such as annealing, brazing, conformations, etc.

Les traitements thermiques de pièces en matériau métallique, comme le titane ou autre, sont réalisés à des températures élevées pouvant dépasser les 1000°C. Dans le cas de pièces en titane, par exemple, il est courant de faire subir à la pièce lors de sa fabrication un traitement thermique dit « recuit » à des températures où le titane devient mou. Dans ce cas, la pièce en titane se déforme (flue) sous l'effet de la simple gravité et reste déformée après refroidissement. La pièce peut également se vriller lors des descentes en température par libération de contraintes internes.Heat treatments of parts made of metallic material, such as titanium or other, are carried out at high temperatures that may exceed 1000 ° C. In the case of titanium parts, for example, it is common to subject the part during its manufacture a heat treatment called "annealing" at temperatures where the titanium becomes soft. In this case, the titanium piece deforms (flue) under the effect of simple gravity and remains deformed after cooling. The part can also be twisted during temperature drops by releasing internal stresses.

Aussi, des supports métalliques monobloc très lourds, réalisés par exemple en acier réfractaire, sont généralement utilisés pour maintenir la pièce lors du traitement thermique. Cependant, l'utilisation de tels supports présente plusieurs inconvénients.Also, very heavy monobloc metal supports, made for example of refractory steel, are generally used to maintain the workpiece during heat treatment. However, the use of such media has several disadvantages.

Tout d'abord, ces supports sont le plus souvent très volumineux et lourds. Ils réduisent, par conséquent, la capacité de chargement du four utilisé pour les traitements thermiques tout en étant difficiles à manipuler. Ils présentent en outre une inertie thermique importante, ce qui entraîne des consommations d'énergie importantes pour la mise en température de l'outillage et demande un temps de refroidissement long réduisant la productivité de l'installation. En outre, cette inertie thermique importante limite les gradients thermiques nécessaires pour obtenir la microstructure recherchée. Ce type de support présente également un coefficient de dilatation thermique élevé, la plupart du temps différent de celui du matériau de la pièce à traiter, ce qui limite son utilisation à des pièces ayant des formes géométriques simples et impose de prévoir des reprises d'usinage importantes sur les pièces afin de les conformer à leur géométrie définitive.First of all, these supports are usually very bulky and heavy. They reduce, therefore, the loading capacity of the oven used for heat treatments while being difficult to handle. They also have a significant thermal inertia, which results in significant energy consumption for the temperature setting of the tool and requires a long cooling time reducing the productivity of the installation. In addition, this significant thermal inertia limits the thermal gradients needed to obtain the desired microstructure. This type of support also has a high coefficient of thermal expansion, most of the time different from that of the material of the part to be treated, which limits its use to parts having simple geometric shapes and requires the provision of rework. machining on the parts to conform to their final geometry.

Enfin, ce type de support se déforme au cours des traitements thermiques en raison des chocs thermiques répétés.Finally, this type of support is deformed during heat treatments due to repeated thermal shocks.

Le document EP 2014777 A1 divulgue un outillage de maintien ayant des éléments élastiques qui assurent le maintien pendant la durée d'un traitement thermique.The document EP 2014777 A1 discloses a holding tool having resilient members that maintain for the duration of a heat treatment.

Objet et résumé de l'inventionObject and summary of the invention

La présente invention a, par conséquent, pour but de proposer un nouvel outillage de maintien pour des pièces en matériau métallique destinées à être traitées thermiquement qui, en outre d'être plus léger, moins encombrant et de réduire l'inertie thermique dans le four, permet de respecter précisément les géométries des pièces, des plus simples au plus complexes, et ce même en cas de mouvements de ces dernières lors des variations de température. Un autre but de l'invention est de disposer d'un outillage qui ne flue pas lors des traitements thermiques et qui conserve ses caractéristiques mécaniques au cours du temps.The present invention therefore aims to provide a new holding tool for metal material parts to be heat treated which, in addition to being lighter, less bulky and reduce the thermal inertia in the oven , makes it possible to respect precisely the geometries of the pieces, from the simplest to the most complex, and this even in case of movements of these last ones during the variations of temperature. Another object of the invention is to provide a tool that does not flow during heat treatments and retains its mechanical characteristics over time.

Il existe, en outre, un besoin de disposer d'un outillage capable de conformer à chaud une pièce qui était hors tolérance à froid.There is, moreover, a need to have a tool capable of hot conforming a part that was out of cold tolerance.

A cet effet, l'invention propose un outillage de maintien comprenant :

  • une structure de support fixe présentant une forme déterminée correspondant à la forme générale de chaque pièce en matériau métallique à maintenir,
  • des premiers éléments de maintien disposés d'un côté de chaque pièce,
  • des deuxièmes éléments de maintien disposés de l'autre côté de chaque pièce,
  • au moins un élément élastique de type ressort placé entre la structure de support et chaque premier ou deuxième élément de maintien de manière à assurer le maintien de la pièce tout au long d'un traitement thermique,
la structure de support, les premier et deuxième éléments de maintien et les éléments ressorts étant en matériau composite thermostructural, par exemple un matériau composite carbone/carbone ou à matrice céramique (CMC).For this purpose, the invention proposes a holding tool comprising:
  • a fixed support structure having a specific shape corresponding to the general shape of each piece of metal material to be maintained,
  • first holding members arranged on one side of each piece,
  • second holding elements arranged on the other side of each piece,
  • at least one resilient spring-like element placed between the support structure and each first or second holding member so as to maintain the workpiece throughout a heat treatment,
the support structure, the first and second holding elements and the spring elements being made of thermostructural composite material, for example a carbon / carbon or ceramic matrix (CMC) composite material.

L'outillage de l'invention met en oeuvre un maintien élastique d'une pièce métallique dans un logement respectant la géométrie finale de la pièce, ce qui permet le maintien ou la mise en conformité de la pièce dans sa géométrie précise lors des traitements thermiques. La structure définissant le logement ainsi que les éléments du système de maintien étant en matériau composite thermostructural, c'est-à-dire un matériau ayant un coefficient de dilatation thermique très faible, l'outillage subit très peu de déformations lors des variations de température et les éléments ressorts présentent une raideur, et, par conséquent, une force d'appui sur les éléments de maintien, quasi-constante quelle que soit la température.The tooling of the invention implements an elastic holding of a metal part in a housing respecting the final geometry of the part, which allows the maintenance or compliance of the part in its precise geometry during heat treatments . The structure defining the housing and the elements of the holding system being of thermostructural composite material, that is to say a material having a very low coefficient of thermal expansion, the tool undergoes very little deformation during temperature variations. and the spring elements have a stiffness, and, therefore, a bearing force on the holding elements, almost constant regardless of the temperature.

Grâce à la force de maintien élastique exercée sur la pièce de manière quasi-uniforme quelle que soit la température, il est possible de conformer cette dernière lors du traitement thermique et de corriger ainsi des déformations engendrées lors d'opérations préalables réalisées sur la pièce comme un pré-usinage au plus près de la côte finale. En effet, le principe du maintien élastique de la pièce dans l'outillage de l'invention permet de monter dans celui-ci une pièce relativement déformée qui ne sera pas au départ (i.e. à froid) en contact avec tous les éléments de maintien de référence mais qui, une fois en température, sera contrainte par les éléments ressorts et donc conformée à la géométrie désirée. Un tel conformage à chaud serait très difficile à mettre en oeuvre avec un outillage métallique.Thanks to the elastic holding force exerted on the part in a virtually uniform manner regardless of the temperature, it is possible to conform the latter during the heat treatment and thus correct deformations generated during previous operations performed on the part as pre-machining closer to the final rib. Indeed, the principle of elastic retention of the workpiece in the tool of the invention allows to mount therein a relatively deformed piece which will not be initially (ie cold) in contact with all the holding elements of reference but which, once in temperature, will be constrained by the spring elements and therefore conform to the desired geometry. Such hot conforming would be very difficult to implement with a metal tool.

Grâce au matériau composite thermostructural utilisé pour la réalisation des éléments constitutifs de l'outillage de l'invention, celui-ci est bien moins encombrant et lourd que les outillages en acier réfractaire habituellement utilisés. L'outillage de l'invention permet ainsi d'augmenter la capacité de chargement de pièces métalliques à traiter dans un même four, ce qui permet de diminuer les coûts des traitements thermiques. Il permet aussi de réduire le nombre de manipulations et de traitements pour un nombre de pièces donné, ce qui permet de diminuer significativement les coûts de traitements thermiques.Thanks to the thermostructural composite material used for the realization of the constituent elements of the tool of the invention, it is much less bulky and heavy than the usual refractory steel tools. The tooling of the invention thus makes it possible to increase the loading capacity of metal parts to be treated in the same furnace, which makes it possible to reduce the costs of the heat treatments. It also makes it possible to reduce the number of manipulations and treatments for a given number of parts, which makes it possible to significantly reduce the costs of heat treatments.

Selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention, l'outillage comprend une pluralité de paires de mâchoires placées de chaque côté de la pièce métallique, chaque paire de mâchoires étant montée de façon coulissante sur la structure de support. Les déplacements de la pièce, lors des montées ou descentes en température, peuvent être ainsi accompagnés par les mâchoires sans exercer de contrainte sur la pièce et tout en suivant la géométrie précise de celle-ci définie par la structure de support de l'outillage.According to one embodiment of the invention, the tooling comprises a plurality of pairs of jaws placed on each side of the metal part, each pair of jaws being slidably mounted on the support structure. The movements of the room during mounted or lowered in temperature, can be accompanied by the jaws without exerting stress on the workpiece and while following the precise geometry of the latter defined by the support structure of the tooling.

A cet effet, chaque mâchoire est munie d'au moins un guide coopérant avec une glissière ménagée dans la structure de support. Selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention, les parois latérales de la structure support comportent au moins une glissière destinée à recevoir un guide d'une mâchoire d'une paire de mâchoire, des éléments ressorts étant interposés entre au moins une mâchoire de chaque paire de mâchoires et les parois latérales de la structure support.For this purpose, each jaw is provided with at least one guide cooperating with a slideway formed in the support structure. According to one embodiment of the invention, the side walls of the support structure comprise at least one slide intended to receive a guide of a jaw of a pair of jaws, spring elements being interposed between at least one jaw of each pair of jaws and the side walls of the support structure.

Selon une caractéristique de l'invention, la structure de support présente un logement comportant au moins une première partie s'étendant dans un premier plan et une deuxième partie s'étendant dans un deuxième plan formant un angle avec le premier plan. Il est ainsi possible de maintenir et de conformer une même pièce dans des plans différents formant entre eux des angles suivant une ou plusieurs directions.According to a feature of the invention, the support structure has a housing having at least a first portion extending in a first plane and a second portion extending in a second plane forming an angle with the first plane. It is thus possible to maintain and conform the same piece in different planes forming between them angles in one or more directions.

Cette configuration d'outillage de maintien à géométrie planaire variable peut être également obtenue avec une structure support présentant un logement s'étendant dans un même premier plan et dont au moins une partie est munie de cales angulaires disposées entre une ou plusieurs paires de mâchoires et les parois latérales de la structure de support de manière à ce que la partie du logement présente entre les cales angulaires s'étende dans un deuxième plan formant un angle avec le premier plan.This configuration of variable planar geometry maintenance tooling can also be obtained with a support structure having a housing extending in the same first plane and at least a portion of which is provided with angular spacers arranged between one or more pairs of jaws and the side walls of the support structure so that the part of the housing present between the angular wedges extends in a second plane forming an angle with the first plane.

Selon un autre mode de réalisation de l'invention, l'outillage comprend une pluralité d'éléments d'écartement interposés entre des première et deuxième pièces métalliques et une pluralité de mâchoires placées contre la première pièce métallique et des plaques d'appui placées contre la deuxième pièce métallique, les éléments ressorts étant interposés entre les mâchoires et la structure de support.According to another embodiment of the invention, the tooling comprises a plurality of spacer elements interposed between first and second metal parts and a plurality of jaws placed against the first metal part and support plates placed against the second metal part, the spring elements being interposed between the jaws and the support structure.

Selon une caractéristique de ce mode de réalisation, les éléments ressorts sont reliés aux mâchoires par des premières liaisons articulées et à la structure de support par des deuxièmes liaisons articulées, les éléments d'écartement reposant sur des chariots mobiles sur la structure de support et les plaques d'appui étant maintenues contre des rouleaux solidaires de la structure de support. De cette manière, tous les éléments de maintien sont aptes à se déplacer avec les pièces métalliques par rapport à la structure de support fixe et peuvent, ainsi, accompagner les mouvements des pièces lors des variations de température.According to one characteristic of this embodiment, the spring elements are connected to the jaws by first articulated links and to the support structure by second links. articulated, the spacer elements resting on movable carriages on the support structure and the support plates being held against rollers integral with the support structure. In this way, all the holding elements are able to move with the metal parts relative to the fixed support structure and can thus accompany the movements of the parts during temperature changes.

Selon une caractéristique particulière de l'invention, la structure de support, les premier et deuxième éléments de maintien et chaque élément élastique de type ressort sont en matériau composite carbone/carbone.According to a particular characteristic of the invention, the support structure, the first and second holding elements and each spring-type elastic element are made of carbon / carbon composite material.

Selon un aspect de l'invention, chaque élément élastique présente une raideur à froid prédéterminée qui définit la force de maintien appliquée par les mâchoires sur la pièce, et ce pour une plage de température étendue car l'élément ressort est réalisé en matériau composite thermostructural.According to one aspect of the invention, each elastic member has a predetermined cold stiffness which defines the holding force applied by the jaws to the workpiece, and this for an extended temperature range because the spring element is made of thermostructural composite material .

L'invention concerne également une installation de traitement thermique comprenant un four et un ou plusieurs outillages de maintien selon l'invention placés à l'intérieur du four.The invention also relates to a heat treatment installation comprising an oven and one or more holding tools according to the invention placed inside the oven.

Brève description des dessinsBrief description of the drawings

D'autres caractéristiques et avantages de l'invention ressortiront de la description suivante de modes particuliers de réalisation de l'invention, donnés à titre d'exemples non limitatifs, en référence aux dessins annexés, sur lesquels :

  • la figure 1 est une vue schématique en perspective d'une installation de traitement thermique comprenant des outillages de maintien conformément à l'invention,
  • la figure 2 est une vue éclatée d'un outillage de maintien selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
  • la figure 3 est une vue schématique en perspective de l'outillage de maintien de la figure 2 une fois monté ;
  • la figure 4 est une vue en coupe d'une partie de l'outillage de maintien de la figure 3 représenté sur la figure 5 ;
  • la figure 5 est une vue de côté d'une partie de l'outillage de maintien de la figure 3 ;
  • les figures 6A et 6B sont des vues schématiques d'un outillage de maintien d'une pièce suivant plusieurs plans orientés dans des directions différentes conformément à un mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
  • la figure 7 est une vue schématique d'un outillage de maintien d'une pièce suivant plusieurs plans orientés dans des directions différentes conformément à un autre mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
  • les figures 8A et 8B sont des vues de détail de parties de l'outillage de maintien de la figure 7 ;
  • la figure 9 est une vue schématique en perspective d'un l'outillage de maintien selon un autre mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
  • la figure 10 est une vue éclatée de l'outillage de maintien de la figure 9 ;
  • la figure 11 est une vue en coupe de l'outillage de la figure 9.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description of particular embodiments of the invention, given by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:
  • the figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a heat treatment plant comprising holding tools according to the invention,
  • the figure 2 is an exploded view of a holding tool according to one embodiment of the invention;
  • the figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the tooling for maintaining the figure 2 once mounted;
  • the figure 4 is a sectional view of a part of the maintenance tooling of the figure 3 represented on the figure 5 ;
  • the figure 5 is a side view of some of the maintenance tooling of the figure 3 ;
  • the Figures 6A and 6B are schematic views of a tool for holding a workpiece in several planes oriented in different directions according to an embodiment of the invention;
  • the figure 7 is a schematic view of a tool for holding a workpiece in several planes oriented in different directions in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;
  • the Figures 8A and 8B are detailed views of parts of the maintenance tooling of the figure 7 ;
  • the figure 9 is a schematic perspective view of a holding tool according to another embodiment of the invention;
  • the figure 10 is an exploded view of the maintenance tooling of the figure 9 ;
  • the figure 11 is a sectional view of the tooling of the figure 9 .

Description détaillée d'un mode de réalisationDetailed description of an embodiment

L'invention s'applique d'une manière générale aux outillages permettant de maintenir des pièces en matériau métallique suivant une géométrie précise lors de traitements impliquant des montées en température, tels que des recuits, trempes, revenus, maturations, conformations ou brasages à chaud ou tout autre traitement impliquant des variations de température. Un domaine particulier, mais non exclusif, d'application de l'invention est celui de la conformation à chaud de pièces en titane ou similaire de grande dimension et dont la géométrie doit être très précisément respectée ou reprise à chaud (conformage de pièces hors tolérance à froid).The invention applies generally to tools for maintaining metal parts in precise geometry during processing involving temperature rises, such as annealing, quenching, tempering, maturing, conformations or hot brazing. or any other treatment involving temperature variations. A particular, but not exclusive, field of application of the invention is that of the hot conformation of titanium or similar parts of large size and whose geometry must be very precisely respected or heat recovery (conforming parts out of tolerance Cold).

La figure 1 illustre une installation 300 destinée à traiter thermiquement des pièces en matériau métallique dont la géométrie doit être précisément respectée tout au long du traitement. L'installation 300 comprend un four 200 et une pluralité d'outillages de maintien 100 reposant sur une embase 101.The figure 1 illustrates an installation 300 for heat treating metal parts whose geometry must be precisely respected throughout the treatment. The 300 installation comprises an oven 200 and a plurality of holding tools 100 resting on a base 101.

Comme illustré sur les figures 2 et 3, chaque outillage de maintien 100 comprend une structure de support 110. Dans l'exemple décrit ici, la structure 110 est constituée d'un châssis 111, formé par deux traverses 1110 et 1111, et de parois latérales 1120 à 1124 et 1140 à 1144 maintenues au-dessus du châssis 111 par des montants 114. L'espace présent entre les parois latérales 1120 à 1124, d'une part, et les parois latérales 1140 à 1144, d'autre part, forme un logement 115 pour une pièce métallique 150 destinée à être traitée thermiquement. La forme du logement 115 correspond à la forme générale de la pièce métallique à traiter 150, à savoir ici une pièce présentant dans sa direction longitudinale une forme courbée.As illustrated on figures 2 and 3 each holding tool 100 comprises a support structure 110. In the example described here, the structure 110 consists of a frame 111, formed by two crosspieces 1110 and 1111, and side walls 1120 to 1124 and 1140 to 1144. maintained above the frame 111 by uprights 114. The space between the side walls 1120 to 1124, on the one hand, and the side walls 1140 to 1144, on the other hand, forms a housing 115 for a metal part 150 to be heat treated. The shape of the housing 115 corresponds to the general shape of the metal part to be treated 150, namely here a part having in its longitudinal direction a curved shape.

L'outillage de maintien 100 comprend également une pluralité de paires de mâchoires, ici des paires de mâchoires 116 à 126, les mâchoires 1161 à 1261 situées d'un côté de la pièce 150 correspondant à tout ou partie des premiers éléments de maintien de l'outillage de l'invention et les mâchoires 1162 à 1262 situées de l'autre côté de la pièce correspondant à tout ou partie des deuxièmes éléments de maintien de l'outillage de l'invention. Chaque paire de mâchoires, comme la paire 119 illustrée sur la figure 4, est formée de deux mâchoires 1191 et 1192 entre lesquels la pièce métallique 150 est maintenue. A cet effet, les mâchoires de chaque paire, comme les mâchoires 1191 et 1192 de la paire 119, comporte chacune une face interne 1191a, 1192a dont la forme correspond à la géométrie de la partie de la pièce destinée à être maintenue à cet endroit de l'outillage.The holding tool 100 also comprises a plurality of pairs of jaws, here pairs of jaws 116 to 126, the jaws 1161 to 1261 located on one side of the part 150 corresponding to all or part of the first holding elements of the jaws. tooling of the invention and the jaws 1162 to 1262 located on the other side of the part corresponding to all or part of the second holding elements of the tool of the invention. Each pair of jaws, like the pair 119 illustrated on the figure 4 , is formed of two jaws 1191 and 1192 between which the metal part 150 is maintained. For this purpose, the jaws of each pair, like the jaws 1191 and 1192 of the pair 119, each have an inner face 1191a, 1192a whose shape corresponds to the geometry of the part of the part intended to be maintained at this location. tooling.

Afin de maintenir une force de maintien sur la pièce dans l'outillage, des éléments élastiques de type ressort sont interposés entre au moins la face externe d'une des mâchoires de chaque paire de mâchoires et la paroi verticale correspondante. Dans l'exemple décrit ici, des éléments élastiques 130 à 134 sont respectivement interposés entre les mâchoires 1161 à 1261 et les parois latérales 1140 à 1144, des plaques d'appui (non représentées) pouvant être en outre interposées entre les éléments ressorts et les mâchoires. Un outillage spécial permettant de maintenir respectivement les éléments élastiques 130 à 134 en compression maximum est utilisé lors du montage de la pièce et des mâchoires dans l'outillage, les éléments élastiques 130 à 134 étant ensuite relâchés afin d'exercer une force de maintien sur les mâchoires et sur la pièce dans le logement de l'outillage.In order to maintain a holding force on the workpiece in the tooling, resilient spring-like elements are interposed between at least the outer face of one of the jaws of each pair of jaws and the corresponding vertical wall. In the example described here, elastic elements 130 to 134 are respectively interposed between the jaws 1161 to 1261 and the side walls 1140 to 1144, support plates (not shown) which can be further interposed between the spring elements and the jaws. Special tools for holding the elastic elements 130 to 134 respectively in maximum compression is used when mounting the workpiece and jaws in the tooling, the elastic members 130 to 134 then being released to exert a holding force on the jaws and on the workpiece in the tool housing .

Les éléments élastiques 130 à 134 sont chacun respectivement constitués par deux lames élastiques 1301/1302, 1311/1312, 1321/1322, 1331/1332 et 1341/1342 qui exercent un effort de maintien élastique sur chaque paire de mâchoires 116 à 126, et ce suivant la géométrie du logement 115 qui correspond à la géométrie précise de la pièce à respecter.The elastic elements 130 to 134 are each constituted respectively by two elastic blades 1301/1302, 1311/1312, 1321/1322, 1331/1332 and 1341/1342 which exert an elastic holding force on each pair of jaws 116 to 126, and this according to the geometry of the housing 115 which corresponds to the precise geometry of the part to be respected.

Par ailleurs, les mâchoires 1161/1162 à 1261/1262 des paires de mâchoires 116 à 126 sont montées de façon coulissante sur les parois latérales. A cet effet, chaque mâchoire comprend sur sa face externe un guide engagé dans une glissière ménagée dans la paroi latérale en regard de la mâchoire considérée. Dans l'exemple décrit ici, les parois externes des mâchoires 1161 à 1261 sont respectivement munies d'un guide 1163 à 1263 tandis que les parois externes des mâchoires 1162 à 1262 sont respectivement munies d'un guide 1164 à 1264. Les guides 1163 à 1263 sont respectivement engagés dans des glissières 1140a, 1140b, 1141a, 1141b, 1141c, 1142a, 1143a, 1143b, 1143c, 1144a, 1144b des parois latérales 1140 à 1144. De même, les guides 1164 à 1264 sont respectivement engagés dans des glissières 1120a, 1120b, 1121a, 1121b, 1121c, 1122a, 1123a, 1123b, 1123c, 1124a, 1124b des parois latérales 1120 à 1124.On the other hand, the jaws 1161/1162 through 1261/1262 of the jaw pairs 116 to 126 are slidably mounted on the sidewalls. For this purpose, each jaw comprises on its outer face a guide engaged in a slide formed in the side wall opposite the jaw considered. In the example described here, the outer walls of the jaws 1161 to 1261 are respectively provided with a guide 1163 to 1263 while the outer walls of the jaws 1162 to 1262 are respectively provided with a guide 1164 to 1264. The guides 1163 to 1263 are respectively engaged in slides 1140a, 1140b, 1141a, 1141b, 1141c, 1142a, 1143a, 1143b, 1143c, 1144a, 1144b of the side walls 1140 to 1144. Similarly, the guides 1164 to 1264 are respectively engaged in slides 1120a , 1120b, 1121a, 1121b, 1121c, 1122a, 1123a, 1123b, 1123c, 1124a, 1124b of the side walls 1120-1124.

Comme illustré sur la figure 5, la mâchoire 1191 de la paire de mâchoires 119 est maintenue sur la structure de support 110 au moyen du guide 1193 qui est engagé dans la glissière 1141b ménagée dans la paroi latérale 1141. La glissière 1141b présente la forme d'un trou oblong dans lequel le guide 1193 peut se déplacer entre une première position A correspondant à la position de l'élément de maintien à froid et une deuxième position B correspondant à la position de l'élément de maintien 1191 lorsque la pièce métallique 150 se dilate lors d'une montée en température. L'orientation du trou oblong de la glissière 1131b ainsi que sa position sur la paroi latérale 1131 orientée suivant la géométrie de la pièce dans la direction longitudinale, ici une forme courbée, permettent au système de maintien constitué par les éléments de maintien associés aux éléments élastiques de suivre les déplacements de la pièce lors de sa dilatation et/ou rétractation en assurant une conservation de la géométrie dans le ou les plans de maintien définis par le logement de la structure de support.As illustrated on the figure 5 , the jaw 1191 of the pair of jaws 119 is held on the support structure 110 by means of the guide 1193 which is engaged in the slide 1141b formed in the side wall 1141. The slide 1141b has the shape of an oblong hole in which the guide 1193 can move between a first position A corresponding to the position of the cold holding element and a second position B corresponding to the position of the holding element 1191 when the metal part 150 expands during a a climb in temperature. The orientation of the oblong hole of the slide 1131b as well as its position on the side wall 1131 oriented according to the geometry of the piece in the longitudinal direction, here a curved shape, allow the holding system constituted by the holding elements associated with the elastic elements to follow the movements of the part during its expansion and / or retraction by ensuring a conservation of the geometry in the holding plane or planes defined by the housing of the structure of support.

Conformément à la présente invention, les éléments constituant l'outillage de maintien de la présente invention comme la structure de support, les éléments de maintien de chaque paire et les éléments élastiques de type ressort sont réalisés en matériau composite thermostructural qui présente un faible coefficient de dilatation thermique en comparaison aux matériaux métallique tels que l'acier.According to the present invention, the elements constituting the holding tool of the present invention as the support structure, the holding elements of each pair and the spring-like elastic elements are made of thermostructural composite material which has a low coefficient of thermal expansion in comparison to metallic materials such as steel.

Les éléments constitutifs de l'outillage de maintien sont réalisés de préférence en matériau composite carbone/carbone (C/C) qui, de façon connue, est un matériau formé d'un renfort en fibres de carbone densifié par une matrice en carbone et qui peut éventuellement être muni d'un revêtement comme par exemple un dépôt céramique (exemple SiC). Ces éléments peuvent être également réalisés en matériau composite à matrice céramique (CMC) qui est un matériau formé d'un renfort en fibres de carbone ou céramique densifié par une matrice au moins partiellement céramique, comme les matériaux composite CMC suivants :

  • carbone-carbone/carbure de silicium (C/C-SiC) correspondant à un matériau formé d'un renfort en fibres de carbone et densifié par une matrice comprenant une phase carbone et une phase carbure de silicium,
  • carbone-carbure de silicium (C/SiC) qui est un matériau formé d'un renfort en fibres de carbone densifié par une matrice en carbure de silicium,
  • carbure de silicium-carbure de silicium (SiC/SiC) correspondant à un matériau formé d'un renfort en fibres de carbure de silicium densifié par une matrice en carbure de silicium.
The constituent elements of the holding tool are preferably made of carbon / carbon (C / C) composite material which, in a known manner, is a material formed of a carbon fiber reinforcement densified by a carbon matrix and which may optionally be provided with a coating such as a ceramic deposit (example SiC). These elements may also be made of ceramic matrix composite material (CMC) which is a material formed of a carbon fiber or ceramic reinforcement densified by an at least partially ceramic matrix, such as the following CMC composite materials:
  • carbon-carbon / silicon carbide (C / C-SiC) corresponding to a material formed of a carbon fiber reinforcement and densified by a matrix comprising a carbon phase and a silicon carbide phase,
  • carbon-carbon carbide (C / SiC) which is a material formed of a carbon fiber reinforcement densified by a silicon carbide matrix,
  • silicon carbide-silicon carbide (SiC / SiC) corresponding to a material formed of a reinforcement of silicon carbide fibers densified by a silicon carbide matrix.

La fabrication de pièces en matériau composite constituées d'un renfort fibreux densifié par une matrice est bien connue. Elle comprend principalement la réalisation d'une structure fibreuse, ici en fibres de carbone ou céramique, la mise en forme de la structure dans une forme voisine de celle de la pièce à fabriquer (préforme fibreuse) et la densification de la préforme par la matrice.The manufacture of composite material parts consisting of a fiber reinforcement densified by a matrix is well known. It mainly comprises the production of a fibrous structure, here made of carbon or ceramic fibers, the shaping of the structure in a shape similar to that of the part to be manufactured (fibrous preform) and the densification of the preform by the matrix. .

La préforme fibreuse constitue le renfort de la pièce dont le rôle est essentiel vis-à-vis des propriétés mécaniques. La préforme est obtenue à partir de textures fibreuses en fibres de carbone ou céramique. Les textures fibreuses utilisées peuvent être de diverses natures et formes telles que notamment:

  • tissu bidimensionnel (2D),
  • tissu tridimensionnel (3D) obtenu par tissage 3D ou multicouches,
  • tresse,
  • tricot,
  • feutre,
  • nappe unidirectionnelle (UD) de fils ou câbles ou nappes multidirectionnelle (nD) obtenue par superposition de plusieurs nappes UD dans des directions différentes et liaison des nappes UD entre elles par exemple par couture, par agent de liaison chimique ou par aiguilletage.
The fiber preform is the reinforcement of the part whose role is essential vis-à-vis the mechanical properties. The preform is obtained from fibrous textures of carbon fiber or ceramic. The fibrous textures used may be of various natures and forms such as, in particular:
  • two-dimensional fabric (2D),
  • three-dimensional fabric (3D) obtained by 3D or multilayer weaving,
  • braided,
  • knitting,
  • felt,
  • unidirectional web (UD) son or cables or multidirectional webs (nD) obtained by superposition of several UD webs in different directions and UD web bonding between them for example by sewing, by chemical bonding agent or by needling.

On peut aussi utiliser une structure fibreuse formée de plusieurs couches superposées de tissu, tresse, tricot, feutre, nappes, câbles ou autres, lesquelles couches sont liées entre elles par exemple par couture, par implantation de fils ou d'éléments rigides ou par aiguilletage.It is also possible to use a fibrous structure formed of several superimposed layers of fabric, braid, knit, felt, plies, cables or others, which layers are bonded together, for example by sewing, by implantation of threads or rigid elements or by needling. .

La mise en forme est réalisée par tissage, empilage, aiguilletage de strates bidimensionnelles/tridimensionnelles ou de nappes de câbles, etc.The shaping is performed by weaving, stacking, needling of two-dimensional / three-dimensional strata or layers of cables, etc.

La préforme fibreuse est ensuite densifiée, de façon bien connue, par voie liquide et/ou gazeuse.The fiber preform is then densified, in a well-known manner, by liquid and / or gaseous means.

La densification par voie liquide consiste à imprégner la préforme par une composition liquide contenant un précurseur du matériau de la matrice. Le précurseur se présente habituellement sous forme d'un polymère, tel qu'une résine, éventuellement dilué dans un solvant. La transformation du précurseur en carbone ou céramique est réalisée par traitement thermique, après élimination du solvant éventuel et réticulation du polymère. Plusieurs cycles d'imprégnation successifs peuvent être réalisés pour parvenir au degré de densification souhaité.Liquid densification comprises impregnating the preform with a liquid composition containing a precursor of the matrix material. The precursor is usually in the form of a polymer, such as a resin, optionally diluted in a solvent. The transformation of the precursor into carbon or ceramic is carried out by heat treatment after removal of the optional solvent and crosslinking of the polymer. Several successive impregnation cycles can be performed to achieve the desired degree of densification.

Une résine précurseur de carbone peut être par exemple une résine de type phénolique.A carbon precursor resin may for example be a phenolic type resin.

Une résine précurseur de céramique peut être par exemple une résine polycarbosilane précurseur de carbure de silicium (SiC), ou une résine polysiloxane précurseur de SiCO, ou une résine polyborocarbosilazane précurseur de SiCNB, ou une résine polysilazane (SiCN).A ceramic precursor resin may be, for example, a polycarbosilane precursor resin of silicon carbide (SiC), or a polysiloxane resin precursor of SiCO, or a polyborocarbosilazane resin precursor of SiCNB, or a polysilazane resin (SiCN).

Les opérations d'imprégnation et de polymérisation de résine précurseur de carbone et/ou de résine précurseur de céramique peuvent être répétées plusieurs fois si nécessaire pour obtenir des caractéristiques mécaniques déterminées.The impregnation and polymerization operations of carbon precursor resin and / or ceramic precursor resin can be repeated several times if necessary to obtain specific mechanical characteristics.

La densification de la préforme fibreuse peut-être également réalisée, de façon connue, par voie gazeuse par infiltration chimique en phase vapeur de la matrice (CVI). La préforme fibreuse correspondant à la structure à réaliser est placée dans un four dans lequel est admise une phase gazeuse réactionnelle. La pression et la température régnant dans le four et la composition de la phase gazeuse sont choisies de manière à permettre la diffusion de la phase gazeuse au sein de la porosité de la préforme pour y former la matrice par dépôt, au coeur du matériau au contact des fibres, d'un matériau solide résultant d'une décomposition d'un constituant de la phase gazeuse ou d'une réaction entre plusieurs constituants, contrairement aux conditions de pression et températures propres aux procédés CVD ("Chemical Vapor Deposition") qui conduisent exclusivement à un dépôt à la surface du matériau.The densification of the fiber preform may also be carried out, in a known manner, by gaseous method by chemical vapor infiltration of the matrix (CVI). The fiber preform corresponding to the structure to be produced is placed in an oven in which a gaseous reaction phase is admitted. The pressure and the temperature prevailing in the furnace and the composition of the gas phase are chosen so as to allow the diffusion of the gas phase within the porosity of the preform to form the matrix by deposition, in the heart of the material in contact with it. fibers, of a solid material resulting from a decomposition of a constituent of the gas phase or a reaction between several constituents, unlike the pressure conditions and temperatures specific to the CVD ("Chemical Vapor Deposition") processes which lead to exclusively to a deposit on the surface of the material.

La formation d'une matrice carbone peut être obtenue avec des gaz hydrocarbures tels que méthane et/ou propane donnant le carbone par craquage tandis qu'une matrice SiC peut être obtenue avec du méthyltrichlorosilane (MTS) donnant du SiC par décomposition du MTS.The formation of a carbon matrix can be achieved with hydrocarbon gases such as methane and / or propane giving the carbon by cracking while an SiC matrix can be obtained with methyltrichlorosilane (MTS) giving SiC by decomposition of the MTS.

Dans le cas d'un matériau C/C-SiC, la première phase carbone peut être formée avec des gaz hydrocarbures donnant le carbone par craquage, la deuxième phase SiC étant ensuite déposée sur la première phase carbone, par exemple par décomposition du MTS.In the case of a C / C-SiC material, the first carbon phase may be formed with hydrocarbon gases giving the carbon by cracking, the second SiC phase being then deposited on the first carbon phase, for example by decomposition of the MTS.

Une densification combinant voie liquide et voie gazeuse peut être également utilisée pour faciliter la mise en oeuvre, limiter les coûts et les cycles de fabrication tout en obtenant des caractéristiques satisfaisantes pour l'utilisation envisagée.A densification combining liquid route and gaseous route can also be used to facilitate implementation, limit costs and production cycles while obtaining satisfactory characteristics for the intended use.

Les éléments, comme les parois latérales de la structure de support, sont ensuite usinés afin de former dans ceux-ci les glissières et éventuellement des lumières permettant d'alléger l'ensemble de la structure et réduire son inertie thermique. De même, des lumières peuvent être usinées dans les autres éléments constitutifs de la structure de support afin d'en alléger encore la masse et d'en réduire l'inertie thermique.The elements, like the side walls of the support structure, are then machined in order to form in them the slides and possibly lights to lighten the entire structure and reduce its thermal inertia. Similarly, lights can be machined in the other components of the support structure to further lighten the mass and reduce thermal inertia.

L'avantage de l'utilisation d'un matériau composite thermostructural tel que le C/C pour les éléments élastiques de type ressort est de pouvoir conserver une raideur prédéfinie à froid lors des montées en température. La force exercée par l'élément de maintien sur la pièce reste ainsi quasiment constante, et ce indépendamment des variations de température. De cette façon, on contrôle de façon précise le maintien ou la conformation de la pièce dans sa géométrie finale, et ce même lorsque le matériau de la pièce flue sous des températures élevées.The advantage of using a thermostructural composite material such as C / C for spring-like elastic elements is to be able to maintain a predetermined cold stiffness during temperature rises. The force exerted by the holding element on the part thus remains almost constant, and this independently of temperature variations. In this way, the maintenance or conformation of the part in its final geometry is precisely controlled, even when the material of the piece is flowing under high temperatures.

Par ailleurs, les éléments de maintien de la pièce métallique étant montés de façon coulissante sur la structure de support, ceux-ci s'adaptent aux dilatations et rétractations de la pièce lors des montées et descentes en température au cours des traitements thermiques en suivant les déplacements de cette dernière tout en respectant sa géométrie car les déplacements se font suivant la géométrie de logement de la structure de support.Furthermore, since the holding elements of the metal part are slidably mounted on the support structure, they adapt to the expansions and shrinkages of the part during climbs and descents in temperature during the heat treatments by following the displacements of the latter while respecting its geometry because the displacements are made according to the housing geometry of the support structure.

Le maintien et la conformation de la pièce métallique dans l'outillage de l'invention peuvent être réalisés dans un même plan comme c'est le cas avec l'outillage de maintien 100 décrit ci-avant qui comporte un logement 115 s'étendant dans un même plan sur toute la longueur du logement, c'est-à-dire sur toute la longueur de la pièce métallique 150.The maintenance and conformation of the metal part in the tooling of the invention can be carried out in the same plane as is the case with the holding tool 100 described above which comprises a housing 115 extending into the same plane over the entire length of the housing, that is to say over the entire length of the metal part 150.

Toutefois, l'outillage de maintien selon l'invention peut également permettre le maintien et la conformation d'une pièce métallique dans plusieurs plans orientés différemment. A cet effet, selon une première variante de réalisation, on utilise un outillage de maintien dont la structure de support définit un logement non rectiligne créant ainsi des portions s'étendant suivant des angles différents. A titre d'exemple, comme représentée de façon schématique sur la figure 6A, un outillage de maintien 400 comprend une structure de support (non représentée sur la figure 6A) qui définit un logement 415 comprenant une première portion centrale 415a et des deuxième et troisième portions d'extrémités 415b et 415c s'étendant dans des plans différents de celui de la portion centrale 415a. Plus précisément, la portion centrale 415a s'étend suivant un plan P1 parallèle à des directions de référence X et Z. La portion d'extrémité 415b s'étend suivant un plan P2 formant un angle α1 par rapport au plan P1 dans la direction X. La portion d'extrémité 415c s'étend suivant un plan P3 formant un angle α2 par rapport au plan P1 dans la direction X.However, the holding tool according to the invention can also allow the maintenance and conformation of a metal part in several differently oriented planes. For this purpose, according to a first embodiment, using a holding tool whose support structure defines a non-rectilinear housing thus creating portions extending at different angles. By way of example, as schematically represented on the Figure 6A , a holding tool 400 comprises a support structure (not shown on the Figure 6A ) which defines a housing 415 comprising a first central portion 415a and second and third end portions 415b and 415c extending in different planes from that of the central portion 415a. More specifically, the central portion 415a extends along a plane P1 parallel to reference directions X and Z. The end portion 415b extends along a plane P2 forming an angle α1 with respect to the plane P1 in the X direction The end portion 415c extends along a plane P3 forming an angle α2 with respect to the plane P1 in the direction X.

Dans l'exemple décrit ici, les portions d'extrémité 415b et 415c sont « twistées » par rapport à la portion centrale 415a, c'est-à-dire que les plans P2 et P3 de ces portions s'étendent en outre dans la direction Y en formant respectivement des angles β1 et β2 avec le plan P1 de la portion central 415a (figure 6B).In the example described here, the end portions 415b and 415c are "twisted" with respect to the central portion 415a, that is to say that the planes P2 and P3 of these portions extend further into the Y direction respectively forming angles β1 and β2 with the plane P1 of the central portion 415a ( Figure 6B ).

Selon une deuxième variante de réalisation illustrée sur la figure 7, le maintien et la conformation d'une pièce métallique 550, suivant la géométrie planaire variable illustrée sur les figures 6A et 6B précédemment décrites, peuvent être réalisés en adaptant un outillage de maintien comportant un logement s'étendant dans un même plan comme l'outillage 100 décrit ci-avant. A cet effet, comme illustrée sur la figure 7, on utilise un outillage de maintien 500 dont la structure de support 510 s'étend dans une direction longitudinale suivant un même plan. Des paires de cales angulaires complémentaires 540/541 et 542/543 sont disposées au niveau des portions d'extrémité 511 et 512 de la structure support 510 de manière à définir un logement 515 comportant une portion centrale 515a s'étendant suivant un plan identique au plan P1 décrit ci-avant en relation avec les figures 6A et 6B et deux portions d'extrémité 515b et 515c s'étendant respectivement suivant des plans identiques aux plans P2 et P3 décrits précédemment avec les figures 6A et 6B. De même que pour l'outillage 400, l'outillage de maintien 500 permet de maintenir, au niveau des portions d'extrémité 511 et 512 de la structure support 510, la pièce métallique 550 suivant des plans formant un ou plusieurs angle vis-à-vis d'autres portions de maintien de l'outillage.According to a second variant embodiment illustrated on the figure 7 , the maintenance and the conformation of a metal part 550, according to the variable planar geometry illustrated on the Figures 6A and 6B previously described, can be made by adapting a holding tool having a housing extending in the same plane as the tool 100 described above. For this purpose, as illustrated on the figure 7 a holding tool 500 is used, the support structure 510 of which extends in a longitudinal direction along the same plane. Pair of complementary angular wedges 540/541 and 542/543 are arranged at the end portions 511 and 512 of the support structure 510 so as to define a housing 515 having a central portion 515a extending in a plane identical to the plan P1 described above in relation to the Figures 6A and 6B and two end portions 515b and 515c extending respectively along identical planes to the P2 and P3 planes previously described with the Figures 6A and 6B . As for the tooling 400, the holding tool 500 makes it possible to maintain, at the end portions 511 and 512 of the support structure 510, the metal part 550 in planes forming one or more screw angles at -vis other portions of maintenance of the tooling.

La structure de support 510 diffère de la structure de support 110 décrite précédemment en ce qu'elle présente une largeur plus importante au niveau des portions d'extrémité 511 et 512 afin de permettre l'intégration des paires de cales angulaires 540/541 et 542/543. Au niveau de la portion d'extrémité 511 telle que représentée sur la figure 8A, la cale angulaire 540 est fixée sur une paroi latérale 5140 de la structure de support tandis que la cale 541 est fixée sur la paroi latérale opposée 5120. Une plaque d'appui 5130 munie de glissières 5130a et 5130b pour permettre le déplacement des mâchoires est fixée sur la cale angulaire 541 avec interposition d'un élément ressort 530 assurant le maintien élastique de la pièce. De même au niveau de la portion d'extrémité 512 telle que représentée sur la figure 8B, la cale angulaire 543 est fixée sur une paroi latérale 5144 de la structure de support tandis que la cale 542 est fixée sur la paroi latérale opposée 5124. Une plaque de d'appui 5134 munie de glissières 5134a et 5134b pour permettre le déplacement des mâchoires est fixée sur la cale angulaire 543 avec interposition d'un élément ressort 534 assurant le maintien élastique de la pièce.The support structure 510 differs from the support structure 110 described above in that it has a greater width at the end portions 511 and 512 in order to allow the integration of angular wedge pairs 540/541 and 542/543. At the end portion 511 as shown in the figure 8A , the angular wedge 540 is fixed to a side wall 5140 of the support structure while the wedge 541 is fixed to the opposite side wall 5120. A support plate 5130 provided with slides 5130a and 5130b to allow the displacement of the jaws is fixed on the angular wedge 541 with interposition of a spring element 530 ensuring the elastic holding of the workpiece. Likewise at the end portion 512 as shown in FIG. Figure 8B , the angular wedge 543 is fixed on a side wall 5144 of the support structure while the wedge 542 is fixed on the opposite side wall 5124. A support plate 5134 provided with slides 5134a and 5134b to allow the movement of the jaws is fixed on the angular wedge 543 with the interposition of a spring element 534 ensuring the elastic holding of the piece.

En fonction de la géométrie planaire du logement de l'outillage de maintien et/ou de l'angle, de la disposition et du nombre des cales angulaires utilisées, l'outillage peut maintenir et conformer une pièce métallique dans deux ou plusieurs plans orientés suivant des angles différents. Conformément à l'invention, les cales angulaires sont également réalisées en matériau composite thermostructural, de préférence en matériau composite carbone/carbone.Depending on the planar geometry of the housing of the holding tool and / or the angle, the arrangement and the number of angular wedges used, the tool can maintain and conform a metal part in two or more planes oriented next different angles. According to the invention, the angular wedges are also made of thermostructural composite material, preferably of carbon / carbon composite material.

Les figures 9 à 11 illustrent un outillage de maintien conformément à un autre mode de réalisation qui diffère de celui décrit ci-avant principalement en ce que les déplacements (dilatation/rétractation) de la pièce lors des variations de températures sont accompagnés par des éléments de maintien qui sont montés sur l'outillage par l'intermédiaire de liaisons mobiles de type rotules ou rouleaux.The Figures 9 to 11 illustrate a holding tool according to another embodiment which differs from that described above mainly in that the displacements (expansion / retraction) of the part during temperature variations are accompanied by holding elements which are mounted on tooling via mobile links type spherical or rollers.

Plus précisément, dans ce mode de réalisation, l'outillage de maintien 600 comprend une structure de support 610 constituée d'un châssis 6100 supportant, d'un côté de l'outillage, une paroi latérale 6110 munie de rouleaux 6111 à 6116 et, de l'autre côté de l'outillage, des montants 6120 à 6125. Une paroi centrale 6130 comportant des platines 6131 à 6136 est en outre montée sur le châssis 6100 entre la paroi latérale 6110 et les montants 6120 à 6125 (figure 10).More specifically, in this embodiment, the holding tool 600 comprises a support structure 610 consisting of a frame 6100 supporting, on one side of the tool, a side wall 6110 provided with rollers 6111 to 6116 and, on the other side of the tooling, amounts 6120 to 6125. A central wall 6130 having plates 6131 to 6136 is further mounted on the frame 6100 between the side wall 6110 and the posts 6120 to 6125 ( figure 10 ).

L'outillage 600 est destiné à maintenir simultanément deux pièces métalliques 680 et 690 de même géométrie finale. A cet effet, les pièces 680 et 690 sont placées l'une en regard de l'autre au moyen d'éléments d'écartement 620 à 625 chacun montés respectivement sur un chariot 630 à 635. Les chariots 630 à 635 comprennent chacun un rouleau, respectivement 6300 à 6350, qui repose sur une platine, respectivement 6131 à 6136 de la paroi centrale 6130.Tooling 600 is intended to simultaneously hold two metal parts 680 and 690 of the same final geometry. For this purpose, the parts 680 and 690 are placed facing one another by means of spacers 620 to 625 each mounted respectively on a carriage 630 to 635. The carriages 630 to 635 each comprise a roller respectively 6300 to 6350, which rests on a plate, respectively 6131 to 6136 of the central wall 6130.

La pièce 680 est en outre maintenue sur son côté opposé aux éléments d'écartement 620 à 625 par des plaques d'appui 640 à 645 chacune respectivement en appui sur un des rouleaux 6111 à 6116 de la paroi latérale 6110.The part 680 is also maintained on its opposite side to the spacer elements 620 to 625 by support plates 640 to 645 each respectively resting on one of the rollers 6111 to 6116 of the side wall 6110.

La pièce 690 est maintenue de son côté opposé aux éléments d'écartement 620 à 625 par des mâchoires 650 à 655 qui comportent respectivement des portions latérales 6501 à 6551 et des portions supérieures horizontales 6502 à 6552. Les mâchoires 650 à 655 sont montées sur l'outillage par des liaisons à ressort articulées. Plus précisément, des éléments élastiques de type ressort 660 à 665 sont respectivement interposés entre les mâchoires 650 à 655 et les montants 6120 à 6125. En outre, les éléments élastiques 660 à 665 sont reliés respectivement aux mâchoires 650 à 655 par des rotules 6601 à 6651. Les éléments élastiques 660 à 665 sont également reliés aux montants 6120 à 6125 de la structure support par des rotules 6602 à 6652. De cette manière, les éléments ressorts 650 à 655 et les rotules 6601 à 6651 et 6602 à 6652 forment des liaisons élastiques articulées qui permettent d'exercer une force de maintien à la fois latérale et verticale sur les pièces 680 et 690. En effet, comme illustrées sur la figure 11 pour la mâchoire 653, les portions latérales 6531 de la mâchoire 653 exercent, sous la pression de l'élément ressort 663, une force de maintien latérale Fl sur les pièces 680 et 690 tandis que les portions supérieures horizontales 6532 de la mâchoire 653 exercent, sous la pression de l'élément ressort 663, une force de maintien verticale Fv sur les pièces 680 et 690.The part 690 is held on its opposite side to the spacing elements 620 to 625 by jaws 650 to 655 which respectively comprise lateral portions 6501 to 6551 and horizontal upper portions 6502 to 6552. The jaws 650 to 655 are mounted on the upper side. tooling by articulated spring links. More precisely, resilient elements of the spring type 660 to 665 are respectively interposed between the jaws 650 to 655 and the uprights 6120 to 6125. In addition, the elastic elements 660 to 665 are respectively connected to the jaws 650 to 655 by means of ball joints 6601 to 6651. The elastic elements 660 to 665 are also connected to the uprights 6120 to 6125 of the support structure by ball joints 6602 to 6652. In this way, the spring elements 650 to 655 and the ball joints 6601 to 6651 and 6602 to 6652 form links articulated elastics which allow to exert a holding force both lateral and vertical on the parts 680 and 690. Indeed, as illustrated on the figure 11 to the jaw 653, the side portions 6531 of the jaw 653 perform, under pressure of the spring element 663, a lateral holding force F s on parts 680 and 690 while the upper horizontal portions 6532 of the jaw 653 exert under the pressure of spring element 663, a vertical holding force F v of the parts 680 and 690.

En outre de cette liaison articulée au niveau des mâchoires permettant de suivre les mouvements des pièces métalliques lors des variations de températures, les éléments d'écartement 620 à 625 ainsi que les plaques d'appui 640 à 645 sont eux aussi aptes à accompagner les mouvements des pièces pendant leur maintien dans l'outillage. En effet, les éléments d'écartement 620 à 625 sont associés aux charriots 630 à 635 qui reposent chacun sur une des platines 6131 à 6136 de la paroi centrale 6130 de manière à être mobile dans la direction longitudinale des pièces. De même, les plaques d'appui 640 à 645 sont maintenues contre les rouleaux 6111 à 6116 de la paroi latérale 6110 et peuvent, par conséquent, suivre les mouvements des pièces dans l'outillage.In addition to this link articulated at the jaws for tracking the movements of the metal parts during temperature variations, the spacer elements 620 to 625 and the support plates 640 to 645 are also able to accompany the movements of the parts during their maintenance in the tools. Indeed, the spacers 620 to 625 are associated with the carriages 630 to 635 which each rest on one of the plates 6131 to 6136 of the central wall 6130 so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the parts. Similarly, the backing plates 640 to 645 are held against the rollers 6111 to 6116 of the sidewall 6110 and can therefore follow the movements of the parts in the tooling.

L'outillage 600 comprend ainsi des moyens de maintien permettant de maintenir et/ou de conformer à chaud des pièces métalliques suivant une géométrie précise tout en s'adaptant aux dilatations et rétractations des pièces lors des variations de température.Tooling 600 thus comprises holding means for maintaining and / or hot-conforming metal parts in a precise geometry while adapting to the expansions and shrinkage of parts during temperature changes.

Les éléments constitutifs de l'outillage 600 et en particulier la structure de support 610, les éléments d'écartement 620 à 625, les chariots 630 à 635, les plaques d'appui 640 à 645, les rouleaux 6111 à 6116, les mâchoires 650 à 655 et les éléments élastiques 660 à 665 sont réalisés en matériau composite.The constituent elements of the tooling 600 and in particular the support structure 610, the spacer elements 620 to 625, the carriages 630 to 635, the support plates 640 to 645, the rollers 6111 to 6116, the jaws 650 at 655 and the elastic elements 660 to 665 are made of composite material.

L'outillage de maintien 600 est particulièrement adapté pour le maintien de pièces métalliques de grande dimension car il permet de supporter de façon équilibrée et fiable des pièces ayant une masse importante.The holding tool 600 is particularly suitable for holding large metal parts because it allows to support in a balanced and reliable way parts having a large mass.

Claims (11)

  1. Support tooling (100) for supporting at least one metal part (150) that is to be subjected to heat treatment or shaped while hot, said tooling comprising:
    · a stationary support structure (110) presenting a determined shape that corresponds to the general shape of each metal part that is to be supported;
    · first holder elements (1161-1261) arranged on one side of each part;
    · second holder elements (1162-1262) arranged on the other side of each part; and
    · at least one spring type resilient element (130-134) placed between the support structure (110) and each first or second holder element (1161-1261; 1162-1262) so as to hold the part throughout the duration of heat treatment;
    the support structure (110), the first and second holder elements (1161-1261; 1162-1262) and the resilient element(s) (130-134) being made of thermostructural composite material.
  2. Tooling according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a plurality of pairs (116-126) of jaws (1161-1261; 1162-1262) placed on either side of the metal part (150), each jaw being slidably mounted on the support structure.
  3. Tooling according to claim 2, characterized in that each jaw (1161; 1162) is provided with at least one guide (1163; 1163) each co-operating with a respective slideway (1140a; 1120a) formed in the support structure.
  4. Tooling according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each jaw (1191) has an inside face (1191a) for coming into contact with a portion of the metal part (150), said face presenting a shape corresponding to the geometrical configuration of said portion of the part.
  5. Tooling according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the support structure presents a housing (415) including at least a first portion (415a) extending in a first plane (P1), and a second portion (415b) extending in a second plane (P2) forming an angle relative to the first plane (P1).
  6. Tooling according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the support structure (510) presents a housing (515) extending in a first plane and in that it includes at least a portion (511) provided with angular wedges (540, 541) arranged between one or more pairs of jaws and the side walls of the support structure in such a manner that the portion (515b) of the housing that is present between the angular wedges (540, 541) extends in a second plane forming an angle with the first plane.
  7. Tooling according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a plurality of spacer elements (620-625) interposed between first and second metal parts (690, 680), and in that it further includes a plurality of jaws (650-655) placed against the first metal part (690) and a plurality of thrust plates (640-645) placed against the second metal part (680), the spring type resilient elements (660-665) being interposed between the jaws (650-655) and the support structure (610).
  8. Tooling according to claim 7, characterized in that the resilient elements (660-665) are connected to the jaws (650-655) by first hinged connections (6601-6651) and to the support structure by second hinged connections (6601-6651), the spacer elements (620-625) resting on carriages (630-635) that are movable on the support structure (610), and the thrust plates (640-645) being held against rollers (6111-6116) secured to the support structure.
  9. Tooling according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the support structure, the first and second holder elements, and each spring type resilient element are made of carbon/carbon composite material or of ceramic matrix composite material.
  10. Tooling according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that each spring type resilient element presents predetermined stiffness when cold.
  11. A heat treatment installation (300) comprising an oven (200) and one or more pieces of support tooling (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 10 placed inside the oven.
EP13715340.9A 2012-03-23 2013-03-18 Holding tool for the heat treatment of metal parts Active EP2828413B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR1252605A FR2988401B1 (en) 2012-03-23 2012-03-23 HOLDING TOOLS FOR THERMAL TREATMENT OF METALLIC PARTS
PCT/FR2013/050559 WO2013140072A1 (en) 2012-03-23 2013-03-18 Holding tool for the heat treatment of metal parts

Publications (2)

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EP2828413A1 EP2828413A1 (en) 2015-01-28
EP2828413B1 true EP2828413B1 (en) 2016-11-09

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EP13715340.9A Active EP2828413B1 (en) 2012-03-23 2013-03-18 Holding tool for the heat treatment of metal parts

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US (1) US9903656B2 (en)
EP (1) EP2828413B1 (en)
CN (1) CN104245969B (en)
BR (1) BR112014023582A8 (en)
CA (1) CA2867642A1 (en)
ES (1) ES2613077T3 (en)
FR (1) FR2988401B1 (en)
MX (1) MX349753B (en)
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WO2013140072A1 (en) 2013-09-26
BR112014023582A2 (en) 2017-06-20
FR2988401A1 (en) 2013-09-27
CA2867642A1 (en) 2013-09-26
RU2630075C2 (en) 2017-09-05
MX2014011330A (en) 2015-04-08
US9903656B2 (en) 2018-02-27
EP2828413A1 (en) 2015-01-28
BR112014023582A8 (en) 2018-08-14
CN104245969A (en) 2014-12-24
MX349753B (en) 2017-08-11
CN104245969B (en) 2017-03-08
US20130252191A1 (en) 2013-09-26
RU2014138592A (en) 2016-05-20
ES2613077T3 (en) 2017-05-22

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