GB2284569A - Manufacture of similarly shaped components - Google Patents
Manufacture of similarly shaped components Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2284569A GB2284569A GB9325106A GB9325106A GB2284569A GB 2284569 A GB2284569 A GB 2284569A GB 9325106 A GB9325106 A GB 9325106A GB 9325106 A GB9325106 A GB 9325106A GB 2284569 A GB2284569 A GB 2284569A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- components
- laminate
- sheets
- planar
- deformable material
- 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.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
- B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
- B21D26/00—Shaping without cutting otherwise than using rigid devices or tools or yieldable or resilient pads, i.e. applying fluid pressure or magnetic forces
- B21D26/02—Shaping without cutting otherwise than using rigid devices or tools or yieldable or resilient pads, i.e. applying fluid pressure or magnetic forces by applying fluid pressure
- B21D26/053—Shaping without cutting otherwise than using rigid devices or tools or yieldable or resilient pads, i.e. applying fluid pressure or magnetic forces by applying fluid pressure characterised by the material of the blanks
- B21D26/055—Blanks having super-plastic properties
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
- B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
- B21D26/00—Shaping without cutting otherwise than using rigid devices or tools or yieldable or resilient pads, i.e. applying fluid pressure or magnetic forces
- B21D26/02—Shaping without cutting otherwise than using rigid devices or tools or yieldable or resilient pads, i.e. applying fluid pressure or magnetic forces by applying fluid pressure
- B21D26/06—Shaping without cutting otherwise than using rigid devices or tools or yieldable or resilient pads, i.e. applying fluid pressure or magnetic forces by applying fluid pressure by shock waves
- B21D26/08—Shaping without cutting otherwise than using rigid devices or tools or yieldable or resilient pads, i.e. applying fluid pressure or magnetic forces by applying fluid pressure by shock waves generated by explosives, e.g. chemical explosives
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a pair of similar non-planar components configured so that facing surfaces of adjacent components are accurately located a predetermined distance apart when the components, in use, are spaced one from another, comprises the steps of, providing a pair of sheets of eg titanium alloy 30, 32, interleaving the sheets of the titanium alloy with a sheet 34 of pure titanium to form a laminate of the pure titanium between two sheets of the titanium alloy, superplastically moulding the laminate to a predetermined non-planar configuration, fixing the moulded laminate in the non-planar configuration, removing the laminate from the mould, separating the sheets of the titanium alloy from the moulded laminate, and discarding the sheet of pure titanium. Other materials exemplified include steel, nickel alloys, aluminium, aluminium alloys and polymeric materials. The products may be used as components in jet engines eg a splitter nose. <IMAGE>
Description
IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF
SIMILAR COMPONENTS
This invention concerns improvements in or relating tc the manufacture of similar components and in particular concerns, in a first aspect, a method cf manufacturing a number of similar non-planar components which in use are spaced one from another so that facing surfaces of adjacent components are located accurately a predetermined distance apart.
The invention in a second aspect also concerns similar components when made according to the method of the invention.
"Similar" in the context of this invention means that the three-dimensional shapes of the components are aubstantially identical, but of dIfferent sizes, so that when the components are placed in juxtaposition the space between them is defined by facing parallel surfaces of the components.
It is a requirement in many gas turbine engines intended for aircraft propulsion that there be provision for protecting certain parts of the engine against icing, because ice entering moving parts of engines can cause serious damage. In particular, it is important that an engine inlet particle separation system has an effective anti-icing capability.
One known inlet particle separation system is shown schematically in longitudinal cross-section in Figure 1 of the drawings.
Figure 1 shows an inlet particle separator 1 n for removing particulate matter from a stream of air directed into the core (not shown) of z gas turbine engine. The separator 10 comprises an annular air inlet 12 leading to a constriction 14 which sharply turns the air flow radially inwardly so that relatively dense particulate material continues in its original direction into a scavenge duct 16 whilst relatively clean air passes into a clean air duct 18 leading to the engine core. The scavenge duct 16 and the clean air duct 18 are separated by a splitter nose 20.
In order to prevent undesirable icing of the splitter nose 20 it may be provided with a double skin construction comprising two skins 22, 24 separated by a gap 26 through which warming air passes.
It will be appreciated that the splitter nose 20 is a complex three-dimensional shape and that the spacing between the skins 22, 24 has to be manufactured to close tolerances so as to avoid variations in spacing which could result in localised cold spots and possible partial icing of the surface exposed to the clean air stream.
Accurate spacing between the skins 22, 24 depends on manufacturing the layers to a consistently high degree of accuracy so that they are similar shapes. This process is time consuming and expensive, and may result in wasted material if the high degree of accuracy required is not met.
It is an object of the present invention te provide a method of manufacturing a number of similar non-planar components which in use are spaced one from another so that facing surfaces of adjacent components are located accurately a predetermined distance apart.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing at least G Fair of similar non-planar components configured so that facing surfaces of adjacent components are accurately located a predetermined distance apart when the components, in use, are spaced one from another, the method comprising the steps of, (a) providing at least a pair of sheets of a first deformable material, (b) interleaving the sheets of the first deformable material with at least one sheet of a second deformable material to form a laminate of a sheet of the second deformable material between two sheets of the first deformable material, (c) moulding the laminate to a predetermined non-planar configuration, (d) fixing the moulded laminate in the non-planar configuration, (e) removing the laminate from the mould, (f) separating the sheets of the first deformable material from the moulded laminate, and (g) discarding said at least one sheet of the second deformable material.
Preferably, the first and second materials are metals or metal alloys.
The first material may comprise a titanium based alloy.
The second material may comprise substantially pure titanium.
Preferably, the method comprises moulding the laminate by a superplastic forming operation.
The sheets in steps (a) and (b) may initially be planar.
Preferably, the at least one sheet of the second deformable material is of constant thickness.
According te a second aspect of the present invention there is provided at least a pair of similar non-planar components configured so that facing surfaces of adjacent components are accurately located a predetermined distance apart when the components, in use, are spaced one fro another, when made according to the method of the first aspect.
The Invention will now be described b way of example only with reference to Figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying schematic non-scale drawings in which,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-section through an inlet particle separator of the prior art for removing particulate matter from a stream of air directed into the core (not shown) of a gas turbine engine;
Figure 2 is a section through an array of three planar sheets loosely placed one above the other;
Figure 3 is a sect.cn through the sheets of Figure 2 when they have been brought into juxtaposition;
Figure 4 shows the section of Figure 3 when the sheets have undergone deformation; and
Figure 5 showy the sheets of Figure 4 when they have been separated one from the other subsequent to the deformation.
The prior art inlet particle separator of Figure 1 has already been described above.
Referring to Figure 2 there are shown three planar sheets 30, 32, 34 placed loosely one on top of the other, sheet 34 being interleaved between sheets 30 and 32. The two cuter sheets 30, 32 are made of a titanium alloy of a type that would be suitable for manufacturing the splitter nose 20 of Figure 1, and the interleaved sheet 34 which, for a reason which will become apparent, is of accurately constant thickness over its area, is made of pure titanium metal. It will be appreciated that the titanium alloy and the pure titanium metal are, under suitable conditions, deformable materials.
In Figure 3 the sheets 30, 32, 34 are shown pressed together to form a planar laminate 36. The effect of the pressing is to ensure that the sheets are in contact but are not actually bonded together.
In Figure 4 the laminate 36 of Figure 3 has been superplastically formed or moulded to a desired three-dimensional shape 38, which, as shown, may be that of the splitter nose 20 of Figure 1. The forming may b carried out by any one of a number of superplastic forming or moulding methods (such as explosive forming) which are well known to the man skilled in the art and need not be described here.
In Figure 5 the component sheets 30, 32, 34 of the shaped laminate 38 are separated from each other, and the interleaved sheet 34 of pure titanium is discarded.
The shaped sheets 30, 32 are now exactly the desired shape of the splitter nose 20 and may now be assembled to provide a double skin splitter nose in which the spacing between the component skins is provided to a high degree of accuracy. This is hecause the spacing is initially defined by the pure titanium sheet 34 which, as has been indicated above, is of accurately constant thickness throughout its area.
The invention hence enables double-skinned components of complex three-dimensional shapes te be manufactured with an inter-skin spacing defined to 2 high degree of accuracy. By applyIng the process to a laminate of three or more sheets interleaved with sheets of disposable material it is possible to make complex three-dimensional shapes having three or more skins separated by accurately defined gaps.
Materials other than the titanium alloy and pure titanium exemplified above may be contemplated in the method of the invention, provided they are capable of being formed or moulded as a laminate to a desired shape, either by superplastic forming or by other means, and then subsequently separated. Materials envisaged include other metals such as steel, nickel alloys, aluminium, aluminium alloys, and polymeric materials.
It is furthermore possible with the invention to provide a double or multi skin structure wherein inter-skin spacing can be controlled in specified regions of the structure by controlling the thickness of the disposable interleaved sheet (or sheets). This may be useful if it is desired to modify fluid flow rates within specified parts of the structure.
Claims (10)
1. A method of manufacturing at least a pair of similar non-planar components configured so that facing surfaces of adjacent components are accurately located a predetermined distance apart when the components, in use, are spaced one from another, the method coinprising the steps of, (a) providing at least a pair of sheets of a first deformable material, (b) interleaving the sheets of the first deformable material with at least one sheet of a second deformable material to form a laminate of a sheet of the second deformable material between two sheets of the first deformable material, (c) moulding the laminate to a predetermined non-planar configuration, (d) fixing the moulded laminate in the non-planar configuration, (e) removing the laminate from the mould, (f) separating the sheets of the first deformable material from the moulded laminate, and (g) discarding said at least one sheet of the second deformable material.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first and second materials are metals or metal alloys.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first material comprises a titanium based alloy.
4. A method as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein the second material comprises substantially pure titanium.
5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim comprising moulding the laminate by a superplastic forming operation.
6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the sheets in steps (a) and (b) are initially planar.
7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the at least one sheet of the second deformable material is of constant thickness.
8. A pair of similar non-planar components configured so that facing surfaces of adJacent components are accurately located a predetermined distance apart when the components, in use, are spaced one from another, when made according to the method of any preceding claim.
9. A method of manufacturing at least a pair of similar non-planar components configured so that facing surfaces cf adjacent components are accurately spaced a predetermined distance apart when the components, in use, are spaced one from another, the method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2. to 5 of the accompany ng drawings.
10. A pair of similar non-planar components configured so that facing surfaces of adjacent components are accurately spaced a predetermined distance apart when the components, in use, are spaced one from another, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9325106A GB2284569A (en) | 1993-12-08 | 1993-12-08 | Manufacture of similarly shaped components |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9325106A GB2284569A (en) | 1993-12-08 | 1993-12-08 | Manufacture of similarly shaped components |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9325106D0 GB9325106D0 (en) | 1994-02-09 |
| GB2284569A true GB2284569A (en) | 1995-06-14 |
Family
ID=10746280
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9325106A Withdrawn GB2284569A (en) | 1993-12-08 | 1993-12-08 | Manufacture of similarly shaped components |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2284569A (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2000016925A1 (en) * | 1998-09-18 | 2000-03-30 | Rolls-Laval Heat Exchangers Limited | A method of manufacturing an article by hot forming |
| US8303729B2 (en) | 2002-12-18 | 2012-11-06 | Airbus Operations Limited | Aircraft component manufacturing tool and method |
Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2019286A (en) * | 1978-04-04 | 1979-10-31 | Hokkai Iron Works Co | Method of press forming sheet of inferior formability |
| EP0049744A2 (en) * | 1980-10-10 | 1982-04-21 | Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz Aktiengesellschaft | Method of forming similar deep drawn metal sheets |
| WO1983002747A1 (en) * | 1982-02-04 | 1983-08-18 | Composite Container Corp | Thermoforming coextruded plastic sheets |
| US4642863A (en) * | 1985-04-15 | 1987-02-17 | Ontario Technologies Corporation | Manufacturing method for hollow metal airfoil type structure |
| GB2263081A (en) * | 1992-01-10 | 1993-07-14 | Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd | Superplastic forming of sandwich panel |
-
1993
- 1993-12-08 GB GB9325106A patent/GB2284569A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2019286A (en) * | 1978-04-04 | 1979-10-31 | Hokkai Iron Works Co | Method of press forming sheet of inferior formability |
| EP0049744A2 (en) * | 1980-10-10 | 1982-04-21 | Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz Aktiengesellschaft | Method of forming similar deep drawn metal sheets |
| WO1983002747A1 (en) * | 1982-02-04 | 1983-08-18 | Composite Container Corp | Thermoforming coextruded plastic sheets |
| US4642863A (en) * | 1985-04-15 | 1987-02-17 | Ontario Technologies Corporation | Manufacturing method for hollow metal airfoil type structure |
| GB2263081A (en) * | 1992-01-10 | 1993-07-14 | Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd | Superplastic forming of sandwich panel |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2000016925A1 (en) * | 1998-09-18 | 2000-03-30 | Rolls-Laval Heat Exchangers Limited | A method of manufacturing an article by hot forming |
| US8303729B2 (en) | 2002-12-18 | 2012-11-06 | Airbus Operations Limited | Aircraft component manufacturing tool and method |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9325106D0 (en) | 1994-02-09 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |