JPH0422558A - Method for preforming reinforcing member for metal matrix composite - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form a preform excellent in surface properties and uniform in density by forming a particle porous layer which solvent in slurry passes and reinforcing member in slurry cannot pass, on the inner surface of the cavity of a die and removing the solvent. CONSTITUTION:A solvent removing passage is covered with the particle porous layer 16. Since the particle porous layer 16 is not composed of stuck nets and does not generate laminated parts etc., uniform thickness can be obtained easily. Besides, a desired thickness can be obtained easily. Thereby, when the particle porous layer 16 acts as a filter, the solvent is removed uniformly from the slurry in the cavity 13 and the density of the preform is uniformized quickly.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method for preforming a reinforcing material for a metal matrix composite material for forming a preform having a complex shape.

[Prior Art] When a preform of a metal matrix composite is produced by a papermaking method, a slurry is injected into a mold cavity, and the slurry is depressurized and dehydrated. Slurry as a preform raw material is made by dissolving fibers or ceramic whiskers as reinforcing materials in water, and it is necessary to remove water from the slurry uniformly throughout the slurry in order to obtain a preform with good dimensional accuracy. be.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a conventional preform 8 (average mesh opening diameter of 50 to 100 μm) is attached to the inner surface of the cavity 5, and the member 4 is assembled into the member 3 to form the mold 2. The slurry is injected into the cavity 5 through the passage 3a, and the slurry is injected into the cavity 5 through the pores 6 and the drainage channel 7.
Reduce the pressure inside.

The water in the slurry is removed through the net 8, leaving the reinforcing material in the cavity 5 to obtain the desired preform.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional preforming method, when the shape of the cavity becomes complicated, it becomes extremely difficult to form the pores 6 and cut and paste the net 8 to the inner surface of the cavity 5. This makes it difficult to dewater the entire cavity 5 uniformly, resulting in variations in the density of the preform. Such variations in density are caused by insufficient dehydration in areas where the nets 8 overlap each other or in areas where pores 6 are not present. For this reason, when manufacturing products with complex shapes, there is a drawback that strength and dimensional accuracy are reduced.

Further, since the overlapping portion of the net 8 is thicker than other portions, there is a problem in that a step is created on the surface of the preform and the surface quality is impaired.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method for preforming a reinforcing material for a metal matrix composite material, which can produce a preform having excellent surface properties and uniform density. With the goal.

[Means for Solving the Problems] A method for preforming a reinforcing material for metal matrix composites according to the present invention includes:
A particle porous layer through which the solvent in the slurry can pass but not through which the reinforcing material in the slurry can pass is formed on the inner surface of the mold cavity to cover the solvent removal passage, and while the slurry is injected into the cavity, the pressure inside the cavity is reduced. The reinforcing material is then formed into a desired shape by removing only the solvent through the solvent removal passage covered with the particle porous layer.

In this case, it is preferable to mix the particles and adhesive in a predetermined ratio and apply this to the inner wall of the mold to form a porous layer. It is desirable to use metal or resin particles having a particle size of 1 mm or less as the mixed particles. In particular, the fiber reinforcement
In the case of iC whiskers (φ0.5×20 μm), it is preferable to use particles with an average particle size of about 0.1 μm.

In addition, the fiber reinforcement material is alumina fiber (φ2.5×100μ
In the case of m), it is preferable to use particles having an average particle diameter of about 0.8+nm. In addition, in the case of a mixture of SiC whiskers and alumina fibers, the average particle size is 0.8I1
Particles of about m size are used.

The thickness of the porous layer is in the range of 3 to 50 mm, especially 5 m.
It is preferable that it is about m. The reason why the lower limit of the thickness is set to 3■ is that if it is less than this, the reinforcing material will not be sufficiently filtered by the porous layer, and the reinforcing material will easily flow out together with the solvent. Further, the reason why the upper limit of the thickness is set to 50 m5 is that if it exceeds this value, the removal of the solvent becomes insufficient.

[Function] In the method for preforming a reinforcing material for a metal matrix composite according to the present invention, the solvent removal passage is covered with a particle porous layer. The particle porous layer can be easily formed to have a uniform thickness, and a desired thickness can be easily obtained, since no overlapping portions or the like occur due to the attachment of a net or the like.

Therefore, when the particulate porous layer acts as a filter, the solvent is uniformly removed from the slurry in the cavity, and the density of the preform becomes uniform in a short time.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams each showing a paper-making apparatus used in a method for preforming a reinforcing material for a metal matrix composite material according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, a case will be described in which a preformed body for a golf club head is manufactured.

The mold 10 is a member 11. The member 12 is incorporated into the member 12. A slurry supply passage 11a of the member 11 opens at the top and communicates with a slurry supply source 20. The slurry supply source 20 stores a slurry in which SiC whiskers are mixed with water together with a predetermined binder agent. The water content of the slurry is 98% by volume.

A cavity 13 is formed in the member 12.

The cavity 13 has the shape of a club head, and a shaft portion thereof communicates with the slurry supply passage 11a.
The expected club face portion communicates with a drainage passage 15 via a pore 14. Each drain passage 15 communicates with a suction port of a vacuum pump 30, respectively.

A particulate porous layer 16 is provided on the inner surface of the cavity 13;
The opening of the pore 14 is covered. This particle porous layer 16 is formed by coating the inner surface of the cavity 13 with a mixture of metal particles having a diameter of 11 or less in a predetermined ratio in a curable resin liquid, and pressing this with a male die. The particle porous layer 16 after resin curing has an average porosity of 32% by volume, an average pore diameter of 200 μm, and a maximum pore diameter of 500 μm.

Next, a case will be described in which a preformed body for a 5-iron club head is created using the above-mentioned apparatus.

A particle porous layer 16 with a thickness of 5 cm is formed on the inner surface of the member 12, and the cavity 13 is adjusted to a desired size. A mold release agent is applied to the particulate porous layer 16, and the member 12 is assembled into the member 11. The inside of the cavity 13 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 30,
Depressurize. Slurry is injected into cavity 13 from source 20 via passageway 11a. At this time, it is more preferable to press-fit the slurry.

Slurry-containing water is pumped through the particle porous layer 16 to the pump 30
removed to the side. In this dehydration process, the suction force at the openings of the pores 14 is dispersed by the particle porous layer 16, so dehydration progresses uniformly throughout. For this reason,
Uniform and high-density preforms can be quickly obtained.

According to the above embodiments, the density of the reinforcing material in the preform can be uniform and increased. In the conventional method, the proportion of the reinforcing material after metal impregnation was 0 to 13% by volume (sometimes hollow parts were formed in the preform), causing variations in density, but in the above example, on the other hand, It was possible to produce a preform such that the proportion of reinforcing material after metal impregnation was 12 to 13% by volume.

Further, according to the above embodiment, a preform with excellent surface properties could be produced without creating a step on the surface of the preform unlike in the conventional case.

Furthermore, in the conventional method, the time required for molding was 15 minutes, but in the above example, this time could be shortened to 5 minutes.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, a preform with excellent surface properties and density distribution can be produced. Particularly when producing a preform with a complicated shape, it is possible to uniformly dehydrate the entire preform, so that a uniform product can be obtained.

Furthermore, since the particle porous layer can be used repeatedly, the conventional net pasting method takes less time to prepare than the conventional method, and can greatly contribute to cost reduction.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a part of the paper-making device used in the preforming method for reinforcing material for metal matrix composite materials according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. A schematic cutaway cross-sectional view, FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic cross-sectional views showing a part of the apparatus used in the conventional method, respectively. 10; mold, 11a; slurry supply passage, 13; cavity, 15. Drainage passage, 16; Particulate porous layer Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue

Claims (1)

[Claims] A particle porous layer through which the solvent in the slurry can pass but not through which the reinforcing material in the slurry can pass is formed on the inner surface of the mold cavity to cover the solvent removal passage, and while the slurry is injected into the cavity, the pressure inside the cavity is reduced. A method for preforming a reinforcing material for a metal matrix composite, characterized in that the reinforcing material is formed into a desired shape by removing only the solvent through the solvent removal passage covered with the particle porous layer.