US3898827A - Forming of superplastic alloy sheet - Google Patents

Forming of superplastic alloy sheet Download PDF

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Publication number
US3898827A
US3898827A US388418A US38841873A US3898827A US 3898827 A US3898827 A US 3898827A US 388418 A US388418 A US 388418A US 38841873 A US38841873 A US 38841873A US 3898827 A US3898827 A US 3898827A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
sheet
blank
plate
sheet material
heated
Prior art date
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Expired - Lifetime
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US388418A
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English (en)
Inventor
Colin John Swanson
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.)
ISC Alloys Ltd
Original Assignee
ISC Alloys Ltd
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by ISC Alloys Ltd filed Critical ISC Alloys Ltd
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Publication of US3898827A publication Critical patent/US3898827A/en
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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

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A method of moulding superplastic alloy sheet material by holding a blank of sheet material, heated to a temperature at which it exhibits superplasticity, adjacent a fluid pressure duct or manifold, and applying fluid pressure to the blank sheet through the duct or manifold to cause the heated sheet to conform to the shape of a mould surface arranged on the side of the sheet remote from the duct or manifold.
  • the fluid pressure manifold may be a heated plate having a plurality of apertures therein.
  • British Pat. Specification No. 1,120,007 describes and claims a process wherein a blank of superplastic alloy sheet material is placed across the opening of an enclosure, i.e. a recess or cavity, so as to form an enclosed space between the sheet blank and the enclosure; the alloy sheet is then caused to conform to the shape of a mould surface within the enclosure by applying a differential fluid pressure across the blank.
  • the present invention provides a method of moulding superplastic alloy sheet material, comprising: holding a blank of sheet material, heated to a temperature at which it exhibits superplasticity, adjacent a fluid pressure duct or manifold in a substantially fluid-tight manner; and applying fluid pressure to the blank through the said duct or manifold to cause the heated sheet to conform to the shape of a mould surface arranged on the side of the sheet remote from the duct or manifold.
  • the mould surface need not necessarily be within an enclosure as described in British Pat. Specification No. 1,120,007.
  • the sheet blank will be formed from zinc- /aluminium alloy, with or without minor additions of a third metal, which has been rendered superplastic by means of a heat treatment/cooling/working cycle.
  • a third metal which has been rendered superplastic by means of a heat treatment/cooling/working cycle.
  • the blank of sheet material may either be preheated, for example by radiant heaters, at a location remote from the fluid pressure duct or manifold prior to being held adjacent the duct or manifold for forming, or the blank may be heated in situ.
  • the fluid pressure manifold may be in the form of a heated metal plate having a plurality of apertures therein, through which the fluid pressure may be applied. The fluid pressure is then applied through the apertures in the plate to cause the sheet to conform to the shape of the mould surface which is arranged on the side of the sheet remote from the heated plate.
  • the manifold is a heated metal plate there are preferably three or more apertures in the plate.
  • the plate may be heated by means of electrical heating elements incorporated therein or by means of radiant, for example infra-red, heating.
  • the blank of sheet material may be held in contact with or in close proximity to the heated plate, and where the blank is held in close proximity to the plate it will be necessary to provide a fluid pressure-tight sealing ring or gasket between the blank and the plate.
  • the mould surface may also be heated.
  • the fluid pressure may be suitably applied by means of compressed air.
  • the sheet is preferably at a temperature of about 240 to 260C during moulding.
  • the mould surface is suitably made of metal.
  • the present method has the advantages that the sheet blank may be maintained at a uniform temperature during the moulding operation and that there is very little temperature variation across the face of the blank.
  • projecting mould surfaces may be employed without the necessity of having these mould surfaces situated within a recess or cavity, which could lead to increased mould costs and to difficulties of removing the moulded sheet from the mould.
  • Removal of the moulded sheet may also be facilitated by impinging a stream of a suitable cooling fluid, for example cold air or water, on the face of the sheet remote from the mould surface.
  • a suitable cooling fluid for example cold air or water
  • the moulded sheet may be heated to a temperature above the superplastic temperature range before releasing it.
  • a further advantage is that the mould itself is not subjected to clamping pressure so that distortion of the mould due to such pressure cannot occur. Since cast moulds are liable to be porous, clamping of the sheet material against such moulds is liable to lead to ingress of material into the pores of the mould, which leads to difficulty of disengagement of sheet from mould. Thus it is desirable not to clamp the sheet blank to the mould and it is possible to avoid this by means of the present method.
  • the drawing shows a mould surface 1 against which is to be moulded a blank 2 of superplastic alloy sheet material.
  • the blank 2 is arranged on a fluid pressure manifold comprised by a plate 3 having a plurality of apertures 3a; a radiant heater 4 is placed below the plate 3 for heating the latter.
  • the blank 2 is secured on the plate 3 by means of a set of clamps 5.
  • An air-supply pipe 6 is arranged below the plate 3 but above the heater 4.
  • the sheet blank 2 is heated by contact with plate 3 which is in turn heated by the radiant heater 4. Compressed air is then supplied under pressure through the pipe 6 and causes the heated blank 2 to bulge outwardly and eventually to conform to the shape of the mould surface 1, which is also heated.
  • the blank is not clamped against the plate, but is held in close proxim ity; a suitable sealing ring or gasket is then interposed between the blank and the plate.
  • the plate may be heated by other means, for example by electrical elements incorporated therein or by impinging flames on the surface of the plate.
  • the fluid pressure manifold comprised by the plate 3 provided with a plurality of apertures 3a may be replaced by a fluid pressure duct, in the latter case there being a single aperture between the compressed air supply and the blank of sheet material.
  • a method of moulding superplastic alloy sheet material comprising: holding a blank of sheet material in a substantially fluid-tight manner on top of and in contact with a plate having a plurality of apertures therein and heated by a heat source remote from the plate; heating the blank to a temperature at which is exhibits superplasticity; and applying fluid pressure to the blank through the apertures in the plate to cause the heated sheet to conform to the shape of a projecting mould surface situated above the sheet.
  • a method as claimed in claim 1 comprising heating 5.
  • a method as claimed in claim 1 comprising hold- I ing the blank of sheet material at a temperature of from 240 to 260C during moulding.
  • a method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising releasing the moulding sheet from the mould surface by impinging a stream of cooling fluid on the face of the sheet remote from the mould surface.
  • a method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising moving the mould surface away from the moulded sheet after forming and cooling to disengage the formed sheet from the mould.
  • the superplastic sheet material is a zinc/aluminium alloy containing 78% by weight of zinc and 22% by weight of aluminium.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Shaping Metal By Deep-Drawing, Or The Like (AREA)
  • Press Drives And Press Lines (AREA)
US388418A 1972-08-16 1973-08-15 Forming of superplastic alloy sheet Expired - Lifetime US3898827A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB3824672A GB1392830A (en) 1972-08-16 1972-08-16 Forming of superplastic alloy sheet
GB4532772 1972-10-02

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3898827A true US3898827A (en) 1975-08-12

Family

ID=26263739

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US388418A Expired - Lifetime US3898827A (en) 1972-08-16 1973-08-15 Forming of superplastic alloy sheet

Country Status (9)

Country Link
US (1) US3898827A (en。)
JP (1) JPS532148B2 (en。)
AU (1) AU5928473A (en。)
CA (1) CA991028A (en。)
DE (1) DE2340376A1 (en。)
ES (1) ES417850A1 (en。)
FR (1) FR2196209B1 (en。)
GB (1) GB1392830A (en。)
IT (1) IT992939B (en。)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5592842A (en) * 1994-09-21 1997-01-14 Aktiebolaget Electrolux Method and device for shaping details by means of superplastic forming
US7049548B1 (en) 2005-03-21 2006-05-23 The Boeing Company System and method for processing a preform vacuum vessel to produce a structural assembly
US20060210821A1 (en) * 2005-03-21 2006-09-21 The Boeing Company Method and apparatus for forming complex contour structural assemblies
US20060237420A1 (en) * 2004-11-30 2006-10-26 Peter Friedman Apparatus and method for heating and transferring a workpiece prior to forming
US20090095750A1 (en) * 2007-10-12 2009-04-16 General Electric Company Removable tank for laundry bulk dispenser system

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT1097753B (it) * 1978-07-28 1985-08-31 Chimosa Chimica Organica Spa Compcsti piperidinici, processo per la loro preparazione e loro impiego come stabil izzanti per polimeri sintetici

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3340101A (en) * 1965-04-02 1967-09-05 Ibm Thermoforming of metals
US3529458A (en) * 1967-12-15 1970-09-22 Pressed Steel Fisher Ltd Method of forming sheet or plate material
US3535766A (en) * 1967-12-12 1970-10-27 Ibm Machine assembly method
US3595060A (en) * 1968-03-21 1971-07-27 Pressed Steel Fisher Ltd Method of forming metal alloys

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1451546A (fr) * 1965-07-22 1966-01-07 Perfectionnements aux procédés et machines pour former des alvéoles dans des feuilles alvéolées obtenues
GB1231428A (en。) * 1968-11-27 1971-05-12
US3578511A (en) * 1968-12-13 1971-05-11 Ibm Solid metal molding

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3340101A (en) * 1965-04-02 1967-09-05 Ibm Thermoforming of metals
US3535766A (en) * 1967-12-12 1970-10-27 Ibm Machine assembly method
US3529458A (en) * 1967-12-15 1970-09-22 Pressed Steel Fisher Ltd Method of forming sheet or plate material
US3595060A (en) * 1968-03-21 1971-07-27 Pressed Steel Fisher Ltd Method of forming metal alloys

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5592842A (en) * 1994-09-21 1997-01-14 Aktiebolaget Electrolux Method and device for shaping details by means of superplastic forming
US20060237420A1 (en) * 2004-11-30 2006-10-26 Peter Friedman Apparatus and method for heating and transferring a workpiece prior to forming
US7049548B1 (en) 2005-03-21 2006-05-23 The Boeing Company System and method for processing a preform vacuum vessel to produce a structural assembly
US20060210821A1 (en) * 2005-03-21 2006-09-21 The Boeing Company Method and apparatus for forming complex contour structural assemblies
US7431196B2 (en) 2005-03-21 2008-10-07 The Boeing Company Method and apparatus for forming complex contour structural assemblies
US20080280156A1 (en) * 2005-03-21 2008-11-13 The Boeing Company Preform For Forming Complex Contour Structural Assemblies
US7866535B2 (en) 2005-03-21 2011-01-11 The Boeing Company Preform for forming complex contour structural assemblies
US20090095750A1 (en) * 2007-10-12 2009-04-16 General Electric Company Removable tank for laundry bulk dispenser system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1392830A (en) 1975-04-30
DE2340376A1 (de) 1974-02-28
IT992939B (it) 1975-09-30
FR2196209B1 (en。) 1977-08-05
ES417850A1 (es) 1976-06-01
CA991028A (en) 1976-06-15
AU5928473A (en) 1975-02-20
JPS532148B2 (en。) 1978-01-25
FR2196209A1 (en。) 1974-03-15
JPS49123969A (en。) 1974-11-27

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