Method of forming aluminum alloy airfoils
AssigneeRaytheon Technologies Corporation
InventorsJohn Richard Palitsch, James O. Hansen, Nicolas Figueiredo, Daniel Gynther, Stephen E. Graushinsky, John H. Nortrup
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of forming an airfoil includes placing a material onto a die that is heated to a predetermined temperature to pre-heat the material to a first temperature, while the die is in an open position. The method further includes closing the die at a predetermined rate and holding the die in a closed position for a predetermined period of time at a first force. The method still further includes removing the part from the die, cooling the die, placing the part onto the die, and closing the die at a second force.
Claims18
A method of forming an airfoil, comprising:
- placing a material onto a die that is heated to a predetermined temperature to pre-heat the material to a first temperature, while the die is in an open position;
- closing the die at a predetermined rate;
- holding the die in a closed position for a predetermined period of time at a first force to form the pre-heated material into a part;
- removing the part from the die;
- quenching the part by immersion;
- cooling the die;
- placing the part back onto the die;
- and closing the die at a second force.
A method of forming an aluminum alloy airfoil, comprising:
- heating a die having position locators;
- placing an aluminum alloy material onto the heated die whereby the position locators are configured to locate the aluminum alloy material relative to a die shape within the heated die;
- maintaining the heated die in an open position for a first predetermined period of time to heat the aluminum alloy material to a predetermined temperature;
- Page 3 of 9 U.S. application Ser. No. 15/075,795 In Reply to Office Action dated Dec. 4, 2018 closing the heated die at predetermined rate after the aluminum alloy material achieves the predetermined temperature;
- holding the heated die in a closed position for a second predetermined period of time to form a part made of a formed aluminum alloy material;
- opening the heated die, removing the part and cooling the die to an ambient temperature;
- quenching the part by immersion;
- and placing the part back onto the die at the ambient temperature for executing a cold working process on the part.
A method of forming an airfoil comprising:
- placing a material onto an open die that is heated to a predetermined temperature to pre heat the material to a first temperature;
- closing the die and holding the die in a closed position for a predetermined period of time at a first force to form the pre-heated material into a part;
- removing the part from the die;
- quenching the part by immersion;
- cooling the die with forced aft;
- placing the part back onto the die;
- and closing the die and holding the die in the closed position for a predetermined period of time at a second force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.