Support fixture for heat treating sheets having complex shapes

A fixture for holding one or more sheets having complex shapes during heat-treating processes, the fixture comprising:

• a base having at least one central opening extending there through, the base defining a peripheral foundation;
• a support structure having walls extending upwardly from the base and traversely across the at least one central opening of the base, the walls defining a plurality of first axial openings and a plurality of traverse openings;
• a sheet engagement structure secured to the support structure, the sheet engagement structure having a peripheral section and at least one connecting leg extending between portions of the peripheral section defining a plurality of second axial openings extending through the sheet engagement structure, the peripheral section and the at least one connecting leg of the sheet engagement structure defining an upper engagement surface configured to conform to a surface of the complex shapes of the one or more sheets to support the one or more sheets on the upper engagement surface of the sheet engagement structure;
• and,
• a sheet securing ring removably secured to the sheet engagement structure forming a peripheral channel disposed between the peripheral section of the sheet engagement structure and the sheet securing ring for slidingly securing the one or more sheets disposed within the peripheral channel to accommodate expansion, contraction and float of the one or more sheets in one or more of an X direction, a Y direction and a Z direction during a first heat-treating process;
• wherein the at least one central opening of the base, the plurality of first axial and traverse openings of the support structure and the plurality of second axial openings of the sheet engagement structure are in fluid communication to create a uniform and accelerated flow of fluid through the fixture during the first heat-treating process.