Vacuum forming method
AssigneeDucommun Aerostructures, Inc.
InventorsAndrew Pirie, Ignacio Hernandez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for forming large titanium parts includes forming bends into a titanium plate for form a bent part. The bent part is then roll-formed to form contours into the bent part. The surfaces of the contoured part are rough-machined, and the part is then secured to a bladed form fixture. The bladed form fixture comprises a plurality of header boards that secure the part to the fixture. The fixture part is placed in a thermal vacuum furnace and a stress-relieving operation is performed. The part is removed from the fixture and final machining takes place.
Claims20
A method for forming large titanium stress-relieved parts, the method comprising:
- forming bends into a titanium plate to form a bent part;
- roll-forming contours into the bent part to form a contoured part;
- rough-machining the surfaces of the contoured part to form a rough-machined part;
- securing the rough-machined part to a bladed form fixture to form a fixtured part, the bladed form fixture comprising a plurality of header boards extending upwardly from a base;
- vacuum stress-relieving the fixtured part to form a stress-relieved part;
- removing the stress-relieved part from the bladed form fixture.
A method for forming stress-relieved parts, the method comprising:
- rough-machining the surfaces of a titanium part to form a rough-machined part;
- securing the rough-machined part to a bladed form fixture to form a fixtured part, the bladed form fixture comprising a plurality of header boards extending upwardly from a base;
- vacuum stress-relieving the fixtured part to form a stress-relieved part;
- removing the stress-relieved part from the bladed form fixture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.