Process for manufacturing a part of a metal matrix composite material
AssigneeHonda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsYasuhiro Nakao, Hiroto Shoji, Kunitoshi Sugaya, Takashi Kato, Takaharu Echigo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A part is manufactured from a composite material containing an aluminum alloy as a metal matrix. Blanks are prepared from a billet of the composite material, and worked on in a press, while they are held at a temperature ranging from the solidus temperature, Ta, of the aluminum alloy minus 50 (Ta−50) deg. C to Ta deg. C. At a temperature below (Ta−50), the blanks have too high a resistance to plastic deformation to be easily worked on. At a temperature over Ta, a liquid phase is produced and makes the blanks likely to crack easily during plastic deformation.
Claims11
A process for manufacturing a part of an aluminum-based composite material, comprising the steps of:
- preparing an aluminum-based composite material containing an aluminum alloy and having an appropriate diameter;
- cutting the material into a plurality of blanks each having an appropriate thickness;
- heating the blanks to an appropriate temperature ranging from the solidus temperature, Ta, of the aluminum alloy minus 50 (Ta−50) deg. C to Ta deg. C;
- and
- press forming each blank, while holding it at the appropriate temperature.
A process for manufacturing a part of a metal matrix composite material, comprising the steps of:
- preparing a die and a dual punch having a solid cylindrical inner punch portion and a hollow cylindrical outer punch portion surrounding the inner punch portion;
- setting a blank of a metal-based composite material on the die;
- lowering the inner punch portion to press against the central portion of the blank and holding it thereagainst to give a nearly final shape to the central portion of the blank;
- and
- lowering the outer punch portion to press against the remaining portion of the blank to give a nearly final shape thereto.
A process for manufacturing a part of a metal matrix composite material, comprising the steps of:
- forming a sheet of an aluminum alloy covering the whole surface of a sheet of a metal matrix composite material to prepare a sandwiched structure having an aluminum alloy layer on both sides of the composite material;
- pressing the central portion of the sandwiched structure to form a recess therein;
- and
- removing the aluminum alloy layer from the remaining portion of the structure surrounding the recess.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.