Processes for reducing flatness deviations in alloy articles
AssigneeATI Properties, Inc.
InventorsGlenn J. Swiatek, Ronald E. Bailey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for reducing flatness deviations in an alloy article is disclosed. An alloy article may be heated to a first temperature at least as great as a martensitic transformation start temperature of the alloy. A mechanical force may be applied to the alloy article at the first temperature. The mechanical force may tend to inhibit flatness deviations of a surface of the alloy article. The alloy article may be cooled to a second temperature no greater than a martensitic transformation finish temperature of the alloy. The mechanical force may be maintained on the alloy article during at least a portion of the cooling of the alloy article from the first temperature to the second temperature.
Claims34
A process for the remediation of flatness deviations in an alloy article, the process comprising:
- heating the alloy article to an elevated temperature;
- applying a mechanical force to the alloy article at the elevated temperature, the mechanical force tending to inhibit flatness deviations of a surface of the article;
- and
- air cooling the alloy article from the elevated temperature,
- wherein the mechanical force is maintained on the alloy article during at least a portion of the air cooling of the alloy article from the elevated temperature, and
- wherein after the mechanical force is no longer applied to the alloy article, the alloy article has reduced flatness deviations relative to the alloy article just prior to heating the alloy article to the elevated temperature.
A process for reducing flatness deviations in air-hardenable high-strength steel articles selected from sheet and plate, the process comprising:
- heating an air-hardenable high-strength steel article selected from a sheet and a plate to an elevated temperature;
- applying mechanical force to the article at the elevated temperature, the mechanical force applied using an operation selected from the group consisting of a roller leveling operation, a stretch leveling operation, and a platen press leveling operation;
- and
- air cooling the article from the elevated temperature,
- wherein the mechanical force has a magnitude at least as great as a yield strength of the article,
- wherein the mechanical force is applied during at least a portion of the air cooling of the article from the elevated temperature, and
- wherein after the mechanical force is no longer applied to the article, the article has reduced flatness deviations relative to the article just prior to heating the article to the elevated temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.