Tooling for superplastic forming diffusion bonding processes

Tooling for use in superplastic forming diffusion bonding processes which includes:

• a source of pressurized inert gas;
• a first member having a first die surface thereon and a first seal engaging surface about said first die surface;
• a second member having a second die surface thereon and a second seal engaging surface about said second die surface, said first and second die surfaces facing each other and said first and second seal engaging surfaces facing each other;
• a plurality of sealing rings spaced from each other and positioned in contact with said first and second seal engaging surfaces, said first and second seal engaging surfaces and said plurality of sealing rings defining a plurality of cavities;
• and
• a plurality of conduits extending to the defined cavities for introducing and removing gas therefrom, said plurality of sealing rings including:
• an inner ring about said first and second die surfaces to define a first cavity;
• a middle ring about said inner ring to define a second cavity;
• and
• an outer ring about said middle ring to define a third cavity, and said plurality of conduits including:
• a first conduit extending to said first cavity having first valve means therein to controllably introduce inert gas from said pressurized inert gas source into said first cavity;
• a second conduit extending to said second cavity having second valve means therein to controllably vent said second cavity;
• and
• a third conduit extending to said third cavity having third valve means therein to controllably vent said third cavity, said first, second and third valve means being controllable so that inert gas flows from said first cavity to said second cavity across said inner ring, gas flows across said outer ring to said third cavity and gas flows across said middle ring from said third cavity to said second cavity.

Tooling for use in superplastic forming diffusion bonding processes which includes:

• a first member having a first die surface thereon and a first seal engaging surface about said first die surface;
• a second member having a second die surface thereon and a second seal engaging surface about said second die surface, said first and second die surfaces facing each other and said first and second seal engaging surfaces facing each other;
• a plurality of concentric sealing rings spaced from each other and positioned in contact with said first and second seal engaging surfaces, said first and second seal engaging surfaces and said plurality of concentric sealing rings defining a plurality of cavities;
• and
• a plurality of conduits extending to the defined cavities for introducing and removing gas therefrom, said second member defining a plurality of threaded holes therein and said first member defining a plurality of holes therein in alignment with said threaded holes defined in said second member and generally at right angles to said first and second seal engaging surfaces, said tooling further including:
• a plurality of fasteners which extend through said holes defined by said first member and which threadably engage said threaded holes defined by said second member, said plurality of fasteners preloading said concentric sealing rings by restricting movement of said first and second members away from each other while allowing movement of said first and second portions toward each other to accommodate crushing of said concentric sealing rings.