Method and apparatus for extruding superalloy material

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for a forwardly extruding superalloy parts. The method provides for extruding metal parts from a superalloy material in an extrusion press having a lower press table assembly accommodating the extruded part; and extrusion pot and an extrusion die located on the lower press table assembly; and an upper plunger reciprocally movable with respect to the lower press table having an extrusion punch mounted thereon. The method encompasses the steps of: laterally displacing the lower press table assembly and extrusion pot from the reciprocating axis of the upper plunger; placing an extrusion billet of superalloy material in the extrusion pot; placing a spacer on an upper surface of the extrusion billet; moving the lower press table assembly into alignment with the upper plunger such that the extrusion die is substantially coaxial with the reciprocating axis; extending the upper plunger along its reciprocating axis such that the extrusion punch enters the extrusion pot so as to extrude the superalloy material through the extrusion die; fixedly attaching the extrusion pot to the upper plunger; retracting the upper plunger so as to remove it and the extrusion pot from the lower press table assembly; laterally displacing the lower press table assembly from alignment with the reciprocating axis; and removing the extrusion die and extruded part from the lower press table assembly. The apparatus for carrying out this method has an upper plunger with an extrusion punch and is reciprocally movable along a reciprocating axis; a lower press table assembly having an extrusion die and adapted to move laterally with respect to the reciprocating axis; an extrusion pot located on the lower press table assembly defining an opening therethrough coaxially aligned with the extrusion die to accommodate a billet of superalloy materials.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.