Electrical heating of graphite grain employed in consolidation of objects

Abstract

A method of consolidating a body in any of initially powdered, sintered, fibrous, sponge, or other form capable of compaction, including the steps: providing a bed of flowable particles within a contained zone, the particulate including flowable and resiliently compressible carbonaceous particles; positioning the body in the bed, to be surrounded by the particles; effecting pressurization of the bed to cause pressure transmission via the particles to said body, thereby to compact the body into desired shape, increasing its density; the particles being heated to elevated temperature prior to compacting of the body into desired shape; and the heating of the particles being effected by passing electric current through same, with heat generated in the particles also to be transferred to the body. The electrically heated mass of particles may be fluidized; the particles may consist of graphite; and the body may consist of metal, ceramic, or synthetic resin.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.