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US 6,309,594 B1Granted
Metal consolidation process employing microwave heated pressure transmitting particulate
AssigneeCeracon, Inc.
InventorsHenry S. Meeks, III, Lucile Lansing
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of consolidating metal powder to form an object, includes: a) pressing the powder into a preform, and preheating the preform to elevated temperature, b) providing flowable pressure transmitting particles and transmitting microwaves into the particles to heat same, and providing a bed of the flowable and heated pressure transmitting particles, c) positioning the preform in such relation to the bed that the particles substantially encompass the preform, d) and pressurizing the bed to compress said particles and cause pressure transmission to the preform, thereby to consolidate the preform into a desired object shape.
Claims39
In the method of consolidating a body in any of initially powdered, sintered, fibrous, or sponge form, that includes the steps:
- a) providing flowable particles having carbonaceous and ceramic composition or compositions,
- b) providing microwaves acting to heat said particles to elevated temperature,
- c) locating said heated particles in a bed,
- d) fluidizing said heated particles during at least one of said b) and c) steps,
- e) positioning said body at said bed, to receive pressure transmission,
- f) effecting pressurization of said bed to cause pressure transmission via said particles to said body, thereby to compact the body into desired shape, increasing its density, and
- g) the body to be consolidated consisting of one of the following:
- i) metallic material,
- ii) ceramic material,
- iii) a mixture of metallic and ceramic material,
- iv) intermetallic and composite material,
- v) polymeric and composite material,
- vi) partially densified material.
10 more elements
In the method of consolidating a body in any of initially powdered, sintered, fibrous, or sponge form, that includes the steps:
- a) providing flowable particles having carbonaceous and ceramic composition or compositions,
- b) providing microwaves acting to heat said particles to elevated temperature,
- c) locating said heated particles in a bed,
- d) positioning s aid body at said bed, to receive pressure transmission,
- e) effecting pressurization of said bed to cause pressure transmission via said particles to said body, thereby to compact the body into desired shape, increasing its density;
- and
- f) the body to be consolidated consisting of one of the following:
- i) metallic material,
- ii) ceramic material,
- iii) a mixture of metallic and ceramic material,
- iv) intermetallic and composite material,
- v) polymeric and composite material,
- vi) partially densified material,
- g) and said step b) including fluidizing said particles during said heating thereof.
11 more elements
In the method of consolidating a body in any of initially powdered, sintered, fibrous, or sponge form, that includes the steps:
- a) providing flowable particles having carbonaceous and ceramic composition or compositions,
- b) providing microwaves acting to heat said particles to elevated temperature,
- c) locating s aid heated particles in a bed,
- d) positioning said body at said bed, to receive pressure transmission,
- e) effecting pressurization of said bed to cause pressure transmission via said particles to said body, thereby to compact the body into desired shape, increasing its density;
- and
- f) the body to be consolidated consisting of one of the following:
- i) metallic material,
- ii) ceramic material,
- iii) a mixture of metallic and ceramic material,
- iv) intermetallic and intermetallic composite material,
- v) polymeric and polymeric composite material,
- g) and said step b) including confining said particles in a column during said heating thereof.
10 more elements
In the method of consolidating a body in any of initially powdered, sintered, fibrous, or sponge form, that includes the steps:
- a) providing flowable particles having carbonaceous and ceramic composition or compositions,
- b) providing microwaves acting to heat said particles to elevated temperature,
- c) locating said heated particles in a bed,
- d) positioning said body at said bed, to receive pressure transmission,
- e) effecting pressurization of said bed to cause pressure transmission via said particles to said body, thereby to compact the body into desired shape, increasing its density;
- and
- f) the body to be consisting of one of the following:
- i) metallic material,
- ii) ceramic material,
- iii) a mixture of metallic and ceramic material,
- iv) intermetallic and intermetallic composite material,
- v) polymeric and polymeric composite material,
- g) and said step b) including confining said particles in a column during said heating thereof, the microwaves directed sidewardly into said column, and effecting fluidization of the particles during said heating.
10 more elements
In the method of consolidating a body in any of initially powdered, sintered, fibrous, sponge, or other form capable of compaction, that includes the steps:
- a) providing flowable particles having carbonaceous and ceramic composition or compositions,
- b) providing microwaves acting to heat said particles to elevated temperature,
- c) locating said heated particles in a bed,
- d) positioning said body at said bed, to receive pressure transmission,
- e) effecting pressurization of said bed to cause pressure transmission via said particles to said body, thereby to compact the body into desired shape, increasing its density;
- and
- f) the body to be consolidated consisting of one of the following:
- ii metallic material,
- ii) ceramic material,
- iii) a mixture of metallic and ceramic material,
- iv) intermetallic and composite material,
- v) polymeric and composite material,
- vi) partially densified material,
- g) and wherein said particles consist of from 5 to 95 percent, by volume, of ceramic material.
11 more elements
The method of consolidating metal powder to form an object, that includes:
- a) pressing said powder into a preform, and preheating the preform to elevated temperature,
- b) providing flowable pressure transmitting particles and transmitting microwaves into said particles to heat same while confining said particles in a column during said heating thereof, and providing a bed of said flowable and heated pressure transmitting particles,
- c) positioning the preform in such relation to the bed that the particles substantially encompass the preform,
- d) and pressurizing said bed to compress said particles and cause pressure transmission via the particles to the preform, thereby to consolidate the preform into a desired object shape.
1 more element
The method of consolidating metal powder to form an object, that includes:
- a) pressing said powder into a preform, and preheating the preform to elevated temperature,
- b) providing flowable pressure transmitting particles and transmitting microwaves into said particles to heat same, and providing a bed of said flowable and heated pressure transmitting particles,
- c) positioning the preform in such relation to the bed that the particles substantially encompass the preform,
- d) and pressurizing said bed to compress said particles to the preform, thereby to consolidate the preform into a desired object shape,
- e) said step c) including providing an evacuated and sealed, deformable metallic container in the bed, and locating the preform in the container with bed particles inside the container and outside the container, prior to said pressurization.
2 more elements
The method of consolidating metal powder to form a n object, that includes:
- a) pressing said powder into a preform, and preheating the preform to elevated temperature,
- b) providing flowable pressure transmitting particles and transmitting microwaves into said particles to heat same, and providing a bed of said flowable and heated pressure transmitting particles,
- c) positioning the preform in such relation to the bed that the particles substantially encompass the preform,
- d) and pressurizing said bed to compress said particles and cause pressure transmission via the particles to the preform, thereby to consolidate the preform into a desired object shape,
- e) said preheating of the preform including passing microwaves into the preform,
- f) and wherein said step a) includes providing a treatment chamber into which preforms are positioned, and providing a microwaves generator and transmitting microwaves from the generator into said chamber.
3 more elements
The method that includes
- a) providing particles to be used in pressure consolidation of a powdered preform,
- b) heating said particles by transmitting microwaves into the particles,
- c) locating the powdered preform to receive pressure transmission from the heated particles and pressurizing the heated particles to effect said consolidation of the powdered preform,
- d) and fluidizing said particles during said heating thereof.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.