Rapid quench of large selection precipitation hardenable alloys
AssigneeBrush Wellman Inc.
InventorsWilliam J. Bishop, Noel M. Brady, Walter R. Cribb, Anatoly A. Offengenden
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Abstract
Large sections of solution annealed, precipitation hardenable alloys which are resistant to internal cracking yet fully hardenable can be produced if, during rapid quenching, the temperature of the section is allowed to stabilize immediately above the alloy's solvus temperature before the section is rapidly quenched. Preferably, the temperature of the section is allowed to stabilize a second time, this time at an elevated temperature not so high that significant phase changes occur, before the section is cooled to ambient.
Claims13
A process for quenching a precipitation hardenable alloy in which the alloy is cooled from a solution annealing temperature down to a final quench temperature, the process comprising allowing the temperature of the alloy to stabilize at a first stabilization temperature which is lower than the solution annealing temperature and immediately above the solvus temperature before the alloy is rapidly quenched.
A process for quenching a precipitation hardenable alloy from a solution annealing temperature near the solidus temperature of the alloy comprising
- cooling the alloy in a first cooling increment from its solution annealing temperature to a first stabilization temperature near the solvus temperature of the alloy,
- allowing the temperature of the alloy to stabilize at the first stabilization temperature, and thereafter
- rapidly cooling the alloy through a second cooling increment to a lower temperature where no significant phase change of the alloy occurs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.