Methods of manufacture of spin-forming blanks, particularly for fabrication of rocket domes
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsHenry W. Babel, Douglas J. Waldron, Ronaldo Reyes de Jesus, William F. Bozich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Large diameter dome tanks made of a plurality of plates friction stir welded together to form a blank and spun and/or stretched into form. The dome tanks may be for holding liquid rocket fuel. Methods of forming include friction stir welding two or more flat blanks together and spinning the combined workpiece into a hemisphere. The blanks may be sufficiently thick to enable stretching as well as spinning. Aluminum alloys may be used, and filler material may be included in thee friction stir welds to reduce grain growth and problems associated therewith in the spinning process.
Claims17
A method of spin-forming a dome shaped article, comprising:
- providing at least two substantially planar pieces of material having abutting edges;
- friction stir welding said material pieces together along said abutting edges to form a blank suitable for spin-forming;
- and
- spin-forming the blank into a desired article.
A method of fabricating hemispheric domes, comprising:
- providing at least two portions of material having abutting edges;
- friction stir welding the two material portions together along the abutting edges to form a blank;
- and
- spin-forming said blank into a dome.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.