Method of drawing a composite wire
AssigneeUniversity of Central Florida
InventorsNathaniel R. Quick, Aravinda Kar, Yonggang Li, Raymond R. McNeice
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method is disclosed for drawing continuous metallic wire having a first diameter to a metallic fiber having a reduced second diameter. A feed mechanism moves the wire at a first linear velocity. A laser beam heats a region of the wire to an elevated temperature. A draw mechanism draws the heated wire at a second and greater linear velocity for providing a drawn metallic fiber having the reduced second diameter.
Claims9
A method of making a metallic alloy by drawing a composite wire having an inner wire component and outer wire component defining a first diameter to a metallic fiber alloy having a second diameter, comprising the steps of:
- feeding the composite wire at a first linear velocity;
- heating a region of the composite wire with a laser for softening the composite wire and for diffusing the outer wire component into the inner wire component;
- and
- pulling the composite wire at second linear velocity for elongating the heated region of the composite wire to produce the metallic alloy fiber having a reduced second diameter due to the velocity differential of the first and second linear velocities.
A method of making a metallic alloy by drawing a composite wire having an inner wire component and outer wire component defining a first diameter to a metallic fiber alloy having a second diameter, comprising the steps of:
- feeding the composite wire into an entry orifice of a chamber at a first linear velocity;
- introducing a pressurized fluid atmosphere into the chamber for enveloping the composite wire;
- heating a region of the composite wire within an interior region of the chamber with a laser for softening the composite wire and for diffusing the outer wire component into the inner wire component;
- pulling the composite wire at second linear velocity from an exit orifice of the chamber for elongating the heated region of the composite wire to produce a metallic alloy fiber having a reduced second diameter due to the velocity differential of the first and second linear velocities;
- discharging the pressurized fluid atmosphere from the chamber through the entry orifice and the exit orifices for providing an entry and an exit fluid bearing for the composite wire and the metallic alloy fiber;
- and
- cooling the metallic alloy fiber with the pressurized fluid atmosphere discharging from the exit orifice.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.