US 7,827,840 B2 · Multistage superplastic forming apparatus and method

Abstract

A superplastic forming apparatus and method for forming a sheet of material at an elevated temperatures into a workpiece having a complex geometry. The process takes advantage of a mechanical forming step, which draws material along a major axis to form a first preform. Upon completion of the first mechanical forming step, a second, initial superplastic forming step acts on the first preform to create a second preform having a plurality of channels or grooves located thereon. The grooves or channels function to draw additional material prior to the second or final gas forming step, which completes the forming process by driving the material against a forming surface. Accordingly, the method and apparatus function to reduce forming time and eliminate thinning and wrinkling of the sheet material during the forming process.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A superplastic forming tool comprising:

an upper die and a lower die, said upper and lower dies operative to move between a first, open position and a second, closed position;
said upper die including a die surface and a periphery, said periphery being non-planar;
said lower die including a die surface and a periphery, said periphery being non-planar such that said non-planar periphery of said upper die is complementary to said non-planar periphery of said lower die;
said upper die including a draw member;
said lower die having a die cavity and a forming surface;
and
said upper die having at least one passageway therein, said passageway communicating with said die cavity in said lower die wherein said upper die and said lower die cooperate together without using a blank holder to initially form a workpiece.

4 more elements

A method of forming a metal sheet comprising the steps of:

providing a single-action forming tool, the forming tool including an upper die and a lower die said single-action forming tool operative to function without a blank holder, said upper die and said lower die operative to move between a first, open position and a second, closed and sealed position;
placing a heated metal sheet between the upper die and the lower die when said upper die and said lower die are in the first, open position;
moving the upper die and the lower die from the first, open position to the second, closed and sealed position and using the single-action forming tool to draw metal into a die cavity of the forming tool along multiple axes.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multistage superplastic forming apparatus and method

Life of this patent

Multistage superplastic forming apparatus and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19