System and method for preventing warpage of metal components during manufacturing processes

A method for manufacturing a component including a bi-metallic sheet, said bi-metallic sheet having a first layer of a first metal and a second layer of a second metal, said second metal being different than said first metal, said method comprising:

• performing a manufacturing process that results in the heating of said bi-metallic sheet;
• obtaining a fixture, wherein said fixture includes:
• a base portion including a recessed receiving surface;
• an upper portion including a contact portion and an intermediate portion;
• and
• a plurality of edge constraining blocks abutting edges of said recessed receiving surface, wherein each of said plurality of edge constraining blocks includes an inclined alignment surface;
• placing said component on said recessed receiving surface of said base portion of said fixture such that said plurality of edge constraining blocks retrain edges of said component;
• using said incline alignment surfaces of said plurality of edge constraining blocks to guide said upper portion of said fixture into position, thereby disposing said upper portion of said fixture over said component such that said contact portion of said upper portion of said fixture abuts an area of said bi-metallic sheet, and such that said intermediate portion of said upper portion of said fixture contacts an upper surface of said lower portion of said fixture;
• cooling said bi-metallic sheet;
• and
• physically constraining said bi-metallic sheet from deformation during said step of cooling said bi-metallic sheet until a temperature of the bi-metallic sheet is below a temperature of forming warpage when the bi-metallic sheet is placed at a room temperature, wherein said step of physically constraining said bi-metallic sheet comprises applying constraining forces to a first plurality of areas of said component but not to a second plurality of areas of said component.