Method of making a projectile by metal injection molding

• US 10,081,057 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2015
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Velocity Holdings LLC (Energy Transfer LP)
• Original Assignee: True Velocity, Inc.
• Inventors: Burrow, Lonnie
• Primary Examiner(s): Klein, Gabriel J
• Application Number:
  US14/862,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20170080498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 86 54
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/10 Metallic powder containing lubricating or binding agents; Metallic powder containing organic material
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/102 Metallic powder coated with organic material
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/103 containing an organic binding agent comprising a mixture of, or obtained by reaction of, two or more components other than a solvent or a lubricating agent
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/004 Filling molds with powder feeding material to presses in general B30B15/302
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/10 Sintering only
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/1017 Multiple heating or additional steps B22F3/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/225 by injection molding
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/24 After-treatment of workpieces or articles B22F3/1146 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 5/00 Manufacture of workpieces or articles from metallic powder characterised by the special shape of the product
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 14/00 Alloys based on titanium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/002 containing In, Mg, or other elements not provided for in one single group C22C38/001 - C22C38/60
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/02 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/04 containing manganese
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/06 containing aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/08 containing nickel C22C38/105 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/10 containing cobalt
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/12 containing tungsten, tantalum, molybdenum, vanadium, or niobium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/18 containing chromium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/42 with copper
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/44 with molybdenum or tungsten
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/48 : with niobium or tantalum
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/50 : with titanium or zirconium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/52 : with cobalt
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/58 : with more than 1.5% by weight of manganese
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/22 : Projectiles of cannelured type
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/02 : characterised by the warhead or the intended effect
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/74 : of the core or solid body
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 14/06 : Sub-calibre projectiles having sabots; Sabots therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 33/00 : Manufacture of ammunition; Dismantling of ammunition; Apparatus therefor F42B5/188 takes precedence; manufacturing processes for hollow charges F42B1/036; manufacture of blasting cartridge initiators F42B3/195
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 33/001 : Devices or processes for assembling ammunition, cartridges or cartridge elements from parts
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/025 : characterised by the dimension of the case or the missile

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of making a metal ammunition projectile by metal injection molding comprising the steps of: providing a projectile mold to form a nose extending essentially symmetrically to a shoulder; and an essentially cylindrical bearing surface extending from the shoulder to a base; providing a metal injection molding feedstock comprising a powdered metal and a first binding agent and a second binding agent; injection molding the metal injection molding feedstock into the projectile mold to form a first projectile having a first size; debinding the first projectile to remove the first binding agent; and sintering the first projectile to remove the second binding agent and form a projectile having a second size.

Claims

1. A method of making a metal ammunition projectile by metal injection molding comprising the steps of:

providing a projectile mold to form a nose extending symmetrically to a shoulder; and

an essentially cylindrical bearing surface extending from the shoulder to a base;

providing a metal injection molding feedstock comprising a powdered metal and at least a first binding agent and a second binding agent;

injection molding the metal injection molding feedstock into the projectile mold to form a first projectile having a first size;

debinding the first projectile to remove the first binding agent; and

sintering the first projectile to remove the second binding agent and form a projectile having a second size.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the powdered metal comprises stainless steel, brass, ceramic alloys, tungsten, tungsten carbide, carballoy, ferro-tungsten, titanium, copper, cobalt, nickel, uranium, depleted uranium, alumina oxide, zirconia and aluminum.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the powdered metal comprises stainless steel, brass, or ceramic alloys.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the powdered metal comprises 102, 174, 201, 202, 300, 302, 303, 304, 308, 309, 316, 316L, 316Ti, 321, 405, 408, 409, 410, 415, 416, 416R, 420, 430, 439, 440, 446 or 601-665 grade stainless steel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second size is 5 percent to 30 percent smaller than the first size.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second size is 10 percent to 20 percent smaller than the first size.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second size is 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, or 30 percent smaller than the first size.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the projectile comprises a cannelure formed on an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical bearing surface intermediate the shoulder and the base.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the projectile comprises more than 1 cannelure formed on an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical bearing surface intermediate the shoulder and the base.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein more than 1 cannelure comprises 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15 cannelures formed on an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical bearing surface intermediate the shoulder and the base.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal ammunition projectile comprises stainless steel, brass, ceramic alloys, tungsten, tungsten carbide, carballoy, ferro-tungsten, titanium, copper, uranium, depleted uranium, and alumina.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the powdered metal comprises:

a) 2-16% Ni;

10-20% Cr;

0-5% Mo;

0-0.6% C;

0-6.0% Cu;

0-0.5% Nb+Ta;

0-4.0% Mn;

0-2.0% Si and the balance Fe;

b) 2-6% Ni;

13.5-19.5% Cr;

0-0.10% C;

1-7.0% Cu;

0.05-0.65% Nb+Ta;

0-3.0% Mn;

0-3.0% Si and the balance Fe;

c) 3-5% Ni;

15.5-17.5% Cr;

0-0.07% C;

3-5.0% Cu;

0.15-0.45% Nb+Ta;

0-1.0% Mn;

0-1.0% Si and the balance Fe;

d) 10-14% Ni;

16-18% Cr;

2-3% Mo;

0-0.03% C;

0-2% Mn;

0-1% Si and the balance Fe;

e) 12-14% Cr;

0.15-0.4% C;

0-1% Mn;

0-1% Si and the balance Fe;

f) 16-18% Cr;

0-0.05% C;

0-1% Mn;

0-1% Si and the balance Fe;

g) 3-12% aluminum, 2-8% vanadium, 0.1-0.75% iron, 0.1-0.5% oxygen, and the remainder titanium;

or

h) 6% aluminum, 4% vanadium, 0.25% iron, 0.2% oxygen, and the remainder titanium.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of applying a metal coating over the projectile.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the projectile is 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm, 308, 338, 3030, 3006, 50 caliber, 45 caliber, 380 caliber, 38 caliber, 9 mm, 10 mm, 12.7 mm, 14.5 mm, 14.7 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 40 mm, 57 mm, 60 mm, 75 mm, 76 mm, 81 mm, 90 mm, 100 mm, 105 mm, 106 mm, 115 mm, 120 mm, 122 mm, 125 mm, 130 mm, 152 mm, 155 mm, 165 mm, 175 mm, 203 mm, 460 mm, 8 inch, or 4.2 inch.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a first binding agent comprises 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or more binders.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the second binding agent comprises 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or more binders.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the powdered metal comprises an alloy comprising copper, cobalt, and nickel.