Method of manufacturing an article by diffusion bonding
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing an article by diffusion bonding at least two metal workpieces comprising the steps of(a) assembling the at least two workpieces into a stack relative to each other so that the surfaces are in mating abutment,(b) sealing the edges of the at least two workpieces together, except where a pipe is to be inserted, and joining a pipe to the stack to provide a sealed assembly,(c) sequentially evacuating the interior of the sealed assembly and supplying inert gas to the interior of the sealed assembly through the pipe to remove oxygen from the interior of the sealed assembly,(d) evacuating the interior of the sealed assembly,(e) sealing the pipe with a first seal, and sealing the pipe with a second seal which is spaced from the first seal,(f) applying sufficient heat and pressure across the thickness of the at least two workpieces to diffusion bond the at least two workpieces together to form an integral structure and to collapse the pipe at a first region between the joint between the pipe and the stack and the first seal and to collapse the pipe at a second region between the first seal and the second seal,(g) observing the first and second regions of the pipe to determine whether a successful diffusion bond has been formed between the workpieces in the stack to form an integral structure.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A plurality of titanium sheets are assembled into a stack. One of the sheets is provided with a stop off material on one surface to prevent diffusion bonding at predetermined positions. The edges of the sheets are welded together and a pipe is welded to the stack to interconnect with the stop off material to form a sealed assembly. The sealed assembly is evacuated. The sealed assembly is heated to evaporate the binder from the stop off and the binder is extracted from the assembly. The pipe is then sealed by two spaced welds. The assembly is heated and externally pressurized to diffusion bond the sheets together. The region of the pipe between the assembly and the first seal and the region of the pipe between both seals collapse to indicate a successful diffusion bond, or one or both regions are uncollapsed to indicate an unsuccessful diffusion bond. An integral structure formed by a successful diffusion bond is then superplastically formed to produce an article.
17 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing an article by diffusion bonding at least two metal workpieces comprising the steps of
(a) assembling the at least two workpieces into a stack relative to each other so that the surfaces are in mating abutment, (b) sealing the edges of the at least two workpieces together, except where a pipe is to be inserted, and joining a pipe to the stack to provide a sealed assembly, (c) sequentially evacuating the interior of the sealed assembly and supplying inert gas to the interior of the sealed assembly through the pipe to remove oxygen from the interior of the sealed assembly, (d) evacuating the interior of the sealed assembly, (e) sealing the pipe with a first seal, and sealing the pipe with a second seal which is spaced from the first seal, (f) applying sufficient heat and pressure across the thickness of the at least two workpieces to diffusion bond the at least two workpieces together to form an integral structure and to collapse the pipe at a first region between the joint between the pipe and the stack and the first seal and to collapse the pipe at a second region between the first seal and the second seal, (g) observing the first and second regions of the pipe to determine whether a successful diffusion bond has been formed between the workpieces in the stack to form an integral structure.
Specification