Method for fabricating embossed articles by flash welding

• US 6,894,244 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Groh, Jon Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Stoner, Kiley S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCHENRY, KEVIN L
• Application Number:
  US10/278,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20040074878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 219/97, 219/100, 219/101, 219/103, 219/78.02
• US Class Current: 219/100
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/004 Welding of a small piece to a great or broad piece
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/04 Flash butt welding

Abstract

An article with an embossment thereon is fabricated by providing an article precursor, providing an embossment precursor, and flash welding the embossment precursor and the article precursor together, to form the article with the embossment thereon.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating an article with an embossment thereon, comprising the steps of:

providing an article precursor;

providing art embossment precursor; and

flash welding the embossment precursor and the article precursor together, to form the article with the embossment thereon, wherein the step of flash welding does not heat either the embossment precursor or the article precursor to its melting point.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the article precursor includes a step of

providing a thin-walled article precursor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the article precursor includes a step of

providing a cylindrically symmetric article precursor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the article precursor includes a step of

providing a cast cylindrically symmetric article precursor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the article precursor includes a step of

providing a wrought cylindrically symmetric article precursor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the article precursor includes a step of

providing a stator casing of a gas turbine engine.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the article precursor includes a step of

providing the article precursor made of a nickel-base alloy or a cobalt-base alloy.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the embossment precursor includes a step of

providing the embossment precursor that is not peripherally uniform.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the embossment precursor includes a step of

providing the embossment precursor made of a nickel-base alloy or a cobalt-base alloy.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the article precursor and the embossment precursor are of substantially the same composition.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the article precursor and the embossment precursor are of different compositions.

12. A method for fabricating an article with an embossment thereon, comprising the steps of:

providing an article precursor;

providing an embossment precursor; and

joining the embossment precursor and the article precursor together, to form the article with the embossment thereon, the step of joining including the step of

solid state flash welding the article precursor and the embossment precursor together by a process that does not rotate the embossment precursor relative to the article precursor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of providing the article precursor includes a step of

providing a thin-walled article precursor.

14. A method for fabricating an article with an embossment thereon, comprising the steps of:

providing an article precursor;

providing an embossment precursor; and

joining the embossment precursor and the article precursor together, to form the article with the embossment thereon, the step of joining including the step of

solid state welding the article precursor and the embossment precursor together by a process that does not rotate the embossment precursor relative to the article precursor, and wherein the step of joining includes steps of

applying an electrical potential between the embossment precursor and the article precursor, while the embossment precursor and the article precursor are sufficiently separated that there is no current flow therebetween, thereafter

moving the embossment precursor and the article precursor together such that there is current flow therebetween, thereafter

forcing the embossment precursor and the article precursor together with a mechanical force, and thereafter

discontinuing the electrical potential and the mechanical force while the embossment precursor and the article precursor remain in contact.

15. A method for fabricating an article with an embossment thereon, comprising the steps of:

providing an article precursor;

providing an embossment precursor; and

joining the embossment precursor and the article precursor together, to form the article with the embossment thereon, the step of joining including the step of

solid state welding the article precursor and the embossment precursor together by a process that does not rotate the embossment precursor relative to the article precursor, and wherein the step of joining includes steps of

applying an electrical potential between the embossment precursor and the article precursor, while the embossment precursor and the article precursor are sufficiently separated that there is no current flow therebetween, thereafter

moving the embossment precursor and the article precursor together such that there is current flow therebetween, thereafter

separating the embossment precursor and the article precursor so that there is no current flow therebetween, thereafter

forcing the embossment precursor and the article precursor together with a mechanical force such that there is initially a current flow therebetween, and continuing to force the embossment precursor and the article precursor together to fully contact the embossment precursor and the article precursor together, and thereafter

discontinuing the electrical potential and the mechanical force while the embossment precursor and the article precursor remain in contact.