Thermo-mechanical processing of nickel-base alloys
First Claim
1. A process comprising:
- heating a nickel-base alloy workpiece in a first heating operation to a temperature greater than a M23C6 carbide solvus temperature of the nickel-base alloy;
working the nickel-base alloy workpiece in a first working operation to a reduction in area of 20% to 70%, based on a cross-sectional area of the workpiece immediately prior to the first working operation, wherein the nickel-base alloy workpiece is at a temperature greater than a M23C6 carbide solvus temperature when the first working operation begins;
heating the nickel-base alloy workpiece in a second heating operation to a temperature in a range of 1700°
F. to less than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature of the nickel-base alloy, wherein the nickel-base alloy workpiece is maintained at elevated temperature and not permitted to cool to ambient temperature between completion of the first working operation and beginning of the second heating operation; and
working the nickel-base alloy workpiece in a second working operation to a second reduction in area of 20% to 70%, based on a cross-sectional area of the workpiece immediately prior to the second working operation, wherein the nickel-base alloy workpiece is at a temperature greater than 1700°
F. and less than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature of the nickel-base alloy when the second working operation begins;
wherein the nickel-base alloy workpiece comprises, by weight, up to 0.05% carbon, 27.0% to 31.0% chromium, up to 0.5% copper, 7.0% to 11.0% iron, up to 0.5% manganese, up to 0.015% sulfur, up to 0.5% silicon, at least 58% nickel, and incidental impurities.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A thermo-mechanical treatment process is disclosed. A nickel-base alloy workpiece is heated in a first heating step to a temperature greater than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature of the nickel-base alloy. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is worked in a first working step to a reduction in area of 20% to 70%. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is at a temperature greater than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature when the first working step begins. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is heated in a second working step to a temperature greater than 1700° F. (926° C.) and less than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature of the nickel-base alloy. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is not permitted to cool to ambient temperature between completion of the first working step and the beginning of the second heating step. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is worked to a second reduction in area of 20% to 70%. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is at a temperature greater than 1700° F. (926° C.) and less than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature of the nickel-base alloy when the second working step begins.
258 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A process comprising:
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heating a nickel-base alloy workpiece in a first heating operation to a temperature greater than a M23C6 carbide solvus temperature of the nickel-base alloy; working the nickel-base alloy workpiece in a first working operation to a reduction in area of 20% to 70%, based on a cross-sectional area of the workpiece immediately prior to the first working operation, wherein the nickel-base alloy workpiece is at a temperature greater than a M23C6 carbide solvus temperature when the first working operation begins; heating the nickel-base alloy workpiece in a second heating operation to a temperature in a range of 1700°
F. to less than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature of the nickel-base alloy, wherein the nickel-base alloy workpiece is maintained at elevated temperature and not permitted to cool to ambient temperature between completion of the first working operation and beginning of the second heating operation; andworking the nickel-base alloy workpiece in a second working operation to a second reduction in area of 20% to 70%, based on a cross-sectional area of the workpiece immediately prior to the second working operation, wherein the nickel-base alloy workpiece is at a temperature greater than 1700°
F. and less than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature of the nickel-base alloy when the second working operation begins;wherein the nickel-base alloy workpiece comprises, by weight, up to 0.05% carbon, 27.0% to 31.0% chromium, up to 0.5% copper, 7.0% to 11.0% iron, up to 0.5% manganese, up to 0.015% sulfur, up to 0.5% silicon, at least 58% nickel, and incidental impurities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A process comprising:
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heating a nickel-base alloy workpiece in a first heating operation to a temperature greater than a M23C6 carbide solvus temperature of the nickel-base alloy, wherein the nickel-base alloy workpiece comprises, by weight, up to 0.05% carbon, 27.0% to 31.0% chromium, up to 0.5% copper, 7.0% to 11.0% iron, up to 0.5% manganese, up to 0.015% sulfur, up to 0.5% silicon, at least 58% nickel, and incidental impurities; working the nickel-base alloy workpiece in a first working operation to a reduction in area of 20% to 70%, wherein the nickel-base alloy workpiece is at a temperature greater than a M23C6 carbide solvus temperature when the first working operation begins; heating the nickel-base alloy workpiece in a second heating operation to a temperature in a range of 1700°
F. to 1950°
F., wherein the nickel-base alloy workpiece is maintained at elevated temperature and not permitted to cool to ambient temperature between completion of the first working operation and beginning of the second heating operation; andworking the nickel-base alloy workpiece in a second working operation to a second reduction in area of 20% to 70%, wherein the nickel-base alloy workpiece is at a temperature greater than 1700°
F. and less than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature of the nickel-base alloy when the second working operation begins. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A process comprising:
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heating a nickel-base alloy in a first heating operation to a temperature greater than a M23C6 carbide solvus temperature of the nickel-base alloy; working the nickel-base alloy in a first working operation to reduce a cross-sectional area of the nickel-base alloy by 20% to 70%, wherein the nickel-base alloy is at a temperature greater than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature when the first working operation begins; heating the nickel-base alloy in a second heating operation to a temperature in a range of 1700°
F. to less than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature, wherein the nickel-base alloy does not cool to ambient temperature between the first working operation and the second heating operation; andworking the nickel-base alloy in a second working operation to reduce a cross-sectional area of the nickel-base alloy by 20% to 70%, wherein the nickel-base alloy workpiece is at a temperature greater than 1700°
F. and less than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature when the second working operation begins;wherein the nickel-base alloy comprises, by weight, up to 0.05% carbon, 27.0% to 31.0% chromium, up to 0.5% copper, 7.0% to 11.0% iron, up to 0.5% manganese, up to 0.015% sulfur, up to 0.5% silicon, at least 58% nickel, and incidental impurities. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification