Elevated Temperature Forming Methods for Metallic Materials

Abstract

A method of forming a metallic article includes directly and / or indirectly inductively heating a localized region of a metallic article to a forming temperature. The metallic article may comprise materials selected from titanium alloys, nickel-base alloys, and specialty steels, e.g., stainless steel, high-strength low-alloy steel, armor steel alloys, and the like. The forming temperature may be in a forming temperature range of 0.2 to 0.5 of a melting temperature of a metallic material comprising the article. The metallic article is formed in the localized region. Devices for indirectly and directly inductively heating a localized region of a metallic article are disclosed. Articles including metallic articles processed according to the methods and / or devices taught herein also are disclosed.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE TECHNOLOGY[0001]1. Field of the Technology[0002]The present disclosure is directed to methods of forming hard-to-form metallic materials, i.e., metals and metal alloys, using localized direct or indirect induction heating.[0003]2. Description of the Background of the Technology[0004]It is generally known that certain metals and metal alloys, including, for example, titanium, titanium alloys, nickel-base alloys, and specialty steels (e.g., stainless steel, high-strength low-alloy steel (HSLA), armor steel alloys, and the like), are difficult to form. Such metallic materials are generally referred to herein as “hard-to-form” metallic materials. Hard-to-form metallic materials are generally more difficult to form as their thickness, width, and / or length increase. Many hard-to-form metallic materials cannot be effectively and efficiently formed into desired shapes or components without the use of an extensive and costly set of processing steps. Conventional techniques ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The patent describes a method and device for heating and bending metallic articles using induction heating. The method involves heating a localized region of a ferrous alloy surface and a lineal region of a metallic article in contact with the heated surface to a predetermined temperature. The heated region then conductively heats the metallic article to a forming temperature within a forming temperature range. The device includes a support with a ferrous alloy surface and an induction heating device positioned to inductively heat the surface. The method and device can be used to form metallic articles with improved precision and efficiency."

Problems solved by technology

It is generally known that certain metals and metal alloys, including, for example, titanium, titanium alloys, nickel-base alloys, and specialty steels (e.g., stainless steel, high-strength low-alloy steel (HSLA), armor steel alloys, and the like), are difficult to form.

Hard-to-form metallic materials are generally more difficult to form as their thickness, width, and / or length increase.

Many hard-to-form metallic materials cannot be effectively and efficiently formed into desired shapes or components without the use of an extensive and costly set of processing steps.

Many conventional part making techniques have limitations due to degradation of metal properties that exclude the techniques from use with hard-to-form metallic materials.

For example, a heat affected zone my result from welding, and machining and casting defects may exist that are not readily detectable.

These methods, however, have met with only mixed success and generally are less successful as the size of the component or part increases.

Poor temperature control and poor uniformity of heating is a common drawback of such methods.

The use of open torch technology to heat a bend region of alpha+beta titanium alloy plate, for example, can produce undesirable phase transformations due to poor temperature control, resulting in beta phase at the surface of the plate, with an increasing concentration of alpha+beta phase microstructure moving toward the plate centerline.

Also, such high temperature work can require a large furnace, depending on part size and dimensions of the formed component.

Logistics, feasibility, and expense may render such processing impractical from an operational, scheduling, and cost perspective.

One drawback of the method described in the '360 patent is the high temperature and specialized equipment required to achieve superplasticity in the alloy plate.

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