Complex metal thin-walled component and additive isotropic co-manufacturing method thereof

CN120696728BActive Publication Date: 2026-09-08SHANGHAI JIAOTONG UNIV
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202510974188.8
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-07-15
Publication Date
2026-09-08
Estimated Expiration
2045-07-15

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

为了兼顾整体轮廓与局部细节成形,常需多步开坯、改锻、预锻形成复杂坯料,预锻模具数量多,设计精度高,周期可达数周甚至数月,难以满足快速响应制造需求

Benefits of technology

[0036] (1) This invention introduces additive manufacturing to construct near-net-shape preforms, which breaks through the problem of difficult billet production in complex thin-walled structural areas by traditional forging. It can flexibly meet the complex configuration requirements such as interlaced ribs, uneven wall thickness, and asymmetrical shape, and significantly expands the design freedom and manufacturing capability boundary of high-performance metal components.

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Abstract

The application provides a complex metal thin-wall component and an additive equal-material synergistic manufacturing method thereof. First, according to the service performance requirement of the component, the performance requirement of different regions is analyzed, and a near-net-shape preform model is designed through filling analysis. Then, the preform is constructed by using a metal additive manufacturing method, and the regional regulation of the microstructure is realized by regulating the process parameters. After heat treatment, the preform is loaded into a final forging die, and the overall forging forming is completed under high temperature and high pressure conditions to realize defect closure and microstructure homogenization. Finally, the forging is trimmed and subjected to secondary heat treatment to optimize the mechanical properties and service reliability. The application has the advantages of design flexibility of additive construction and densification advantage of forging, has the characteristics of high preform efficiency, high material utilization rate, controllable microstructure and performance, wide applicable materials and process, and is especially suitable for rapid and high-quality manufacturing of complex metal components with staggered ribs and uneven wall thickness.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of additive manufacturing technology, specifically to a complex thin-walled metal component and a method for additive manufacturing. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing demands for performance and complexity of large, lightweight structural components in high-end manufacturing, complex thin-walled metal mesh structures are widely used in critical parts such as aerospace engine casings, fuselage frames, docking rings, and heat shields. These components typically feature multiple staggered ribs, uneven wall thickness, asymmetrical geometry, and diverse service conditions, requiring high levels of microstructure density and grain control.

[0003] Traditional forging manufacturing methods typically employ a "multi-stage pre-forging + finishing + final forging" approach to obtain these components, revealing numerous limitations in forming efficiency, material utilization, and microstructure control. To balance overall contour and local detail forming, multiple steps of billet preparation, re-forging, and pre-forging are often required to create complex billets. This necessitates numerous pre-forging dies with high design precision, and the cycle can take weeks or even months, making it difficult to meet rapid response manufacturing demands. To ensure proper die forging filling, traditional billets require large areas of redundant material for flash and compaction, especially in rib areas. Mechanical trimming during forming results in significant material loss, with an overall material utilization rate of less than 20%, which is extremely costly for high-value materials such as titanium alloys and nickel-based superalloys. Due to the significant differences in cooling rates and plastic deformation paths between thin-walled and rib areas, the microstructure after traditional forging exhibits significant heterogeneity, easily leading to columnar crystal growth, coarse grains, or insufficient dynamic recrystallization, affecting service safety and fatigue life.

[0004] However, additive manufacturing for directly producing complex metal components often faces challenges such as complex post-processing and low forming quality. While components manufactured using powder or wire additive manufacturing have advantages such as high degree of shape freedom, they are prone to defects such as porosity, microcracks, and delamination. These defects usually require expensive post-processing methods such as hot isostatic pressing (HIP) for repair, which limits efficiency.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new, efficient, and integrated manufacturing path for complex thin-walled metal components that can combine the advantages of additive manufacturing in terms of geometric freedom and microstructure design with the ability of forging in terms of densification and microstructure uniformity control, thereby achieving rapid, high-quality, and efficient manufacturing of complex thin-walled ribbed components.

[0006] Patent application CN118321694A discloses a composite forming technology for large-size complex thin-walled metal components, involving additive and subtractive processes. The steps are as follows: material preparation; integrated additive manufacturing of thin-walled preforms; adaptive subtractive processing of additive preforms; controlled-shape and controlled-property thermoforming of subtractive preforms; and post-processing of the formed components. However, this patent cannot completely solve the existing technical problems, nor can it meet the needs of this invention. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the purpose of this invention is to provide a complex thin-walled metal component and its additive manufacturing method.

[0008] The additive manufacturing method for complex thin-walled metal components according to the present invention includes:

[0009] Step 1: Based on the service performance requirements of the components, analyze the strength, toughness and fatigue life requirements of different regions, and conduct filling analysis in combination with structural characteristics and deformation feasibility to construct a near-net-shape precast billet model with regional microstructure performance targets.

[0010] Step 2: Based on the preform model, metal additive manufacturing technology is used to perform layer-by-layer deposition and construction. By adjusting the additive process parameters, the microstructure of different regions is directionally controlled to obtain a preform with the target geometric shape and microstructure characteristics.

[0011] Step 3: Heat treat the preform to release residual stress and improve microstructure consistency, load it into the forging die system and prepare it for preheating;

[0012] Step 4: Under preset high temperature and high pressure conditions, the preform is forged into a single piece in one go, further eliminating the defects of the additive manufacturing process and realizing the dense forming and microstructure control of complex thin-walled and ribbed structures;

[0013] Step 5: Trim and surface-treat the forged components, and perform secondary heat treatment according to the material system and performance objectives to further optimize the microstructure and service reliability.

[0014] Preferably, the filling analysis in step 1 includes:

[0015] Finite element forming simulation: Select a material constitutive model suitable for additive hot deformation process, then apply boundary conditions and loads, and calculate the filling integrity after forming;

[0016] Volume compensation modeling: Based on the material accumulation pattern in different regions, a local compensation coefficient matrix is ​​constructed as the input for compensation modeling. Local thickening / heightening is completed at the CAD level to ensure that the final shaped body matches the target size after compaction and removal.

[0017] Response surface methodology: used to construct the functional relationship between forming parameters and filling performance;

[0018] Machine learning models were used for filling behavior prediction and adaptive parameter tuning.

[0019] Preferably, the metal additive manufacturing technology in step 2 includes at least one of selective laser melting (SLM), electron beam melting (EBM), laser metal deposition (LMD), electric arc wire additive manufacturing (WAAM), plasma arc additive manufacturing (PAAM), electron beam deposition (EBAM), binder spray sintering, and cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM).

[0020] The process parameters for additive manufacturing include filament feed rate, heating temperature, deposition angle, scanning trajectory, and interlayer cooling time.

[0021] Preferably, the heat treatment of the preform in step 3 includes overall homogenization, annealing, or controlled heat treatment;

[0022] The overall homogenization heat treatment involves heating the additive preform to a preset high-temperature homogenization zone at a rate of 3-10℃ / min, maintaining the target temperature for 2-12 hours to ensure uniform diffusion of solutes at grain boundaries, dissolution or spheroidization of secondary precipitates, and uniform distribution of alloying elements within the microstructure. Then, furnace cooling or air cooling is employed.

[0023] The annealing heat treatment includes heating to 250-350°C and holding at that temperature for 1-3 hours;

[0024] The controlled heat treatment includes: selective regional heat treatment using segmented controlled cooling or hot zone insulation shielding methods, and local annealing of the coarse-grained region within a preset range near the additive path.

[0025] Preferably, the target temperature for the overall homogenization heat treatment is 940°C, and the holding time is 2 hours; the annealing temperature for the controllable heat treatment is 720°C, and the holding time is 1.5 hours.

[0026] Preferably, the forging process in step 4 includes either one-time integral die forging or progressive rolling forging of ring-shaped parts;

[0027] Forging process parameters include forming temperature, pressing speed, total deformation, die preheating temperature, and holding time.

[0028] Preferably, the secondary heat treatment in step 5 includes annealing, solution treatment and aging, tempering and double aging.

[0029] The annealing process includes: heating the component to above the recrystallization temperature at a preset rate and holding it for 1 to 4 hours;

[0030] The solution treatment includes: heating the component to the solution temperature range, holding it for 1 to 2 hours, adjusting the time according to the component size and thermal conductivity, rapidly cooling to suppress the re-precipitation of the second phase, and forming a supersaturated solid solution; the aging treatment includes: heating the product to the aging temperature, determining the holding time according to the material system and the type of reinforcing phase, and finally cooling it to room temperature to obtain a precipitation-reinforced structure.

[0031] The heat treatment includes: first heating to the austenitizing temperature, holding at that temperature for 0.5 to 2 hours, and then rapidly cooling to obtain a martensitic structure.

[0032] Preferably, the rapid cooling method for the solution treatment is water cooling or air cooling.

[0033] Preferably, the rapid cooling method for the conditioning process is water cooling or oil cooling.

[0034] The complex thin-walled metal component provided by the present invention is manufactured using the additive manufacturing method for complex thin-walled metal components.

[0035] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0036] (1) This invention introduces additive manufacturing to construct near-net-shape preforms, which breaks through the problem of difficult billet production in complex thin-walled structural areas by traditional forging. It can flexibly meet the complex configuration requirements such as interlaced ribs, uneven wall thickness, and asymmetrical shape, and significantly expands the design freedom and manufacturing capability boundary of high-performance metal components.

[0037] (2) By pre-designing the microstructure of different regions during the additive manufacturing stage and combining recrystallization induction and texture control during the die forging stage, the present invention can implement fine grain strengthening, texture weakening or transitional structure setting in different regions according to service requirements, thereby achieving synergistic improvement of multiple properties such as strength, toughness and fatigue resistance. By controlling the additive manufacturing process parameters and die forging path, the component can have excellent isotropic mechanical properties and service stability.

[0038] (3) Compared with the traditional “rough billet + multi-pass forging + large amount of trimming” mode, the present invention significantly reduces the amount of flash and scrap by constructing pre-made billets on demand. Especially in expensive titanium alloy and nickel-based alloy systems, the material utilization rate can be increased from less than 20% in the traditional mode to more than 50%, and the manufacturing cost is greatly reduced.

[0039] (4) Traditional complex thin-walled components require multiple blanking, pre-forging and finishing processes, and the mold design cycle is long and numerous. This invention directly utilizes additive manufacturing to construct the required contour structure, and the microstructure and shape refinement can be completed by only one die forging or progressive rolling forging, which greatly shortens the overall manufacturing cycle and meets the rapid delivery requirements of complex components.

[0040] (5) Typical defects such as pores, inclusions, and weak interlayer bonding that may be formed during the additive manufacturing process in this invention are effectively closed under subsequent high temperature and high pressure deformation of die forging. Combined with heat treatment, residual stress and microstructure delamination are further eliminated, effectively improving the overall microstructure density and service reliability. Moreover, the comprehensive mechanical properties are significantly better than those of traditional forging processes, with higher fatigue resistance, more uniform grain distribution, lower defect rate and stronger service reliability, meeting the key application requirements of aerospace and other fields.

[0041] (6) This invention is applicable to a variety of metal material systems, including titanium alloys, nickel-based alloys, aluminum alloys, high-strength steel, etc., and can be combined with a variety of additive manufacturing technologies, with broad process adaptability and promotion prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0042] Other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0043] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of the additive and equal-material co-manufacturing method for complex thin-walled metal components described in this invention.

[0044] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the final forging process after additive manufacturing of the complex ribbed titanium thin-walled component described in this invention.

[0045] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional drawing of the annular rib structure part described in this invention;

[0046] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a complex annular thin-walled rib structure formed by additive manufacturing progressive rolling forging as described in this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0047] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments. These embodiments will help those skilled in the art to further understand the present invention, but do not limit the invention in any way. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several changes and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention. These all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0048] Example 1

[0049] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the problems of complex billet preparation process, low material utilization, uncontrollable microstructure and properties, and insufficient reliability of additive manufacturing in the existing manufacturing process of complex thin-walled ribbed metal components. It proposes a new forming path based on the collaborative manufacturing method of additive billet preparation and equal-material forging, which aims to optimize the manufacturing process chain from the source and achieve collaborative design and control of microstructure and properties.

[0050] This invention provides an additive and equal-material co-manufacturing method for complex thin-walled metal components, which manufactures complex thin-walled metal components by additive manufacturing of preforms and equal-material forging of final parts.

[0051] like Figure 1 As shown, the specimens are obtained by cutting along the thickness direction of the sheet metal. Several out-of-plane fracture test specimens are cut from the tested metal sheet, and a double-notch structure is formed by creating arc-shaped notches at both ends through slow wire EDM. The angles of the connecting lines of the notches are different to form specimens with different tensile-shear combinations. The specific process is as follows:

[0052] Step 1: Based on the service performance requirements of the components, analyze the strength, toughness and fatigue life requirements of different regions, and conduct filling analysis in combination with structural characteristics and deformation feasibility to construct a near-net-shape precast billet model with regional microstructure performance targets.

[0053] Step 2: Based on the preform model, metal additive manufacturing technology is used to perform layer-by-layer deposition and construction. By adjusting the additive process parameters, the microstructure of different regions is directionally controlled to obtain a preform with the target geometric shape and microstructure characteristics.

[0054] Step 3: Heat treat the preform to release residual stress and improve microstructure consistency, load it into the forging die system and prepare it for preheating;

[0055] Step 4: Under preset high temperature and high pressure conditions, the preform is forged into a single piece in one go, further eliminating the defects of the additive manufacturing process and realizing the dense forming and microstructure control of complex thin-walled and ribbed structures;

[0056] Step 5: Trim and surface-treat the forged components, and perform secondary heat treatment according to the material system and performance objectives to further optimize the microstructure and service reliability.

[0057] The filling analysis in step 1 includes: finite element forming simulation, volume compensation modeling, response surface analysis, or artificial intelligence-based filling capacity prediction methods.

[0058] Finite element forming simulation includes geometric modeling and mesh generation, selecting a material constitutive model suitable for additive hot deformation process (such as Johnson-Cook model, hyperbolic hardening model, etc.), then applying boundary conditions and loads, and calculating the filling integrity after forming.

[0059] Volumetric compensation modeling constructs a local compensation coefficient matrix based on the material accumulation patterns in different regions, serving as input for the compensation modeling. Local thickening / heightening is then performed at the CAD level to ensure that the final shaped body's dimensions after compaction and removal match the target dimensions.

[0060] Response surface methodology is mainly used to construct the functional relationship between forming parameters and filling performance.

[0061] In scenarios involving complex component structures or high-dimensional variable control, artificial intelligence methods can be used to achieve rapid and accurate prediction of filling behavior and adaptive parameter tuning. Machine learning models such as support vector regression (SVR), random forest (RF), or deep neural network (DNN) can be selected.

[0062] In step 2, the metal additive manufacturing technology includes at least one of the following methods: selective laser melting (SLM), electron beam melting (EBM), laser metal deposition (LMD), electric arc wire additive manufacturing (WAAM), plasma arc additive manufacturing (PAAM), electron beam deposition (EBAM), binder spray sintering, and cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM).

[0063] The process parameters for additive manufacturing include wire feed speed, heating temperature, deposition angle, scanning trajectory, and interlayer cooling time. The microstructure includes fine equiaxed crystal structures, columnar crystal structures, or mixed crystal structures.

[0064] In step 3, the heat treatment of the preform includes overall homogenization, annealing or controlled heat treatment. The treatment parameters are set according to the component material system and the characteristics of the additive manufacturing process, so as to retain the characteristics of the fine grain region while eliminating residual stress.

[0065] The overall homogenization heat treatment involves slowly heating the additive preform to the high-temperature homogenization zone at a rate of 3–10 °C / min. The target temperature is then maintained for 2–12 hours to allow for uniform diffusion of solutes at grain boundaries, dissolution or spheroidization of secondary precipitates, and homogenization of alloying elements within the microstructure. Furnace cooling or air cooling is employed to avoid excessive thermal stress while preserving some fine-grained structures.

[0066] Annealing heat treatment involves heating to 250–350°C and holding at that temperature for 1–3 hours. Slow cooling is then performed to alleviate thermal and structural stresses generated during the additive manufacturing process, preventing subsequent cracking or warping.

[0067] Controlled heat treatment includes selective regional heat treatment, which locally anneals coarse-grained regions near the additive manufacturing path to promote grain refinement and texture adjustment. Segmented controlled cooling or thermal shielding of hot zones is employed to guide differences in cooling rates across different regions, achieving microstructure gradient control.

[0068] In step 4, the forging process parameters include, but are not limited to, forming temperature, pressing speed, total deformation, die preheating temperature, and holding time. The integral forging process includes one-time integral die forging and progressive rolling forging of ring-shaped parts.

[0069] In step 5, the secondary heat treatment methods include, but are not limited to, annealing, solution treatment and aging (STA), tempering and double aging.

[0070] Annealing is suitable for eliminating structural stresses generated during forming, restoring material plasticity, and improving subsequent processing performance or service stability. The component is slowly heated to above the recrystallization temperature and held for 1–4 hours to ensure grain reconstruction and texture relaxation, allowing the microstructure to transform from deformed to equiaxed fine grains.

[0071] Solution treatment involves heating the part to the solution temperature range and holding it for 1–2 hours, adjusting the time according to the component size and thermal conductivity. Rapid cooling (usually water or air cooling) then inhibits the re-precipitation of the second phase, forming a supersaturated solid solution. Artificial aging treatment typically involves heating the product to the aging temperature and holding it for 4–12 hours, depending on the material system and the type of reinforcing phase. Finally, it is cooled to room temperature to obtain a precipitated reinforced structure.

[0072] The quenching and tempering process involves first heating to the austenitizing temperature, holding at that temperature for 0.5 to 2 hours, and then rapidly cooling (water or oil cooling) to obtain a martensitic structure.

[0073] Example 2

[0074] Taking the connecting frame of a certain type of aero-engine casing as the target component, the component has an overall frame-shaped ribbed structure with external dimensions of approximately 1200mm × 800mm, a maximum wall thickness of 35mm, and a minimum rib thickness of 4mm. The material used is TC4 titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V). In traditional processes, this type of component typically involves forging a blank, re-forging, initial blank manufacturing, multi-step pre-forging to form a non-uniform thickness preform, and finally final forging. The overall process is lengthy, involves numerous dies, and results in significant material loss. Figure 2 As shown, this example uses additive manufacturing to replace the traditional processes of billet preparation, re-forging, initial billet manufacturing, and multi-step pre-forging, and forges the final part from the same material, thereby improving performance and material utilization.

[0075] (1) Based on the service conditions and load distribution of the titanium frame component, the performance requirements of different regions are divided. The annular main load-bearing frame region needs to have high fatigue strength and crack resistance, while the end rib connection region needs to take into account both stiffness and weldability. Combining finite element deformation simulation and rib mesh layout characteristics, a near-net-shape precast billet model is designed in reverse. The annular region is set as the fine-grained region, and the rib region is set as the recrystallizable transformation region to ensure the consistency of subsequent forging.

[0076] (2) Using the WAAM (Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing) process, φ1.2mm TC4 alloy wire was deposited layer by layer in a controlled argon atmosphere according to a preset path. During the additive manufacturing process, the fine equiaxed grain control in the main ring region and the recrystallization equiaxed grain regulation in the rib region were achieved by adjusting the wire feed speed (8-12mm / s), current (120-180A), and interlayer cooling time (30-60s), thus forming the microstructure partitioning.

[0077] (3) The preform constructed by additive manufacturing is subjected to overall homogenization heat treatment (940℃×2h, air cooling) to release residual stress, and then subjected to controlled annealing treatment (720℃×1.5h, air cooling) to obtain good plasticity and deformation uniformity. The mold system is preheated to 450℃, coated with graphite-based lubricant, and then loaded into the preform.

[0078] (4) The forging process is carried out in one closed mold on a die forging machine. The forging temperature is 950℃, the pressing speed is controlled at 3mm / s, the total deformation is about 45%, and the mold is filled by holding the pressure for 10s. After forging, the structure is free of cracks and wrinkles, the ribs are completely filled, the original columnar crystal zone is basically transformed into equiaxed crystals, the recrystallization is sufficient, and the structure is uniform.

[0079] (5) After trimming and removing excess material from the surface, a double-aging heat treatment (solution at 960℃ and aging at 560℃) was performed to improve fatigue strength. The final component was tested by ultrasonic testing and found to be free of cracks and inclusions, meeting aerospace standards.

[0080] Compared to the traditional "forging + multi-die pre-forging" process, this embodiment achieves the following effects: the process route is compressed by 3-4 steps, shortening the manufacturing cycle by approximately 40%; the number of dies is reduced by 50%, saving design and manufacturing costs; material utilization is increased to over 50%, significantly reducing the loss of high-value titanium materials; the component's microstructure and properties are superior to traditional methods, and fatigue life is increased by approximately 20%. This embodiment verifies the applicability and superiority of the additive manufacturing and other material synergistic approach of this invention in the preparation of complex ribbed titanium thin-walled components.

[0081] Example 3

[0082] Manufacturing optimization design was carried out for a certain type of annular rib structure part, which is made of high-strength aluminum alloy. For example... Figure 3 As shown, it has the following geometric features: inner ring radius of 107mm, rib height of 20mm, rib thickness of 3mm, and the structure has typical circumferentially distributed rib thin-walled characteristics. It is widely used in components such as the shell reinforcement ring and compartment joint of aerospace vehicles.

[0083] (1) Based on the requirements of lightweight, high strength and good fatigue performance for the component in service, the rib area is designed with fine grain and weak texture characteristics to improve isotropic strength and crack propagation resistance. Combining the rib arrangement characteristics of the ring structure, the finite element filling simulation is used to identify the rib root transition area as the key area for the coordination of forming and deformation, and the ring-shaped near-net-shape preform model suitable for additive manufacturing is derived.

[0084] (2) Laser metal deposition (LMD) technology was used to deposit annular preforms and rib structures layer by layer on a rotating substrate via powder feeding. During the additive manufacturing process, by adjusting the scanning strategy and heat input, the roots of the ribs were slowly cooled to obtain equiaxed crystal structures, while the main body of the ribs was rapidly solidified to obtain fine columnar crystal reinforcement regions. The wall panel area was cooled at a controlled rate to maintain good deformation coordination. After completion, a near-net-shape preform with the target structural morphology and microstructure was obtained.

[0085] (3) The additive building block is subjected to homogenization annealing (e.g., 480℃×4h) to eliminate internal residual stress and improve forgeability; then its outer surface is machined and adjusted, rough edges are removed, and an anti-oxidation coating and lubrication treatment are applied to prepare for equal-material deformation.

[0086] (4) A progressive rolling forging process is used to apply radial deformation loading to the integral preform. By setting a step deformation path and a multi-pass rolling strategy, the circumferential strain of the ring is uniformly transmitted. The rib section is compacted and reconstructed under high temperature and high pressure, resulting in pore closure, texture reconstruction, and grain refinement, thus achieving consistent performance improvement. The forming temperature is controlled at 480–500℃, the rolling speed is 0.5 mm / s, and the total deformation is controlled at 15–20%.

[0087] (5) After forging, the component is subjected to T6 state solution aging heat treatment (540℃×1h+aging at 170℃×8h) to further enhance the strength and fatigue performance of the rib area. Then, the flash is removed and the surface is machined to obtain the final formed component.

[0088] This example demonstrates the efficient forming of complex annular aluminum alloy thin-walled ribbed structural components through a combination of additive manufacturing and progressive rolling forging. For example... Figure 4As shown, this method significantly simplifies the traditional "three-stage forging" path, avoiding the cost and cycle burden caused by multiple molds and multiple heat treatments. The additive manufacturing stage allows for the flexible construction of near-net-shape billets with complex geometries, and the regional design of the microstructure can be achieved through process parameter control, providing a good structural foundation for subsequent forming. Progressive rolling forging further densifies the material and homogenizes the microstructure, effectively closing porosity defects in the additive manufacturing process and improving the strength, plasticity, and fatigue performance of the components. This method not only improves material utilization and reduces manufacturing costs but also offers higher microstructure controllability and structural forming freedom, making it suitable for the rapid manufacturing of high-performance, high-reliability complex components, and has broad application prospects in aerospace and other fields.

[0089] Specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications within the scope of the claims, which do not affect the essence of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be arbitrarily combined with each other.

Claims

1. A method for additive and equal-material co-manufacturing of complex thin-walled metal components, characterized in that, include: Step 1: Based on the service performance requirements of the components, analyze the strength, toughness and fatigue life requirements of different regions, and conduct filling analysis in combination with structural characteristics and deformation feasibility to construct a near-net-shape precast billet model with regional microstructure performance targets. Step 2: Based on the preform model, metal additive manufacturing technology is used to perform layer-by-layer deposition and construction. By adjusting the additive process parameters, the microstructure of different regions is directionally controlled to obtain a preform with the target geometric shape and microstructure characteristics. Step 3: Heat treat the preform to release residual stress and improve microstructure consistency, load it into the forging die system and prepare it for preheating; Step 4: Under preset high temperature and high pressure conditions, the preform is forged into a single piece in one go, further eliminating the defects of the additive manufacturing process and realizing the dense forming and microstructure control of complex thin-walled and ribbed structures; Step 5: Trim and surface treat the forged components, and perform secondary heat treatment according to the material system and performance objectives to further optimize the microstructure and service reliability. The filling analysis in step 1 includes: Finite element forming simulation: Select a material constitutive model suitable for additive hot deformation process, then apply boundary conditions and loads, and calculate the filling integrity after forming; Volume compensation modeling: Based on the material accumulation pattern in different regions, a local compensation coefficient matrix is ​​constructed as the input for compensation modeling. Local thickening / heightening is completed at the CAD level to ensure that the final shaped body matches the target size after compaction and removal. Response surface methodology: used to construct the functional relationship between forming parameters and filling performance; Machine learning models were used for filling behavior prediction and adaptive parameter tuning.

2. The additive manufacturing method for complex thin-walled metal components according to claim 1, characterized in that, The metal additive manufacturing technology in step 2 includes at least one of selective laser melting (SLM), electron beam melting (EBM), laser metal deposition (LMD), electric arc wire additive manufacturing (WAAM), plasma arc additive manufacturing (PAAM), electron beam deposition (EBAM), binder spray sintering, and cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM). The process parameters for additive manufacturing include filament feed rate, heating temperature, deposition angle, scanning trajectory, and interlayer cooling time.

3. The additive manufacturing method for complex thin-walled metal components according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat treatment of the preform in step 3 includes overall homogenization, annealing, or controlled heat treatment. The overall homogenization heat treatment involves heating the additive preform to a preset high-temperature homogenization zone at a rate of 3~10℃ / min, maintaining the target temperature for 2~12 hours to ensure uniform diffusion of solutes at grain boundaries, dissolution or spheroidization of secondary precipitates, and uniform distribution of alloying elements within the microstructure. Then, furnace cooling or air cooling is employed. The annealing heat treatment includes heating to 250~350℃ and holding at that temperature for 1~3 hours; The controlled heat treatment includes: selective regional heat treatment using segmented controlled cooling or hot zone insulation shielding methods, and local annealing of the coarse-grained region within a preset range near the additive path.

4. The additive manufacturing method for complex thin-walled metal components according to claim 3, characterized in that, The target temperature for the overall homogenization heat treatment is 940℃, and the holding time is 2 hours; the annealing temperature for the controllable heat treatment is 720℃, and the holding time is 1.5 hours.

5. The additive manufacturing method for complex thin-walled metal components according to claim 1, characterized in that, The forging process in step 4 includes one-time integral die forging or progressive rolling forging of ring-shaped parts. Forging process parameters include forming temperature, pressing speed, total deformation, die preheating temperature, and holding time.

6. The additive manufacturing method for complex thin-walled metal components according to claim 1, characterized in that, The secondary heat treatment in step 5 includes annealing, solution and aging, tempering and double aging. The annealing process includes: heating the component to above the recrystallization temperature at a preset rate and holding it for 1 to 4 hours; The solution treatment includes: heating the component to the solution temperature range, holding it for 1-2 hours, adjusting the time according to the component size and thermal conductivity, rapidly cooling to suppress the re-precipitation of the second phase, and forming a supersaturated solid solution; the aging treatment includes: heating the product to the aging temperature, determining the holding time according to the material system and the type of reinforcing phase, and finally cooling it to room temperature to obtain a precipitation-reinforced structure. The heat treatment includes: first heating to the austenitizing temperature, holding at that temperature for 0.5 to 2 hours, and then rapidly cooling to obtain a martensitic structure.

7. The additive manufacturing method for complex thin-walled metal components according to claim 6, characterized in that, The rapid cooling method for the solution treatment is water cooling or air cooling.

8. The additive manufacturing method for complex thin-walled metal components according to claim 6, characterized in that, The rapid cooling method for the conditioned process is water cooling or oil cooling.

9. A complex thin-walled metal component, characterized in that, It is manufactured using the additive and equal-material co-manufacturing method for complex thin-walled metal components as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

Citation Information

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