Cold Spray Reinforcement for Superplastic Formed Metal Parts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for manufacturing complex multi-curvature parts, such as superplastic forming, often result in thin areas and difficulty in controlling thickness, leading to weight and cost inefficiencies due to the need for multiple components and processes, and the abrupt termination of additive sheets creates undesirable thickness steps and varying superplastic behavior.
Innovation Solution
The integration of cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM) and superplastic formation diffusion bonding (SPFDB) components with a mold having a concavity to increase thickness selectively and tailor reinforcement, allowing for tapered edges and functionally graded materials, reducing weight and cost by enabling more precise control over thickness profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If superplastic forming is used to manufacture complex multi-curvature parts, then the ability to form complex shapes is improved, but the thickness control deteriorates resulting in thin areas and weight inefficiencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by depositing additive material onto the workpiece before superplastic forming occurs. This pre-positioning of material allows thickness variations to be compensated in advance, ensuring that areas prone to thinning during forming have sufficient material reserve. The additive material is strategically placed in regions where thickness control is anticipated to be problematic during the subsequent forming operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by applying additive material selectively to specific regions of the workpiece rather than uniformly across the entire surface. The deposition is targeted at areas requiring thickness reinforcement, such as high-curvature zones or regions expected to thin during forming. This localized approach optimizes thickness distribution while minimizing overall weight.
2Strength
If welded sheets are used to increase part thickness with reinforcement, then structural strength is improved, but the weight and complexity increase beyond what is necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing reinforcement only in specific regions where structural strength is required, rather than uniformly increasing the thickness of the entire part. The additive material is deposited selectively on the workpiece surface at locations corresponding to high-stress areas or regions requiring reinforcement, thereby achieving necessary strength while minimizing overall weight increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs partial action by applying additive material only to the extent necessary for structural reinforcement rather than over-reinforcing the entire part. The deposition quantity and distribution are optimized to provide just sufficient thickness increase in critical areas, avoiding the excessive weight that would result from uniform thickening or traditional welded sheet reinforcement approaches.
3Strength
If incremental sheet forming is used to increase thickness, then structural reinforcement is achieved, but the fabrication time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two previously separate operations into a single integrated process: additive material deposition and superplastic forming. Instead of performing incremental sheet forming through multiple sequential steps, the additive material is deposited onto the workpiece and then both the substrate and deposited material are formed simultaneously in one superplastic forming operation. This consolidation eliminates intermediate steps, reduces fabrication time, and lowers production costs while achieving the desired thickness reinforcement.
4Manufacturing precision
If additive sheets with abrupt termination are used, then thickness reinforcement is achieved, but undesirable step functions are created in the finished part
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by creating a tapered transition zone for the additive material rather than an abrupt termination. The deposited material thickness gradually decreases from the reinforcement region toward the surrounding area, forming a smooth gradient. This dynamic thickness variation eliminates sharp step functions and discontinuities in the finished part surface, improving both aesthetics and structural performance by avoiding stress concentration at abrupt transitions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the fabrication of complex structures with tailored thickness distributions, reducing weight and cost while improving structural performance by providing structural reinforcement and optimizing shape and weight distribution, and allowing for the creation of parts with integrated stiffeners and sandwich structures with internal pockets.
Implementation Method 1
cold spray (with the CSAM component) an additive material onto the workpiece
Implementation Method 2
perform superplastic forming (with the SPFDB component) on the workpiece with the mold
Implementation Method 3
superplastic formation diffusion bonding (SPFDB)
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations are provided for fabricating a finished workpiece having a shaped portion. One implementation includes: a superplastic formation diffusion bonding (SPFDB) component; a cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM) component; and a mold having a concavity. Various configurations can operate on a workpiece with the SPFDB and CSAM components in different orders. An implementation is configured to cold spray (with the CSAM component) an additive material onto the workpiece; and perform superplastic forming (with the SPFDB component) on the workpiece with the mold, thereby rendering the workpiece into the finished workpiece having the shaped portion. The shaped portion conforms to a shape defined by the concavity. Cold spraying results in an increased thickness of the finished workpiece in a target region, which can provide structural reinforcement, and which can have a tapered edge. The workpiece can be a metal substrate made of titanium, aluminum, stainless steel, or another material.