Continuous Granular Material Consolidation by Severe Plastic Deformation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for continuously consolidating granular materials and modifying material microstructure are limited in their ability to efficiently produce new alloys and composites with refined microstructures, as they often require melting and lack control over microstructural changes.

Innovation Solution

A machine system utilizing a rotating rotor within a container to apply severe plastic deformation to feedstocks, allowing for continuous consolidation and microstructure refinement without melting, through processes like friction stir welding, milling, or drilling, enabling the production of alloys and composites with controlled microstructural modifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If melting is used to consolidate granular materials, then consolidation is achieved, but microstructural control is lost and energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsolidation qualityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the fundamental parameter of consolidation from thermal (melting) to mechanical (severe plastic deformation). The rotor applies intense shear strain and hydrostatic pressure to consolidate granular materials in the solid state, achieving reliable consolidation without the energy-intensive melting process while maintaining microstructural integrity and enabling precise microstructural control through parameter adjustment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces the thermal field (melting) with a mechanical field (severe plastic deformation). The rotating rotor generates intense mechanical stresses and shear forces that consolidate materials through plastic deformation rather than phase change, significantly reducing energy consumption while improving microstructural control capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If melting is used to produce alloys and composites, then material consolidation is achieved, but microstructure refinement is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial consolidationVSAvoidmicrostructure control

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the consolidation mechanism from thermal to mechanical, enabling precise control over microstructural parameters. By adjusting rotor speed, feed rate, and deformation parameters, the process achieves both reliable consolidation and precise microstructure refinement, producing nanostructured and ultrafine-grained materials with controlled grain size and distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention performs preliminary severe plastic deformation and microstructure refinement during the consolidation process itself, before final shaping. The rotor applies intense deformation that refines the microstructure in advance, allowing subsequent processing to work with already-optimized microstructures, thereby achieving both consolidation and microstructure control in one integrated process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If severe plastic deformation is applied to reduce cross-sectional area, then material consolidation and microstructure refinement are achieved, but processing force increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemicrostructure refinementVSAvoidprocessing force

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses dynamic rotation of the rotor to apply severe plastic deformation. The rotating rotor creates time-varying stress fields and shear forces that progressively deform and consolidate material. The dynamic nature of the process allows energy to be applied continuously over time, achieving microstructure refinement without requiring excessive instantaneous force, as the deformation accumulates through repeated rotational cycles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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

Enables the production of materials with enhanced mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties by achieving up to 99% reduction in cross-sectional area and uniform distribution of reinforcement particles, producing nanostructured and ultrafine-grained materials with refined microstructures.

Implementation Method 1

utilizing a rotating rotor within a container to apply severe plastic deformation to feedstocks

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

processes like friction stir welding, milling, or drilling

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFrictional heating: Viscous Heating

Implementation Method 3

apply severe plastic deformation to feedstocks, allowing for continuous consolidation and microstructure refinement

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlastic deformation: Plasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11691201B2Processes and/or machines for producing continuous plastic deformation, and/or compositions and/or manufactures produced thereby

Publication Date: 2023.07.04 KANDASAMY KUMAR

AI summary

Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a manufacturing method, process, machine, and/or system for continuously consolidating granular materials, creating new alloys and/or composites, and/or modifying and/or refining material microstructure, by using plastic deformation of feedstock(s) provided in various structural forms. Materials produced during this process can be fabricated directly and/or in forms such as, e.g., wires, rods, tubes, sheets, plate and/or channels, etc.