Superplastic Forming Cooling with Inert Gas Pressure Balancing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Superplastically formed components, especially those with thin sections and large surface areas, face distortion and oxidation issues during cooling due to pressure differentials and exposure to oxygen, leading to production challenges in aerospace and automotive industries.

Innovation Solution

A cooling apparatus that supplies an inert gas to the component's interior space and uses a gas column to equalize external pressures, preventing oxidation and distortion by maintaining internal pressure equal to external atmospheric pressure through a vertically aligned gas column filled with a denser gas like argon.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the component is removed from the mould immediately after forming while still in plastic state to maintain high production speed, then productivity is improved, but the component becomes susceptible to distortion during cooling due to pressure differentials

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction speedVSAvoidshape accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The component is removed from the mould while still in the plastic state before cooling-induced distortion occurs, and then immediately placed in a support mould that pre-compensates for expected thermal contraction. This preliminary positioning action prevents distortion before it happens during cooling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The support mould is designed with cavity dimensions that anticipate and compensate for thermal contraction during cooling. By beforehand cushioning the component in a pre-designed support structure, the system prevents distortion that would otherwise occur during the cooling process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Temperature

If thin sections with large surface area are cooled from transition temperature to stabilisation temperature, then the component reaches operational temperature, but differential internal and external pressures cause large forces and distortion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling to stabilisation temperatureVSAvoidshape accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The component is positioned in the support mould before cooling begins, so that the support structure is already in place to counteract pressure differentials and thermal contraction forces that will occur during cooling to stabilisation temperature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The support mould cavity is designed with dimensions that beforehand compensate for thermal contraction and pressure differential effects during cooling. This prior cushioning prevents distortion before the cooling process completes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Temperature

If the component is cooled from transition temperature to stabilisation temperature, then the material stabilises, but any oxygen entering the internal cavities causes oxidisation of the material

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling to stabilisation temperatureVSAvoidoxidisation

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The support mould is filled with an inert gas atmosphere during the cooling process from transition temperature to stabilisation temperature. This inert environment prevents oxygen from entering the component's internal cavities and causing oxidation of the hot material surfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

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

The solution ensures rapid, accurate, and reliable production of superplastically formed components by preventing oxidation and minimizing distortion, maintaining component integrity and shape accuracy during cooling.

Implementation Method 1

a gas column connected to the gas outlet and configured to compensate for changes in an external pressure acting on the component

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrostatic pressure: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

the inert gas prevents the oxidisation of the interior space of the component during cooling

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOxidation prevention through inert atmosphere: Oxidation

Data Source

PatentUS11660654B2Super plastic forming apparatus and method

Publication Date: 2023.05.30 GROUP RHODES LTD

AI summary

A cooling apparatus for a component formed by super plastic forming including a gas source configured to supply a gas to an interior space of the component via a gas inlet, a gas outlet configured to allow the gas to exit the interior space, and a gas column connected to the gas outlet and configured to compensate for changes in an external pressure acting on the component.