Titanium Vacuum Forming with Sacrificial Formers and Vacuum Sizing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for forming large titanium parts are costly due to expensive die tooling and require thick titanium plates, multiple machining operations, and stress relief procedures, leading to high manufacturing costs and potential distortion.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of thin titanium plates, where a titanium plate is bent and roll-formed to create contours, then secured to a bladed form fixture for thermal vacuum sizing, reducing tooling costs and eliminating the need for multiple machining operations and stress relief procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If matched die tooling is used for forming large titanium parts, then forming capability is achieved, but tooling cost becomes very expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive matched die tooling with disposable sacrificial formers made of inexpensive materials like foam or plaster. These formers are used once to form the titanium part and then discarded, eliminating the need for costly reusable dies while maintaining forming capability for large parts
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy or representation of the final part geometry using inexpensive sacrificial materials. These formers replicate the essential shape needed for forming without requiring precise, expensive tooling, thus reducing tooling cost while preserving forming capability
2Ease of manufacture
If thick titanium plates are used for forming large parts, then forming capability is achieved, but material cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thickness parameter of the titanium plate from thick to thin by utilizing the sacrificial former technique. The thin plate (as thin as 0.25 inches) is formed over the sacrificial former and then the former is removed, allowing the thin plate to be shaped into the final form without requiring thick material for structural support during forming
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple machining operations are performed to avoid machining-induced stress, then distortion is prevented, but manufacturing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs stress relief heat treatment before any machining operations on the formed part. This preliminary stress relief prevents machining-induced distortion by eliminating residual stresses from the forming process, allowing subsequent machining to be performed with fewer operations and less time while maintaining precision
4Manufacturing precision
If multiple stress relief procedures are performed to prevent distortion, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs a single stress relief heat treatment immediately after forming and before machining. This preliminary stress relief eliminates the need for multiple subsequent stress relief procedures, simplifying the overall process while maintaining manufacturing precision by preventing distortion during machining operations
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 cost-effective formation of large titanium parts from thin plates with reduced machining and stress relief steps, minimizing distortion and tooling expenses while maintaining part quality.
Implementation Method 1
a stress-relieving operation is performed
Implementation Method 2
The fixture part is placed in a thermal vacuum furnace
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4a~5
AI summary
A method for forming large titanium parts includes forming bends into a titanium plate for form a bent part. The bent part is then roll-formed to form contours into the bent part. The surfaces of the contoured part are rough-machined, and the part is then secured to a bladed form fixture. The bladed form fixture comprises a plurality of header boards that secure the part to the fixture. The fixture part is placed in a thermal vacuum furnace and a stress-relieving operation is performed. The part is removed from the fixture and final machining takes place.