Lubrication processes for enhanced forgeability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10207312-B2
Application number	US-81459110-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2010
Priority date	Jun 14, 2010
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

Forge lubrication processes are disclosed. A solid lubricant sheet is placed between a workpiece and a die in a forging apparatus. Force is applied to the workpiece with the die to plastically deform the workpiece. The solid lubricant sheet decreases the shear factor for the forging system and reduces the incidence of die-locking.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A forge lubrication process comprising:
heating a die in a forging apparatus;
positioning a solid lubricant sheet between a metal or alloy workpiece and the heated die in the forging apparatus, wherein the solid lubricant sheet consists of at least one solid-state lubricant material and, optionally, ash, wherein the at least one solid-state lubricant material is selected from the group consisting of graphite, molybdenum disulfide, and tungsten disulfide; and
applying force to the workpiece with the die to plastically deform the workpiece in air and at a workpiece temperature greater than 1000° F., wherein a shear factor between the die and the workpiece during deformation is less than 0.50.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein a shear factor between the die and the workpiece during deformation is less than 0.20.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein a shear factor between the dies and the workpiece during deformation is less than 0.15.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein a shear factor between the die and the workpiece during deformation is in the range of 0.05 to 0.50.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein a shear factor between the die and the workpiece during deformation is in the range of 0.09 to 0.20.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the solid lubricant sheet is a solid graphite sheet.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein positioning a solid lubricant sheet between a metal or alloy workpiece and the heated die in the forging apparatus comprises:
positioning the solid lubricant sheet onto a surface of the die; and
positioning the workpiece onto the solid lubricant sheet.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein positioning a solid lubricant sheet between a metal or alloy workpiece and the heated die in the forging apparatus comprises:
positioning the solid lubricant sheet onto a surface of a lower die; and
positioning the workpiece onto the solid lubricant sheet,
wherein the solid lubricant sheet is positioned between a bottom surface of the workpiece and a lower die in the forging apparatus.

9. The process of claim 8 , further comprising positioning an additional solid lubricant sheet onto a top surface of the workpiece.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein positioning a solid lubricant sheet between a metal or alloy workpiece and the heated die in the forging apparatus comprises:
positioning the solid lubricant sheet on the workpiece before the workpiece is put into the forging apparatus.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein applying force to the workpiece with the die to plastically deform the workpiece occurs while the workpiece is at a temperature in the range of 1000° F. to 2000° F.

12. The process of claim 1 , wherein applying force to the workpiece with the die to plastically deform the workpiece occurs while the workpiece is at a temperature in the range of 1000° F. to 1600° F.

13. The process of claim 1 , wherein the workpiece is plastically deformed in a forging process selected from the group consisting of open-die forging, closed-die forging, forward extrusion, backward extrusion, radial forging, upset forging, and draw forging.

14. The process of claim 1 , wherein the workpiece is plastically deformed in a near-net-shape forging process.

15. The process of claim 1 , wherein the workpiece comprises a titanium alloy.

16. The process of claim 1 , wherein the workpiece comprises a zirconium alloy.

17. The process of claim 1 , further comprising removing residual solid lubricant from the workpiece after the workpiece is plastically deformed.

18. The process of claim 1 , wherein the solid lubricant sheet prevents die locking of the workpiece to the die.

19. A forge lubrication process comprising:
heating a die in a forging apparatus;
positioning a solid lubricant sheet, the solid lubricant sheet consisting of a graphite sheet, between a workpiece and the heated die in the forging apparatus, the workpiece comprising titanium, a titanium alloy, zirconium, or a zirconium alloy; and
applying force to the workpiece to plastically deform the workpiece with the die in air,
wherein the workpiece is at a temperature in the range of 1000° F. to 2000° F. during deformation, and a shear factor between the die and the workpiece during deformation is less than 0.50.

20. The process of claim 19 , wherein the workpiece is at a temperature in the range of 1000° F. to 1600° F. during deformation, and the shear factor between the die and the workpiece during deformation is in the range of 0.09 to 0.20.

Assignees

• Oppenheimer Scott
• Forbes Jones Robin M
• Mantione John
• Minisandram Ramesh
• Thomas Jean Philippe
• Ati Properties Llc

Inventors

• Oppenheimer Scott
• Forbes Jones Robin M
• Mantione John
• Minisandram Ramesh
• Thomas Jean-Philippe

Classifications

• C10N2010/08

  Groups 4 or 14 · CPC title

• C10N2050/08

  Solids · CPC title

• C10N2040/244

  of specific metals · CPC title

• C10N2040/24

  without essential removal of material {, e.g. forming, gorging, drawing, pressing, stamping, rolling or extruding}; Punching metal · CPC title

• C10N2030/06

  Oiliness; Film-strength; Anti-wear; Resistance to extreme pressure · CPC title