Apparatus for manufacturing parts, and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10940523-B2
Application number	US-201815996343-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2018
Priority date	Jun 1, 2018
Publication date	Mar 9, 2021
Grant date	Mar 9, 2021

Abstract

Forging dies are formed from a plurality of layers stacked together to form an assembly, or laminate. Each respective layer may be cut to form a portion of a die cavity, and the layers may be stacked together such that the cut portions are aligned to form the die cavity. The layers are fastened together to form a first die half and/or a second die half of disclosed forging dies. Each layer may be selectively removable from the die half for maintenance and/or replacement. Disclosed forging dies may be formed of lower grade materials as compared to conventional forging dies, and the number and thickness of layers may be varied to accommodate the specific part geometry of the part being forged. Related methods of making said forging dies and using said forging dies to make parts are also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of making a forging die for forging a part, the method comprising:
forming a first die half, wherein forming the first die half comprises:
cutting a first layer to form a first portion of a first die cavity;
cutting a second layer to form a second portion of the first die cavity;
stacking the first layer and the second layer together such that the first portion of the first die cavity and the second portion of the first die cavity are positioned with respect to one another to form the first die cavity; and
fastening the first layer and the second layer together to form the first die half, wherein the fastening the first layer and the second layer together comprises:
binding the first layer and the second layer together using a first plurality of fasteners that extend through at least a portion of each of the first layer and the second layer, thereby forming the first die half; and
calculating a first number, size, and/or placement of the first plurality of fasteners sufficient to prevent introduction of material from a preform into spaces between adjacent respective layers of the first die half during forging of the part; and

engaging the first die half with a second die half such that the first die cavity faces the second die half, wherein the first die cavity is configured to receive at least a portion of the preform, and wherein the forging die is configured to forge the part from the preform when the first die half and the second die half are pressed together.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
forming a second die half, wherein forming the second die half comprises:
cutting a third layer to form a first portion of a second die cavity;
cutting a fourth layer to form a second portion of the second die cavity;
stacking the third layer and the fourth layer together such that the first portion of the second die cavity and the second portion of the second die cavity are positioned with respect to one another to form the second die cavity; and
fastening the third layer and the fourth layer together to form the second die half;

wherein the second die half and the first die half are configured to cooperate with one another such that the first die cavity faces the second die cavity and such that the first die cavity and the second die cavity are each configured to receive a respective portion of the preform, and wherein forging die is configured to forge the part from the preform when the first die half and the second die half are pressed together.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein cutting the first layer and cutting the second layer are performed before fastening the first layer and the second layer together, and wherein cutting the third layer and cutting the fourth layer are performed before fastening the third layer and the fourth layer together.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein forming the first die half comprises:
cutting a plurality of additional first die layers to form additional respective portions of the first die cavity;
stacking the additional first die layers between the first layer and the second layer such that the additional respective portions of the first die cavity are positioned with respect to the first portion of the first die cavity and the second portion of the first die cavity, to form the first die cavity; and
fastening the additional first die layers to the first layer and the second layer to form the first die half; and wherein forming the second die half comprises:
cutting a plurality of additional second die layers to form additional respective portions of the second die cavity;
stacking the additional second die layers between the third layer and the fourth layer such that the additional respective portions of the second die cavity are positioned with respect to the first portion of the second die cavity and the second portion of the second die cavity, to form the second die cavity; and
fastening the additional second die layers to the third layer and the fourth layer to form the second die half.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein forming the first die half further comprises securing a first baseplate to the second layer, wherein the first baseplate is thicker than the first layer and the second layer, wherein the first baseplate does not form a portion of the first die cavity, wherein forming the second die half further comprises securing a second baseplate to the fourth layer, wherein the second baseplate is thicker than the third layer and the fourth layer, wherein the second baseplate does not form a portion of the second die cavity, and wherein the method further comprises positioning the first die half with respect to the second die half such that the first die cavity faces the second die cavity and such that the first baseplate of the first die half and the second baseplate of the second die half are opposite one another, with the first die cavity and the second die cavity positioned therebetween.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein fastening the first layer to the second layer comprises binding the first layer, the second layer, the additional first die layers, and the first baseplate together using the first plurality of fasteners, wherein the first plurality of fasteners extend through at least a portion of each respective layer, thereby forming the first die half, and wherein fastening the third layer to the fourth layer comprises binding the third layer, the fourth layer, the additional second die layers, and the second baseplate together using a second plurality of fasteners that extend through at least a portion of each respective layer, thereby forming the second die half.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:
calculating a second number, size, and/or placement of the second plurality of fasteners sufficient to prevent introduction of material from the preform into spaces between adjacent respective layers of the second die half during forging of the part.

8. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the forming the first die half comprises varying thicknesses of one or more selected from the group consisting of the first layer, the second layer, and the additional first die layers, such that at least one respective layer of the first die half has a different thickness from at least one other respective layer of the first die half.

9. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising analyzing the geometry and/or contours of the part to determine desired layer thicknesses and the number of layers for each of the first die half and the second die half to accommodate loads and stresses during forging of the part.

10. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
positioning at least the portion of the preform within the first die cavity; and
pressing the first die half and the second die half together, thereby forging the preform.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the pressing results in deformation of the first layer and the third layer of the second die half such that a first perimeter ridge is formed around a first perimeter of the first die cavity and such that a second perimeter ridge is formed around a second perimeter of the second die cavity.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the first perimeter ridge is formed in a first engagement surface of the first die half such that the first perimeter ridge is raised with respect to the first engagement surface, wherein the second perimeter ridge is formed in a second engagement surface of the second die half such that the second perimeter ridge is raised with respect to the second engagement surface, and wherein

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Heck David P
• Slattery Kevin Thomas
• Milliken David M

Classifications

• B21J5/025 Primary

  Closed die forging · CPC title

• B23P15/246

  Laminated dies · CPC title

• B21J13/02 Primary

  Dies or mountings therefor · CPC title