Near net shape manufacturing of complex configuration components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12290860-B2
Application number	US-202318160941-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2023
Priority date	Jan 27, 2023
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

Abstract

A method for manufacturing near net shapes of complex configuration components. The method includes mixing a plurality of powdered metals to form a blended powder; gravity sintering a sand mold filled with the blended powder to form a gravity sintered preform; and vacuum hot-pressing the gravity sintered preform to form a near net shape component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a sand mold printer configured to print a modular stackable sand mold;
a powder blender configured to mix a plurality of powdered metals or metal alloys to form a blended powder, wherein the plurality of powdered metals includes titanium hydride (Ti2H), aluminum (Al), vanadium (V), and iron (Fe);
a gravity sintering furnace configured to gravity sinter the modular stackable sand mold filled with the blended powder to form a gravity sintered preform; and
a vacuum hot-pressing die configured to vacuum hot-press the gravity sintered preform to form a near net shape component.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein surfaces of the modular stackable sand mold that receive the blended powder are coated with a release agent to facilitate a surface finish of the gravity sintered preform and improve release of the gravity sintered preform.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a vibration mechanism configured to vibrate the modular stackable sand mold to reduce mechanical interlocking of powder particles in the blended powder and increase a density of the blended powder.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gravity sintering furnace is further configured to:
generate a vacuum in or purge with an inert gas a protective atmosphere of a furnace in which the modular stackable sand mold filled with the blended powder is placed to a first atmosphere, wherein the first atmosphere is between 10 −4.5 torr (0.00421 Pa) and 10 −5.5 torr (0.00042 Pa);
raise a temperature of the furnace to a first temperature, wherein the first temperature is between to between 820° F. (437.8° C.) and 870° F. (465.6° C.) in increments of at least one of 5° F. (−15° C.) per minute, 8° F. (−13.33°° C.) per minute, or 10° F. (−12.22° C.) per minute; and
hold the furnace at the first atmosphere and the first temperature for a first predetermined time period to allow for hydrogen (H 2 ) evolution.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the gravity sintering furnace is further configured to:
responsive to the first predetermined time period expiring, raise the temperature of the furnace to a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is greater than the first temperature and wherein the second temperature is between 1500° F. (815.6° C.) and 1550° F. (843.3° C.) in increments of at least one of 3° F. (−16.11° C.) per minute, 4° F. (−15.56° C.) per minute, or 5° F. (−15° C.) per minute; and
hold the furnace at the first atmosphere and the second temperature for a second predetermined time period to allow for homogenization.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the gravity sintering furnace is further configured to:
responsive to the second predetermined time period expiring, raise the protective atmosphere to a second atmosphere, wherein the second atmosphere is greater than the first atmosphere and wherein the second atmosphere is between 10 −1.5 torr (4.2160 Pa) and 10 −2.5 torr (0.42160 Pa);
raise the temperature of the furnace to a third temperature, wherein the third temperature is greater than the second temperature and the first temperature and wherein the third temperature is between 2000° F. (1093° C.) and 2200° F. (1204° C.) in increments of at least one of 5° F. (−15° C.) per minute, 8° F. (−13.33° C.) per minute, or 10° F. (−12.22° C.) per minute; and
hold the furnace at the second atmosphere and the third temperature for a third predetermined time period.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the gravity sintering furnace is further configured to:
responsive to the third predetermined time period expiring, backfill the protective atmosphere with argon gas to purge any hydrogen (H 2 ) that has been generated during the gravity sintering; and
hold the furnace with the argon gas at the third temperature for a fourth predetermined time period.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Benson Callie L
• Mironets Sergey
• Panza Giosa Roque

Classifications

• B22F2201/20

  Use of vacuum · CPC title

• B22F2201/11

  Argon · CPC title

• B22F3/1208

  Containers or coating used therefor · CPC title

• B22F3/003

  Apparatus, e.g. furnaces (in general F27B) · CPC title

• B22C3/00

  Selection of compositions for coating the surfaces of moulds, cores, or patterns · CPC title