The Boeing Company

Theboeing Company

Gregory L Ramsey

Daniel G Sanders

Larry Dean Hefti

Luis R Leon

McKay Alma Kunz

David W Foutch

Jeff Dean Will

Garry Anthony Booker

Hali The Diep

Michael D McGraw

James E Pillers

Lauren K Lundquist

Nate Speer

Marc James Petersen

David G Jensen

James B Castle

Gary W Coleman

Long H Ly

Amanda Jean Thoreson

Franna S Pitt

Paul D Edwards

Don R Arnold

Jeff L Guentzel

Colton Reid Culbertson

Timothy Barber

Amanda J Wickramaratne

Mckay A Kunz

Michael Delos Mcgraw

Jeff D Will

Disclosed herein is a system for surface treating an internal surface of a part. The system comprises a tank within which the part is locatable. The system also comprises a fluid within the tank and capable of submersing the part when the part is located within the tank. The system further comprises a nozzle submersed in the fluid and configured to generate a stream of cavitated fluid directed in a first direction. The system additionally comprises a deflection tool submersed in the fluid and comprising a deflection surface that redirects the stream of cavitated fluid from the first direction to a second direction. The first direction is away from the internal surface of the part and the second direction is toward the internal surface of the part.

System and method for fluid cavitation processing a part

A driven member of a metal peening machine is disclosed. The metal peening machine is configured to drive the driven member into contact with a work surface of a metal workpiece to deform the metal workpiece. The driven member includes a shaft with an impact end. The driven member includes least one of a plurality of impact features, an impact feature with a non-flat impact surface, a non-round impact feature, and an asymmetrical impact feature that is coupled to and protrudes from the impact end of the shaft. The at least one of the plurality of impact features, the impact feature with a non-flat impact surface, the non-round impact feature, and the asymmetrical impact feature define at least one impact surface to be driven into contact with the work surface of the metal workpiece.

Method and apparatus for impacting metal parts

A component is formed by welding a plurality of sheets of metal to form a blank with a number of weld nuggets, placing the blank between a die section and a lid section, heating the die section to heat the blank, and introducing a pressurized gas between the lid section and the die section to press the blank into a mold in the die section to form a component. The number of weld nuggets has a desired thickness ratio between about 1.1 to about 1.25 such that the plurality of sheets of metal and the component formed have a number of characteristics that are substantially the same.

Welding in preparation for superplastic forming

A driven member of a metal peening machine is disclosed. The metal peening machine is configured to drive the driven member into contact with a work surface of a metal workpiece to deform the metal workpiece. The driven member includes a shaft with an impact end. At least one of a plurality of impact features, an impact feature with a non-flat impact surface, a non-round impact feature, and an asymmetrical impact feature is coupled to and protrudes from the impact end of the shaft. The at least one of the plurality of impact features, the impact feature with a non-flat impact surface, the non-round impact feature, and the asymmetrical impact feature defining at least one impact surface to be driven into contact with the work surface of the metal workpiece.

A method of cleaning a superplastic-forming or a hot-forming die includes exposing a surface of the die having a lubricant thereon to electromagnetic energy. The electromagnetic energy removes the lubricant without removing an oxide layer between the die surface and the lubricant.

Systems for removing lubricants from superplastic-forming or hot-forming dies

A method of cleaning a die having an oxide layer is provided. The method includes discharging electromagnetic energy towards a working surface of the die having a layer of at least one of graphite and boron nitride thereon. The electromagnetic energy is discharged at a power output between about 6 kW and about 15 kW such that the layer of at least one of graphite and boron nitride is ablated, and such that the layer is removed without removing an oxide layer between the surface of the die and the layer.

Methods and systems for removing lubricants from superplastic-forming or hot-forming dies

A method of cavitation peening a workpiece is provided. The method includes discharging a flow of fluid towards the workpiece at a pressure and a flow rate that facilitates forming a plurality of cavitation bubbles, monitoring a feedback parameter associated with the plurality of cavitation bubbles, and determining a peening intensity of the plurality of cavitation bubbles based at least partially on a value of the feedback parameter.

Systems and methods of cavitation peening a workpiece

An apparatus and method are provided for changing physical characteristics of a workpiece which may have been pre-loaded before being further processed. The workpiece is supported in a fixed position during processing. A driven member applies multiple impacts to one surface of the workpiece. The driven member is operated within adjustable parameters. A controller, having the adjustable parameters, is operatively connected to the driven member for causing the driven member to apply multiple impacts against a surface of the workpiece while under the control of the pre-adjustable parameters for changing physical characteristics of the workpiece.

Method and apparatus for impacting metal parts for aerospace applications

A method of forming a pack in a die by superplastic formation and diffusion bonding comprises applying a forming pressure within the pack to expand the pack within the die; and supplying gas between the die and the pack to apply a back pressure around an outside of the pack while the pack is being expanded to counteract the forming pressure to reduce surface mark off.

Mark-off suppression in superplastic forming and diffusion bonding

A superplastically formed structural assembly is provided, as is an associated preform and method for forming such an assembly. The assembly includes a skin member and a support member that are joined to define a space between the members and between the joints. The assembly can be produced by joining the members in a flat configuration, and then forming the resulting preform to a predetermined shape of the structural assembly. The support member defines at least one aperture in communication with the space between the members. Thus, the skin member can be formed by delivering a pressurized fluid through the support member to the skin member, e.g., to superplastically form the skin member against a die that defines a contour surface corresponding in shape to the predetermined configuration of the assembly. The support member can extend in a substantially direct configuration between opposing portions of the skin member.

Formed structural assembly and associated preform

The invention provides methods of superplastic forming and diffusion bonding and a gas inlet tube that facilitates the methods which produce structures that are substantially mark off free. Methods include disposing a sealed pack into a die having a patterned surface and an opposite surface; applying a first pressure within the die around an outside of the pack; applying a second pressure within the pack, the second pressure exceeding the first pressure; and forming the pack by superplastic deformation into a diffusion-bonded structure. Further, a gas inlet tube is provided having an inner tube and an outer tube, where the outer tube is weldable to the pack in a gas tight seal.

Methods of mark-off suppression in superplastic forming and diffusion bonding

Formed structural assembly and associated preform and method

A method for providing a stop-off material on a workpiece is provided, as is an associated assembly. A maskant is provided on the workpiece such that a first portion of the workpiece is exposed and a second portion of the workpiece is covered by the maskant. The stop-off is then disposed, with the maskant on the workpiece preventing the stop-off from being applied to the second portion of the workpiece. The maskant is removed from the workpiece leaving the stop-off disposed on a select portion of the workpiece. The removal of the maskant can leave the workpiece substantially free of debris. Thereafter, the workpiece can be further processed, e.g., by diffusion bonding, with the stop-off preventing diffusion bonding of part of the workpiece.

Growing community of inventors

Seabeck, WA, United States of America

Gregory L Ramsey