The Boeing Company

Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation

University of Missouri

Richard J Lederich

John A Baumann

Rajesh Talwar

Shankar M Sastry

Kevin T Slattery

Christopher Shane Huskamp

James B Castle

Keith A Young

Ricky L Martin

David C Van Aken

Krishnan K Sankaran

Raymond J Tisler

A method and apparatus for processing a sheet of material. The sheet of material may be secured relative to a tool in an incremental sheet metal forming machine. The sheet of material may be incrementally shaped into a shape of a part using a stylus. The stylus may comprise a rod having a first end and a second end, a substantially curved surface on the first end, and a texture on at least a portion of the substantially curved surface on the first end. The texture may be configured to channel a lubricant onto the first end.

Method and apparatus for incremental sheet forming

Fuselage skins of aircraft are joined using friction stir welding. A strip of cladding is removed from the skins along an abutment between the skins before the skins are welded in order to prevent the cladding from interfering with the welding process. The cladding is replaced after the welding is completed.

Joining fuselage skins using friction stir welding

A method for forming an aluminum alloy article having improved mechanical properties using a solid-state joining process in which the problem of ductility reduction is minimized by conducting a thermal exposure treatment prior to solution heat treatment. This thermal exposure treatment, done at a temperature below the solution heat treatment temperature, releases stored energy in the aluminum-alloy material. The aluminum-alloy material then does not have sufficient energy to cause recrystallization and abnormal grain growth during the subsequent solution heat treatment process. The resultant aluminum-alloy material has a restored mechanical strength with only a minor, but acceptable, decrease in original ductility.

Method to improve properties of aluminum alloys processed by solid state joining

An apparatus and methods for clamping around a manufacturing tool engaging a work piece are described. In one embodiment, a clamp includes a moveable support arranged to at least partially surround a circumference defining a work area. A friction reducing element is attached to the support to apply pressure to the surface when the clamp is engaged with the work piece, and to allow the clamp to be moved with the manufacturing tool. In accordance with other aspects of the invention, the clamp co-annularly or partially surrounds the manufacturing tool. In another embodiment, the manufacturing tool is a friction stir welding tool.

Clamping apparatus and methods for manufacturing

A sealant for a weld joint and an associated weld joint and method are provided. The sealant includes aluminum and germanium and is characterized by a melting temperature that is lower than the melting temperature of the structural member that is joined. The sealant, which is disposed between faying surfaces of the structural members, can fill the spaces between the structural members to prevent the entry of chemicals, moisture, debris, and other substances, thereby reducing the likelihood of corrosion of the joint or structural members at the interface. Further, the sealant can be diffusion bonded to the faying surfaces, for example, by the heat generated during the joining process.

Method and sealant for weld joints

The face sheet is formed of a titanium alloy which includes boron that can be superplastically formed and diffusion bonded to form a structural panel. The structural panel generally includes a pair of face sheets that are disposed on and bonded to opposite sides of a metallic core. By forming at least one of the face sheets of a titanium alloy which includes boron, such as between about 0.2 weight percent and about 2 weight percent of boron, the resulting structural panel is stiffened without any corresponding increase in weight relative to structural panels formed of conventional titanium alloys. Preferably, powdered titanium diboride (TiB.sub.2) is added to a titanium alloy charge that is subsequently formed into a boron reinforced titanium alloy sheet. During the forming process, the TiB.sub.2 reacts to produce TiB reinforcements that are scattered throughout the metal matrix to increase the modulus and correspondingly stiffen the resulting face sheet.

Structural panel having boron reinforce face sheets and associated

A method of inhibiting grain growth and restricting grain size during heat-treatment and hot-working of metallic materials. A small volume of inert gas is added to a metallic material so that the inert gas is dispersed throughout the metallic material. The metallic material is then heated sufficiently high so that the inert gas forms micropores within the metallic material; the micropores interact with grain boundaries to inhibit grain growth. If desired, all or part of the residual microporosity may be eliminated from the metallic material during the final step of a deformation processing cycle.

Grain size control of metallic materials by inert gas doping

A method of superplastically forming aluminum alloy composites employs explosive bonding to produce strong, consistent bonds and annealing treatment to produce a fine microstructure in the bonded alloy sheets. The bonded alloy sheets having the fine microstructure can then be formed by superplastic methods to produce complex parts and structural elements.

Explosively bonded expanded structure

Transient titanium alloys having the composition A-XH, where A is titanium or a titanium alloy, such as, Ti-8Al-1Mo-1V, Ti-5Al-2.5Sn, Ti-6Al-4V, or Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo; where H represents hydrogen and where X is a weight percent value between about 0.01 and 0.5%. The alloys may be produced by heating the base titanium or titanium alloy under pressure in a non-flammable atmosphere containing hydrogen. The alloys containing hydrogen may be formed by superplastic forming techniques. After forming, the original titanium or titanium alloy can be restored by heating the formed part or structure, under vacuum, driving out the hydrogen from the alloy. Parts and structures formed from the transient alloy, and restored, retain the strength and structural integrity of the base alloy.

Growing community of inventors

Des Peres, MO, United States of America

Richard J Lederich