Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Robert B Swan

Zbigniew Zurecki

Edward A Hayduk, Jr

John G North

Kerry R Berger

David L Mitchell, Jr

John Herbert Frey

John J Kaiser

Robert Ellsworth Knorr, Jr

George Matthew Harriott

Xiaoguang Zhang

William T Zaboy

Diwakar Garg

Ranajit Ghosh

Michael David Buzinski

James Bryan Taylor

Zbigneiw Zurecki

Kerry B Berger

Bruce Edward Snyder

Philip Burton Jewell, Jr

A cryogenic fluid jet is used in an apparatus and a method for remote cooling of a cutting tool engaged in machining a workpiece under high-energy conditions, such as high-speed machining, hard-turning, cutting of difficult to machine materials, and combinations thereof. The apparatus and method use a stabilized, free-expanding cryogenic fluid jet having a pulse cycle time less than or equal to about 10 seconds. The apparatus and method increase the cleanliness of machined parts and chips and machining productivity of hard but brittle tools, including but not limited to tools which should not be cooled with conventional cooling fluids.

Apparatus and method of cryogenic cooling for high-energy cutting operations

An automatically actuated line connection and delivery system is disclosed for the delivery of a cryogenic fluid coolant to tools mounted on manufacturing machines such as vertical and horizontal machining centers, punching presses, thermal spray systems, welding systems, laser cutters, etc. The system includes a linearly-actuated, cryogenic fluid socket/plunger connection '()' with a differential, thermal contraction-controlled sealing mechanism, '()' as well as provisions for installing this connection on automated manufacturing machines &#x201c;()&#x201d; and integrating operation of the connection &#x201c;()&#x201d; with the manufacturing cycle controlled from a remote control panel &#x201c;()&#x201d;.

Linearly-actuated cryo-fluid connection (LACC) for manufacturing machines

A method and an apparatus or machining a workpiece include the use of a cryogenically cooled oxide containing ceramic cutting tool. The method involves cryogenic cooling of the cutting tool during a cutting operation, which cooling results in enhanced wear resistance and fracture resistance of the cutting tool. A preferred embodiment involves jetting a cryogenic fluid directly at the cutting tool.

Apparatus and method for machining with cryogenically cooled oxide-containing ceramic cutting tools

A cryogenic fluid distributor for turret machine tools (e.g., lathes) directs a stream of cryogenic fluid from an external, pressurized cryogen source to a working position of a machine tool to prevent overheating of the tool. Designed for easy retrofitting and synchronizing with multi-tool turret machines, the distributor allows for a &ldquo;dual-fluid&rdquo; machining capability combining a cryogenic fluid and a conventional cutting fluid (flowing via a conventional coolant system built into a given machine tool). Made of low thermal-mass, insulating polymer and metallic parts, the distributor utilizes the different thermal contraction coefficients of the parts to establish cryogenic sealing connections, which eliminates undesired turret plate cooling and assures rapid cryogen flow start-up.

Machine tool distributor for cryogenic cooling of cutting tools on a turret plate

An improved process for humidifying a gas stream with a precise amount of moisture used in a variety of heat treating processes including annealing, brazing, and sintering of ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys, reflow soldering of electronic components, glass-to-metal sealing, chemical processes, chemical vapor deposition of metal oxides, laser processing, fuel cells, etc. The gaseous stream is humidified by introducing a controlled amount of water through a precision metering device and a known and precise flow rate of a gas stream into a gas-liquid contactor, and shearing and vaporizing the water stream in the gas-liquid contactor with the gas stream.

Process for humidifying a gas stream

Graphite carbon surfaces are protected from elevated temperature oxidation and mechanical wear by electric arc thermal spray coating exposed surfaces with a titanium nitride or multi-element (e.g., aluminum-silicon-titanium) coating.

Graphite/carbon articles for elevated temperature service and method of

Method and apparatus for dispersing cryogenic inert gases over the surface of a bath of molten metal by separating vaporized cryogenic gas from the liquid phase of the gas and introducing the liquid phase and the gaseous phase onto the surface of the molten metal in a swirling pattern. Additional inert gas can be introduced into the middle of the liquid phase.

Vortex dispersing nozzle for liquefied cryogenic inert gases used in

A method is disclosed for the electric arc spraying of powder-filled cored wires to apply hard, wear-resistant coatings to various substrates. Inert gas, preferably nitrogen, is supplied to the arc spray gun such that the mass ratio of the wire feed rate to the gas feed rate is preferably between about 0.07 and about 0.11. Operation in this range yields an optimum combination of coating hardness properties and arc spray gun operating characteristics.

Electric arc spray coating with cored wire

A metal powder is produced by atomizing molten metal in an electric arc spray gun and rapidly quenching the resulting droplets in a liquid cryogen to form fine, highly spherical, oxide-free particles. The rapid quenching yields particles with a very fine, uniform microstructure which melt rapidly and uniformly when later heated. The powder is especially well-suited for making solder paste for device fabrication in the electronics industry.

Method for making metal powders

Graphite and/or carbon surfaces are coated with a titanium nitride coating by exposing the substrate to electric arc thermal spray process wherein titanium wire as the source of titanium and nitrogen is used as the propelling (atomizing) gas.

Method of forming titanium nitride coatings on carbon/graphite

Surfaces subject to wear and corrosion can have their service life increased by being coated with a composite coating applied by the electric arc thermal spray process using at least one titanium feed wire, optionally pre-nitrided, a second wire of a different metal, metal alloy ceramic or intermetalic compound and nitrogen in the arc spray gun.

Method of producing titanium nitride coatings by electric arc thermal

Wear resistant surfaces can have their service life increased by being coated with a titanium nitride based coating applied by the electric arc thermal spray process using at least one pre-nitrided titanium feed wire and nitrogen in the arc spray gun.

An improved electric arc spray process for the deposition of reactive metals is disclosed which utilizes compressed inert gases for atomization. The improved process utilizes argon, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, sulfur hexafluoride, or mixtures thereof supplied to the arc spray gun such that the mass ratio of the wire feed rate to the gas feed rate is greater than 0.10. The process can be used to coat various substrates with metals or alloys comprising magnesium, zinc, lithium, and other reactive metals. The process is useful for the application of cathodic corrosion protective coatings on various substrates.

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Bath, PA, United States of America

Robert B Swan