公开(公告)号：EP0923425B1

公开(公告)日：2004-12-15

申请号：EP97940571.9

申请日：1997-08-19

申请人： McDONNELL DOUGLAS CORPORATION

发明人： PRUITT, Mark, O. ,  ROSS, Christopher, A.

IPC分类号： B23P15/00 ,  B21D26/02

CPC分类号： B21D26/055 ,  Y10T29/49339 ,  Y10T29/49622 ,  Y10T29/49623

公开(公告)号：EP0923425A1

公开(公告)日：1999-06-23

申请号：EP97940571.0

申请日：1997-08-19

申请人： McDONNELL DOUGLAS CORPORATION

发明人： PRUITT, Mark, O. ,  ROSS, Christopher, A.

IPC分类号： B21D26

CPC分类号： B21D26/055 ,  Y10T29/49339 ,  Y10T29/49622 ,  Y10T29/49623

摘要： A method of forming a hollow structure having a predetermined shape from a sheet of superplastic material. The sheet is initially formed into a preform configuration (10). A reusable fluid inlet tube is placed in the preform configuration (10) to define a port in fluid communication with the interior portion of the preform configuration (10). The preform configuration (10) is disposed in a containment die, which defines a cavity having the predetermined desired shape. Force is applied to the containment die to temporarily seal the edges of the preform configuration without the use of welding or diffusion bonding. Once its edges are sealed, the preform configuration becomes a gas-tight envelope capable of holding fluid that is introduced through the fluid inlet tube. Fluid is fed through the tube to apply internal pressure to the gas-tight preform configuration under superplastic conditions while it is still being held in the containment die.