Method of making spray-formed inserts

摘要

Method of making seat inserts by thermally spraying bulk material. The method comprises the steps of: (i) preparing a mandrel (10) having an outside dimension (11) not greater than the desired inside dimension of the desired insert, the mandrel (10) having means to provide for separation of the sprayed bulk material from the mandrel (10), (ii) thermal spraying separate particles of one or more types of steel or nickel alloys in the presence of a controlled oxidizing medium to form a bulk composite material (17) on the mandrel (10) with a density of at least 99% and, (iii) after cooling the bulk material (17), removing such material from the mandrel and slicing it into discrete seat shapes (29) for implanting into the final product.