Verfahren zur Herstellung von Sandwich-Strukturen aus Titan-Aluminium-Legierung.

摘要

A method for fabricating of intermetallic titanium aluminide sandwich structures in which blanks of titanium aluminide are bonded to one another, under vacuum in a retort, at selected areas to form a pack, and then, upon removal of the retort, expanded superplastically to form a desired sandwich structure. Bonding of the various preselected areas of the metal blanks is accomplished using elevated temperature gas diffusion bonding techniques. The invention contemplates a first thermal cycle during which the pack is diffusion bonded in an evacuated retort at one temperature within a predetermined range of temperatures, and a second thermal cycle during which subsequent superplastic forming of the pack of bonded blanks, with the retort removed, is carried out. Optionally, during the first thermal cycle, a step of superplastic preforming may be carried out whereby the pack is preformed against arcuate or other shaped forming members.