A press forming method is capable of improving material yield while avoiding the risk of dimensional error increase at product forming sections in blank material when carrying out press forming, and a plate material expansion device is used in this method. An end side of plate material for press forming is restricted by blank holding rollers, and pressure is applied to a middle location in the part that is restricted by a pressure roller. In this state, the plate material is transported in a rotating direction of the rollers being driven to continuously bend and extend the section receiving pressure. This bent and extended section is flattened with a flattening roller to obtain blank material wherein an end part is expanded.

An aerodynamic component of a gas turbine engine is provided and is fittable to a shell having a shell shape. The aerodynamic component includes a body having a component shape initially deviating from the shell shape prior to an assembly operation in which the aerodynamic component is to be fit to the shell. Deviation of the component shape from the shell shape aids in an establishment of a final desired shape of the aerodynamic component following the assembly operation.

An aerodynamic component of a gas turbine engine is provided and is fittable to a shell having a shell shape. The aerodynamic component includes a body having a component shape initially deviating from the shell shape prior to an assembly operation in which the aerodynamic component is to be fit to the shell. Deviation of the component shape from the shell shape aids in an establishment of a final desired shape of the aerodynamic component following the assembly operation.

A method of forming an annular part includes forming a conical or frusto-conical preform with at least one open end, initiating an actuation means to cause relative coaxial movement only between a punch, a clamping means and a gripping means, thereby clamping a large diameter end of the preform in the clamping means and gripping a second small diameter end of the preform in the gripping means and the external surface of the punch to engage the internal surface of the preform, and causing relative co-axial movement between the gripping means and the punch so that the portion of the wall of the preform between the punch and the gripping means is formed over the leading edge of the punch.

Provided is a method for producing a fuel cell separator, capable of easily roughening the surface of a sheet-like metal substrate to become a fuel cell separator and thus reducing the contact resistance of the resulting fuel cell separator. Specifically, the method is a method for producing a fuel cell separator from a sheet-like metal substrate, including pulling the metal substrate at least in one direction to plastically deform the metal substrate, thereby increasing the arithmetic average roughness Ra of the surface of the metal substrate after being pulled compared to that before being pulled.

An apparatus (31) for forming an annular part (53) includes a punch (2) having a forming end with an external surface (32) shaped to correspond to the shape of the annular part (53). The apparatus further includes a clamping arrangement (3, 5) for clamping a large diameter end of a preform (4) and a gripping arrangement (6, 7) for adjustably gripping a small diameter end of the preform (4). An actuation system is provided for facilitating relative coaxial movement only between the punch (2). the clamping arrangement (3, 5) and the gripping arrangement (6, 7).

An apparatus (31) for forming an annular part (53) includes a punch (2) having a forming end with an external surface (32) shaped to correspond to the shape of the annular part (53). The apparatus further includes a clamping arrangement (3, 5) for clamping a large diameter end of a preform (4) and a gripping arrangement (6, 7) for adjustably gripping a small diameter end of the preform (4). An actuation system is provided for facilitating relative coaxial movement only between the punch (2). the clamping arrangement (3, 5) and the gripping arrangement (6, 7).

A low cost, substantially Zr-free, low density 2xxx aluminum-lithium alloy is disclosed. The aluminum-lithium alloy can be produced to high formability sheet products capable of being formed into wrought products with a thickness of 0.01 to 0.249. Aluminum-lithium alloys of the invention comprise from 3.2 to 4.1 wt. % Cu, 1.0 to 1.8 wt. % Li, 0.8 to 1.2 wt. % Mg, 0.10 to 0.50 wt. % Zn, 0.10 to 1.0 wt. % Mn, up to 0.12 wt. % Si, up to 0.15 wt. % Fe, up to 0.15 wt. % Ti, up to 0.15 wt. % incidental elements, with the total of these incidental elements not exceeding 0.35 wt. %, and the balance being aluminum. Ag should not be intentionally added and should not be more than 0.1 wt. % as a non-intentionally added element. Zr should not be intentionally added and should not be more than 0.05 wt. % as a non-intentionally added element. Mg is at least equal to or higher than 2*Zn in weight percent in the invented alloy. Methods for manufacturing wrought products including aluminum-lithium alloys of the present invention are also provided.

A low cost, substantially Zr-free, low density 2xxx aluminum-lithium alloy is disclosed. The aluminum-lithium alloy can be produced to high formability sheet products capable of being formed into wrought products with a thickness of 0.01 to 0.249. Aluminum-lithium alloys of the invention comprise from 3.2 to 4.1 wt. % Cu, 1.0 to 1.8 wt. % Li, 0.8 to 1.2 wt. % Mg, 0.10 to 0.50 wt. % Zn, 0.10 to 1.0 wt. % Mn, up to 0.12 wt. % Si, up to 0.15 wt. % Fe, up to 0.15 wt. % Ti, up to 0.15 wt. % incidental elements, with the total of these incidental elements not exceeding 0.35 wt. %, and the balance being aluminum. Ag should not be intentionally added and should not be more than 0.1 wt. % as a non-intentionally added element. Zr should not be intentionally added and should not be more than 0.05 wt. % as a non-intentionally added element. Mg is at least equal to or higher than 2*Zn in weight percent in the invented alloy. Methods for manufacturing wrought products including aluminum-lithium alloys of the present invention are also provided.

The disclosure relates to a downholding press for producing a semi-finished product from sheet-metal material having thickness-reduced regions, wherein the semi-finished product after forming has regions with mutually dissimilar wall thicknesses and the downholding press has an upper tool and a lower tool as well as a downholding element, and a convexity on the sheet-metal material is generated between the upper tool and the lower tool such that the sheet-metal material is reduced in thickness in regions by elongation, wherein a blocking cam is configured on the downholding element in such a manner that a follow-on of the sheet-metal material is impeded.