A fixture for use in an additive manufacturing and heat treatment process is disclosed. The fixture includes a tool with an upper surface and a lower surface, and an attachment system configured to releasably secure a substrate to the upper surface of the tool. The tool includes a body with an upper face and a lower face, and a reinforcement layer cladding the upper or lower face of the body. The reinforcement layer may be a superalloy.

A method for forming large titanium parts includes forming bends into a titanium plate for form a bent part. The bent part is then roll-formed to form contours into the bent part. The surfaces of the contoured part are rough-machined, and the part is then secured to a bladed form fixture. The bladed form fixture comprises a plurality of header boards that secure the part to the fixture. The fixture part is placed in a thermal vacuum furnace and a stress-relieving operation is performed. The part is removed from the fixture and final machining takes place.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for firing a ceramic component e.g. a ceramic core, within a firing receptacle containing firing powder. The method comprises using a shaping element to shape and/or define an upper surface of a first portion of firing powder at a predetermined height within the firing receptacle. The ceramic component is subsequently placed on the upper surface of the first portion of firing powder e.g. within a depression formed using the shaping element and covered with a second portion of firing powder. The shaping element may comprise a gridded/meshed plate.

Setter plates are fabricated from Li-stuffed garnet materials having the same, or substantially similar, compositions as a garnet Li-stuffed solid electrolyte. The Li-stuffed garnet setter plates, set forth herein, reduce the evaporation of Li during a sintering treatment step and/or reduce the loss of Li caused by diffusion out of the sintering electrolyte. Li-stuffed garnet setter plates, set forth herein, maintain compositional control over the solid electrolyte during sintering when, upon heating, lithium is prone to diffuse out of the solid electrolyte.

The present invention improves the strength of the bottom (net) of the jig and makes it more difficult and unlikely for deviation of the mesh to occur. A workpiece is loaded on the net (2) of the heat treat furnace jig (hereinafter, heat treatment furnace jig). In the net (2), a first strand (10), a second strand (20) and a third strand (30) are in contact at a contact point (X1). Near the contact point (X1), the second strand (20) overlaps the first strand (10) from above and the third strand (30) overlaps the first strand (10) from below. As a result, the first strand (10) is held between the second strand (20) and the third strand (30) in the up/down directions.

In various embodiments, apparatuses for receiving and supporting one or more components during processing thereof at process temperatures greater than approximately 1000 C. feature refractory metal shelves separated by refractory metal support posts.

A kiln car assembly for a firing kiln having a plurality of upper burners includes a kiln car with an uppermost plurality of ceramic green bodies, a plurality of vertical members, and a horizontal supporting plate for supporting the ceramic green bodies during a firing process in the kiln. Further, the kiln car assembly includes a covering table having a tabletop located between the uppermost plurality of ceramic green bodies and the upper burners, and a plurality of legs positioned on the horizontal supporting plate.

A refractory article can include a socket including a cavity that is configured to receive a post, a particulate material, and a binder. The binder is configured to bond the post to the socket. The refractory article can include a sleeve coupled to the socket and configured to bond the post to the socket. In an embodiment, the sleeve can bond to the binder. In another embodiment, a collar can be placed between the sleeve and the binder. The collar can be configured to bond the post to the socket. A method of forming a refractory article can include disposing a particulate material within a cavity of a socket and placing a binder material overlying the particulate material.

A system for supporting castings during thermal treatments, such as solution heat treatment, quenching and aging, that includes a tray defining a horizontal base plane and having a plurality of tray openings therethrough, and a fixture extending over one or more of the tray openings. The fixture is formed by a plurality of support plates oriented vertically with lower portions extending across the tray opening and top edges extending above the tray opening with shaped profiles along the lengths thereof. The plurality of support plates form an open lattice having a plurality of top edges that together define an open support surface that is substantially complementary with an underside surface of a casting and configured to loosely support the casting atop the lattice and align the casting in space above the tray opening.

A method for forming large titanium parts includes forming bends into a titanium plate for form a bent part. The bent part is then roll-formed to form contours into the bent part. The surfaces of the contoured part are rough-machined, and the part is then secured to a bladed form fixture. The bladed form fixture comprises a plurality of header boards that secure the part to the fixture. The fixture part is placed in a thermal vacuum furnace and a stress-relieving operation is performed. The part is removed from the fixture and final machining takes place.