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.

A method of producing an integrated monolithic aluminum structure, the method including the steps of: (a) providing an aluminum alloy plate with a predetermined thickness of at least 3 mm, wherein the aluminum alloy plate is a 2xxx-series alloy provided in an F-temper or an O-temper; (b) optionally pre-machining of the aluminum alloy plate to an intermediate machined structure; (c) high-energy hydroforming of the plate or optional intermediate machined structure against a forming surface of a rigid die having a contour in accordance with a desired curvature of the integrated monolithic aluminum structure, the high-energy hydroforming causing the plate or the intermediate machined structure to conform to the contour of the forming surface to at least one of a uniaxial curvature and a biaxial curvature; (d) solution heat-treating and cooling of the high-energy hydroformed structure; (e) machining and (f) ageing of the final integrated monolithic aluminum structure.

A method of producing an integrated monolithic aluminum structure, the method including the steps of: (a) providing an aluminum alloy plate with a predetermined thickness of at least 3 mm, wherein the aluminum alloy plate is a 2xxx-series alloy provided in an F-temper or an O-temper; (b) optionally pre-machining of the aluminum alloy plate to an intermediate machined structure; (c) high-energy hydroforming of the plate or optional intermediate machined structure against a forming surface of a rigid die having a contour in accordance with a desired curvature of the integrated monolithic aluminum structure, the high-energy hydroforming causing the plate or the intermediate machined structure to conform to the contour of the forming surface to at least one of a uniaxial curvature and a biaxial curvature; (d) solution heat-treating and cooling of the high-energy hydroformed structure; (e) machining and (f) ageing of the final integrated monolithic aluminum structure.

A manufacturing method is provided during which a plurality of first apertures are formed in a first plate to provide an apertured first plate. A plurality of second apertures are formed in a second plate to provide an apertured second plate. The apertured first plate and the apertured second plate are bonded to a base sheet to form a structure. The base sheet is bent to form a bend in the structure between the apertured first plate and the apertured second plate.

An exterior panel for hypersonic transport vehicles is formed of a superplastic metal alloy such as titanium for accommodating high thermal stresses of hypersonic flight. The exterior panel, designed as re-usable on such transport vehicles, includes an exterior skin configured for atmospheric exposure, and an interior skin configured for attachment to structural frame members of the transport vehicles. An intermediate skin is situated between a pair of multicellular cores; each multicellular core is sandwiched between the exterior and interior skins, one core being situated between the exterior and intermediate skins, while the other is situated between the intermediate and interior skins. An airflow channel (AFC) extends through at least one of the multicellular cores for cooling of the exterior panel. Each multicellular core is superplastic formed and diffusion bonded to the other, as well as to its respective pair of skins to form an exterior panel having a unified structure.

An arrangement for forming an annular component includes a small diameter clamp for securely retaining a first holding surface of a small diameter end of a preform, a large diameter clamp for securely retaining a second holding surface of a large diameter end of the preform, and a punch having an external surface contour shaped to correspond to a shape of a profile of the annular component. The small diameter clamp and/or the large diameter clamp is configured to clamp the respective small and/or large holding surface, respectively, at an angle other than a slant angle of a main frusto-conical portion of the preform.

An arrangement for forming an annular component includes a small diameter clamp for securely retaining a first holding surface of a small diameter end of a preform, a large diameter clamp for securely retaining a second holding surface of a large diameter end of the preform, and a punch having an external surface contour shaped to correspond to a shape of a profile of the annular component. The small diameter clamp and/or the large diameter clamp is configured to clamp the respective small and/or large holding surface, respectively, at an angle other than a slant angle of a main frusto-conical portion of the preform.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an inlet lip skin part according to a nominal definition comprising dimensions of the lip skin and associated tolerances, the method comprising the steps of: a) obtaining at least one blank from at least one metal sheet; b) deforming the at least one blank into an intermediate part; and c) machining a first surface of the intermediate part with a first machining path, said first machining path being independent of the real dimensions of the intermediate part, and being based on the nominal definition of the lip skin part, so as to obtain a semi-machined part, and d) machining a second surface of the semi-machined part with a second machining path, said second machining path being based on real dimensions of the semi-machined part and the nominal definition of the lip skin part.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an inlet lip skin part according to a nominal definition comprising dimensions of the lip skin and associated tolerances, the method comprising the steps of: a) obtaining at least one blank from at least one metal sheet; b) deforming the at least one blank into an intermediate part; and c) machining a first surface of the intermediate part with a first machining path, said first machining path being independent of the real dimensions of the intermediate part, and being based on the nominal definition of the lip skin part, so as to obtain a semi-machined part, and d) machining a second surface of the semi-machined part with a second machining path, said second machining path being based on real dimensions of the semi-machined part and the nominal definition of the lip skin part.

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.