A method is used to manufacture a tube having a hollow interior for housing an axle shaft. The tube is formed in a single machine having a fixed base and a single press structure movable toward the fixed base. The single machine includes first and second die assemblies coupled to the fixed base and first and second mandrels coupled to the single press structure. The method includes the steps of placing a billet into the first die assembly, pressing the billet into the first die assembly with the first mandrel to producing a pre-formed billet, and moving the pre-formed billet from the first die assembly to the second die assembly. THE method further includes the steps of pressing the pre-formed billet into the second die assembly with the second mandrel to elongate the pre-formed billet and form a hollow interior therein to produce an extruded tube.

A method is used to manufacture a tube having a hollow interior for housing an axle shaft. The tube is formed in a single machine having a fixed base and a single press structure movable toward the fixed base. The single machine includes first and second die assemblies coupled to the fixed base and first and second mandrels coupled to the single press structure. The method includes the steps of placing a billet into the first die assembly, pressing the billet into the first die assembly with the first mandrel to producing a pre-formed billet, and moving the pre-formed billet from the first die assembly to the second die assembly. THE method further includes the steps of pressing the pre-formed billet into the second die assembly with the second mandrel to elongate the pre-formed billet and form a hollow interior therein to produce an extruded tube.

A process for forming extruded products using a device having a scroll face configured to apply a rotational shearing force and an axial extrusion force to the same preselected location on material wherein a combination of the rotational shearing force and the axial extrusion force upon the same location cause a portion of the material to plasticize, flow and recombine in desired configurations. This process provides for a significant number of advantages and industrial applications, including but not limited to extruding tubes used for vehicle components with 50 to 100 percent greater ductility and energy absorption over conventional extrusion technologies, while dramatically reducing manufacturing costs.

A shear assisted extrusion process for producing cladded materials wherein a cladding material and a material to be cladded are placed in sequence with the cladded material positioned to contact a rotating scroll face first and the material to be cladded second. The two materials are fed through a shear assisted extrusion device at a preselected feed rate and impacted by a rotating scroll face to generate a cladded extrusion product. This process allows for increased through wall strength and decreases the brittleness in formed structures as compared to the prior art.

The present disclosure provides methods for preparing an extruded product from a solid billet. The methods can include providing an as-cast billet for extrusion; applying a simultaneous rotational shear and axial extrusion force to the as-cast billet to plasticize the as-cast billet; and extruding the plasticized as-cast billet with an extrusion die to form an extruded product. Methods for preparing extruded products from billets can also include: providing a billet for extrusion; while maintaining a majority of the billet below 100° C., applying a simultaneous rotational shear and axial extrusion force to one end of the billet to plasticize the one end of the billet; and extruding the plasticized one end of the billet with an extrusion die to form an extruded product. Methods for preparing an extruded product from a billet can also include providing a billet for extrusion; applying a simultaneous rotational shear and axial extrusion force to the billet to plasticize the billet; extruding the plasticized billet with an extrusion die to form an extruded product; and artificially aging the extruded product for less than the ASTM recommended amount of time.

A shear assisted extrusion process for producing cladded materials wherein a cladding material and a material to be cladded are placed in sequence with the cladded material positioned to contact a rotating scroll face first and the material to be cladded second. The two materials are fed through a shear assisted extrusion device at a preselected feed rate and impacted by a rotating scroll face to generate a cladded extrusion product. This process allows for increased through wall strength and decreases the brittleness in formed structures as compared to the prior art.

A process for forming extruded products using a device having a scroll face configured to apply a rotational shearing force and an axial extrusion force to the same preselected location on material wherein a combination of the rotational shearing force and the axial extrusion force upon the same location cause a portion of the material to plasticize, flow and recombine in desired configurations. This process provides for a significant number of advantages and industrial applications, including but not limited to extruding tubes used for vehicle components with 50 to 100 percent greater ductility and energy absorption over conventional extrusion technologies, while dramatically reducing manufacturing costs.

A method for preparing a shear-assisted extruded material from a powder billet is provided, the method comprising providing a billet of material in substantially powder form; applying both axial and rotational pressure to the material to deform at least some of the contacted material; and extruding the material to form an extruded material. A method for preparing shear-assisted extruded material is provided, the method comprising applying both axial and rotational pressure to stock material to form an extruded material at a rate between 2 and 13 m/min. A method for preparing shear-assisted extruded material is provided. The method comprises applying both axial and rotational pressure to stock material to form an extruded material; and aging the extruded material for less than 3 hours. A method for preparing shear-assisted extruded material is provided. The method comprises providing a stock material for shear-assisted extrusion; and applying both axial and rotational force to the stock material to form an extruded material, wherein the axial force does not decrease during the extrusion.

Devices and methods for performing shear-assisted extrusion processes for forming extrusions of a desired composition from a feedstock material are provided. The processes can use a device having a scroll face having an inner diameter portion bounded by an outer diameter portion, and a member extending from the inner diameter portion beyond a surface of the outer diameter portion. Extrusion feedstocks and extrusion processes are provided for forming extrusions of a desired composition from a feedstock. The processes can include providing a feedstock having at least two different materials and engaging the materials with one another within a feedstock container. Methods for preparing metal sheets are provided that can include preparing a metal tube via shear assisted processing and extrusion; opening the metal tube to form a sheet having a first thickness; and rolling the sheet to a second thickness that is less than the first thickness.

A method is used to manufacture an article using a machine having a fixed base and a press structure movable toward the fixed base. The machine also includes a die assembly and a container both coupled to the fixed base. The machine further includes a mandrel assembly comprising a rotatable platform coupled to the press structure and having a first platform mandrel aligned with the die assembly and a second platform mandrel aligned with the container. The method includes the steps of placing a first starting component into the die assembly, pressing the first starting component to form the article, moving the second platform mandrel into the container simultaneously with the step of pressing the first starting component, and rotating the rotatable platform to align the second platform mandrel with the die assembly and to align the first platform mandrel with the container.