Method For Producing A Structural Component From A High-Strength Alloy Material

Abstract

A method for producing a structural component, which has different component sections, from a high-strength alloy material. The structural component to be produced is divided into at least two component sections which differ with respect to their requirement profiles when the structural component is later used, wherein one component section must meet a higher requirement profile with respect to occurring loads, and the at least one other component section must meet a lower requirement profile. In a first production step for producing the component section with the higher requirements, a blank is brought to near-net-shape or net-shape by a massive forming process in some regions. To form the at least one component section with the lower requirement profile, a body in the form of a pre-manufactured part, which corresponds to said component section, is arranged on at least one surface region in the form of a substrate, which has not yet been brought into its near-net-shape or net-shape by the massive forming process, and is bonded to the blank in at least one following step, and/or said component section is attached to the provided surface region of the blank by a generative production method in order to also bring the aforementioned regions of the massive-formed component section to a near-net-shape. The semi-finished product produced in this manner, as a completed preform, is then brought to its net-shape in one or more steps.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. Method for producing a one-piece structural component for constructing a larger structure typically used in aerospace technology, which has different component sections, from a high-strength alloy material, comprising: the structural component to be produced is divided into at least two component sections which differ with respect to their requirement profiles when the structural component is later used, wherein one component section as a core segment must meet a higher requirement profile with respect to occurring loads when the structural component is used, and at least one other component section must meet a lower requirement profile, in a first production step for producing the core segment with the higher requirement profile, a blank is brought to near-net-shape or net-shape by a massive forming process in some regions, in at least one further production step in order to form the at least one component section with the lower requirement profile, said at least one component section is manufactured by a generative production method onto at least one surface region not yet brought into its net-shape or near net-shape of the core segment used as a substrate, in order to also bring said at least one surface region of the massive-formed core segment into a more near-net-shape, and the semi-finished product produced in this manner, as a completed preform, is then brought to its net-shape in one or more steps.

16. Method of claim 15, wherein the requirement profile of the core segment with the higher requirement profile and that of the component section with the lower requirement profile differ with regard to the respective mechanical resilience.

17. Method of claim 15, wherein the structural component is made of a titanium alloy, an aluminum alloy, a cobalt-based alloy, or a nickel-based alloy.

18. Method of claim 17, wherein an (+) titanium alloy is used as the titanium alloy.

19. Method of claim 18, wherein a Ti-6Al-4V alloy is used as the titanium alloy.

20. Method of claim 15, wherein the generative production method, with which the component section with the lower requirement profile is created, is carried out as laser deposition welding using solid particles or wire, or by arc deposition welding, or by electron beam deposition welding.

21. Method of claim 15, wherein the same alloy, from which the core segment is made, is also used for the generative production step for forming the component section with the lower requirement profile.

22. Method of claim 15, wherein an alloy different from the alloy of the core segment is used for the generative production step for forming the component section with the lower requirement profile.

23. Method of claim 15, wherein a plurality of generative production steps is carried out for the near-net-shape forming of the component sections which have not yet been brought to near-net-shape or net-shape by the forging step.

24. Method of claim 23, wherein, between two generative production steps, the generatively formed component sections are formed by forging into a nearer-net-shape, and the subsequent generative production step is carried out on the formed material of the preceding production step.

25. Method of claim 15, wherein, prior to carrying out a generative production step, the application surface of the core segment serving as substrate is pretreated for the generative production step.

26. Method of claim 15, wherein the at least one component section with the lower requirement profile of the completed preform is brought into its net-shape by forging and/or by machining.

27. Method of claim 15, wherein the core segment is created by forging as a massive forming step.

28. Method of claim 15, wherein one of several variations of the structural component is produced as the structural component, and wherein, with the step of massive forming to form the core segment, said core segment is produced as a common part for the several variations, and the several variations are provided by the at least one component section with the lower requirement profile formed by generative production.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] The following description utilizes example embodiments with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

[0041] FIG. 1 is a sequence of drawings which shows the results of individual production steps for producing a structural component having a plurality of component sections using a method according to the present disclosure, and

[0042] FIG. 2 shows the production of a further structural component according to another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] The sequence of drawings of FIG. 1 shows in (1) a blank 1 made of a Ti-6Al-4V alloy as an example high-strength alloy material. The blank 1 is a cast ingot. In the depicted embodiment, the blank 1 is placed in a forging preform 2 in a first step (2). In the embodiment shown, the cast blank 1 has been preforged and a section of the blank 1 has been angled with a radius by 90 degrees with respect to the remaining section, so that the forged blank is L-shaped in a side view. The blank has an (+) structure.

[0044] For preparing the forging of this forging blank 2, it is heated to its forging temperature, placed in a die and forged into the preform 3 shown in (3). Through the forging process, the shorter leg 4 of the forging blank 2 has been brought into a square shape 5. This adjoins the arch section with the interposition of transition regions. In the longer leg of the forging blank 2, two constrictions 6, 6.1 have been introduced by the forging step by extending its length. The preform 3 created by forging has in some sections already been brought to near-net-shape. In the embodiment shown, this preform represents the core segment of the eventual structural component. This core segment is the component section that has to meet a higher mechanical requirement profile than the other component sections described below. In the embodiment shown, this applies particularly with regard to its dynamic resilience.

[0045] The structural component to be produced from the blank 1 has a significantly more complex shape than the preform 3. In order to create this more complex shape, rough shapes are constructed by generative laser deposition welding in the regions of the preform 3 which are supposed to carry the further structures in the depicted embodiment. It goes without saying that other deposition welding methods can also be used. With regard to the heat introduced, the deposition welding has been carried out such that the heat input into the core segment is locally only very low, and a material mixing is also limited only to a surface edge zone of the substrate. The preform 7 completed by the generative production method is shown in step (4) of FIG. 1. The component sections produced or constructed by the generative methodthe raw shapes for the further structuresare denoted with reference sign 8. In the depicted embodiment, the regions 8 produced by the generative method have been produced from alloy powder of the same alloy used to produce the blank 1. On the square leg 5 of the preform 3, two cylindrical regions 8 have been constructed on opposite surfaces by the generative production method. Frustoconical bodies have been built up by the generative method on the lateral surface of the longer leg of the preform 3. In the depicted embodiment, the sections of this conical body adjacent to the lateral surface of the preform 3 are designed as hollow bodies. The generative production method was carried out as laser deposition welding.

[0046] In the depicted embodiment, the final contouring of the completed preform 7 with its component sections 8 constructed by the described generative production method takes place by machining (see step (5)). The rough shapes forming the component sections 8 are brought into their net-shape shown in (5) by shape milling. In this processing step, the regions of the completed preform 7, which are not brought to net-shape by the forging step, are also brought into their net-shape.

[0047] The structural component 9 is a fictitious structural component. In this structural component 9, it is essential that the core segment formed by the forged preform 3 can be exposed to increased mechanical stress as a component section. Since the L-shape of the structural component 9 is formed by forging, this core segment of the structural component 9 also readily meets the high requirements imposed on it. This is also the case due to the requirement profile imposed on the core segment. The component sections 8 produced by the generative production method and the extensions brought into net-shape therefrom by shape milling do not have to meet these requirements when the structural component 9 is used. They can also be subjected to higher loads, but do not have to meet the load requirements that the structural component 9 has to meet in the sections of its L-shaped preform. If, as is the case with previously known methods, the structural component 9 were to be produced by forging a preform and subsequent machining, it would only be possible with a low material utilization, which would not only be more elaborate but also cost-intensive.

[0048] The above-described production steps are preceded by a division of the structural component 9 into component sections that differ in terms of their mechanical requirement profile, namely the core segment formed by the preform 3 as a first component section that must meet a higher requirement profile, and the second component sections 8 molded thereto, which do not have to meet said high requirement profile.

[0049] After the structural component 9 has been brought into its net-shape, it is subjected to a heat treatment in order to homogenize the structure.

[0050] The structural component 9 of the depicted embodiment is one of several variations which differ in the number of component sections 8 constructed by the generative production method. The depicted structural component 9 is the one of the several variations which combines all of the possible variations which differ in terms of the number of extensions. Thus, a further variation, not shown in the drawings, has only a single component section 8 applied by the generative method to the square shape 5 of the shorter leg and an extension brought into net-shape by shape milling. In a further variation, this leg of the structural component 9 has no extensions. In a different design, other variations consist of projections molded onto the longer leg.

[0051] A particular advantage of this concept is that all variations can be produced on one and the same production line with one and the same tools.

[0052] FIG. 2 shows a sequence of drawings corresponding to the sequence of drawings in FIG. 1, illustrating the hybrid production of a further structural component 9.1. In the production method in FIG. 2, after the structural component has been divided into component sections which differ in terms of their requirement profile, the same steps (1) to (5) are carried out as was described above in the embodiment in FIG. 1. For this reason, the same features or parts are denoted by the same reference signs, supplemented by a 0.1. The structural component 9.1 itself is also very similar to the structural component 9 described in FIG. 1. The blank 1.1 in the embodiment in FIG. 2 was produced from the same titanium alloy as the blank 1 in the embodiment in FIG. 1. The structural component 9.1 differs from the structural component 9 in its structuring because, in contrast to the structural component 9, the extensionsand accordingly the component regions 8.1, 8.2 created by the generative production methodare not arranged opposite one another. Furthermore, the structural component 9.1 differs from the structural component 9 in the shape of the forged preform 3.1. The forging process in each case provides a base 10 protruding from the core segment of the preform 3.1 for forming a root region or a transition region. The base 10 can also be called a connection base. The upper side of the base 10 represents the substrate surface, onto which the component sections 8.1, 8.2 to be produced generatively are applied. The material is applied to this base 10 in order to produce the completed preform 7.1 by means of the generative production method. Through the form milling step carried out to create the net-shape of the structural component 9.1, parts of the attachment have also been removed, particularly on the extensions which are molded onto the square leg. Such a configuration of the forged completed preform 7.1 is advantageous, in that the connection of the generatively applied material is spaced apart in its core from the fiber orientation of the forged preform.

[0053] In this embodiment, the component section 8.2 is designed as a hollow body, as shown by the sectional depictions of this component section 8.2 in steps (4) and (5) of FIG. 2.

[0054] After the structural component 9.1 has been brought into its net-shape, it is also heat-treated and formed with a low degree of deformation.

[0055] In an alternative process sequence, the structural component shown in FIG. 2 can also be produced, in that, instead of the generative production method described in step (4) for producing the component sections 8.1, 8.2, they are produced individually, for example, also by means of a generative production method or also by another production method, for example, a forging process, and are subsequently connected to the connection surface provided by the base 10, typically by means of electron beam joining or friction welding. In this embodiment of the method, the preform thus completed is, in a subsequent step, brought into its net-shape with respect to those regions or sections that have not yet been brought to their net-shape.

[0056] The example embodiments described above are provided for illustrative purposes to help explain the invention. Without departing from the scope of the claims, there are numerous other options for a person skilled in the art to implement the invention without the necessity of having to describe or depict such options in detail within the framework of this description.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0057] 1, 1.1 Blank [0058] 2 Forging blank [0059] 3, 3.1 Preform [0060] 4 Leg [0061] 5 Square shape [0062] 6, 6.1 Constriction [0063] 7, 7.1 Completed preform [0064] 8, 8.1, 8.2 Component section [0065] 9, 9.1 Structural component [0066] 10 Base