U.S. patent application number 16/259758 was filed with the patent office on 2020-07-30 for systems and methods for wire deposited additive manufacturing using titanium.
This patent application is currently assigned to GOODRICH CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is GOODRICH CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Eric Goldring, Noel C. Hayes, Karthik Narayan.
Application Number | 20200238379 16/259758 |
Document ID | 20200238379 / |
Family ID | 1000003911353 |
Filed Date | 2020-07-30 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200238379 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hayes; Noel C. ; et
al. |
July 30, 2020 |
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR WIRE DEPOSITED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING USING
TITANIUM
Abstract
A metallic part is disclosed. The part may comprise a
functionally graded monolithic structure characterized by a
variation between a first material composition of a first
structural element and a second material composition of at least
one of a second structural element. The first material composition
may comprise an alpha-beta titanium alloy. The second material
composition may comprise a beta titanium alloy.
Inventors: |
Hayes; Noel C.; (Etobicoke,
CA) ; Goldring; Eric; (Milton, CA) ; Narayan;
Karthik; (Milton, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
GOODRICH CORPORATION |
Charlotte |
NC |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
GOODRICH CORPORATION
Charlotte
NC
|
Family ID: |
1000003911353 |
Appl. No.: |
16/259758 |
Filed: |
January 28, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B33Y 70/00 20141201;
B22F 2301/205 20130101; B22F 2003/248 20130101; B22F 2998/10
20130101; B33Y 10/00 20141201; B22F 3/1055 20130101; B22F 2301/40
20130101; B22F 2201/20 20130101; B22F 3/24 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B22F 3/105 20060101
B22F003/105; B22F 3/24 20060101 B22F003/24 |
Claims
1. A metallic part, comprising: a functionally graded monolithic
structure characterized by a variation between a first material
composition of a first structural element and a second material
composition of a second structural element, wherein the first
material composition comprises an alpha-beta titanium alloy and the
second material composition comprises a beta titanium alloy,
wherein the second structural element is monolithic with a surface
of the first structural element.
2-4. (canceled)
5. The metallic part of claim 1, wherein the second structural
element comprises 5% to 6% by weight iron, 0.5% to 2% by weight
aluminum, and 6% to 9% by weight vanadium.
6. The metallic part of claim 5, wherein the heat treated wire
comprises 0.25% to 0.50% by weight oxygen and 0.001% to 0.015% by
weight hydrogen.
7. The metallic part of claim 1, wherein the first structural
element comprises a base plate having 5.5% to 6.75% by weight
aluminum and 3.5% to 4.5% by weight vanadium.
8. The metallic part of claim 7, wherein the second structural
element comprises a flange portion.
9. The metallic part of claim 8, wherein the first structural
element and the second structural element defines one of a "C"
shaped channel, a "T" shaped beam, an "S" shaped beam, an "I"
shaped beam, an "H" shaped beam, or an "L" shaped beam.
10. An article of manufacture including a metallic component
comprising: a functionally graded monolithic structure
characterized by a variation between a first material composition
of a first structural element and a second material composition of
a second structural element, wherein each of the first material
composition and the second material composition comprises at least
one of a titanium metal or an alloy, wherein the second structural
element is formed of a wire feedstock, wherein the wire feedstock
comprises a heat treated wire drawn from a sintered billet of
powdered metals, and the sintered billet of powdered metals
comprise titanium hydride, iron, vanadium, and aluminum.
11. The article of manufacture of claim 10 wherein, wherein the
first material composition comprises a substantially iron free
titanium alloy.
12. The article of manufacture claim 11, wherein the second
material composition comprises a titanium alloy with an iron
composition 3% by weight or more.
13. The article of manufacture of claim 12, wherein the sintered
billet of powdered metals comprise between 4% and 6% by weight
iron, between 0.5% to 2% by weight aluminum, and between 6% to 9%
by weight vanadium.
14. The article of manufacture of claim 12, wherein the heat
treated wire comprises between 0.25% and 0.50% by weight oxygen and
between 0.001% and 0.015% by weight hydrogen.
15. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein the heat
treated wire is heat treated by at least one of annealing,
solutionizing, or aging.
16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the heat
treated wire has undergone at least one of a beta phase
transformation, a beta anneal, or an alpha beta anneal during the
at least one of annealing, solutionizing, or aging.
17. A method of additive manufacturing, comprising: mixing a
plurality of powdered metals comprising titanium, iron, vanadium,
and aluminum to produce a powder blend; cold isostatic pressing and
sintering the powder blend to form a billet; performing a wire
forming operation on the billet to produce a worked wire; heat
treating the worked wire to produce a heat treated wire; loading a
first structural element into an additive manufacturing machine;
printing a second structural element of the heat treated wire
integral to the first structural element to form a part, and heat
treating the part to generate a functionally graded monolithic
structure.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the titanium is a titanium
hydride powder and the first structural element comprises a
substantially Iron free Titanium alloy.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the powder blend comprises
between 4% and 6% by weight iron, between 0.5% to 2% by weight
aluminum, and between 6% to 9% by weight vanadium.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the sintering is performed
between 900.degree. F. and 1600.degree. F. and under a vacuum.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The disclosure generally relates to the manufacture of
aerospace components using wires suitable for additive
manufacturing and more particularly to the wires being produced by
forming a sintered billet of titanium and other metallic
powders.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Aircraft landing gear designs incorporate large structural
components made from high strength titanium alloys. Powder based
additive manufacturing techniques, such as powder bed, for titanium
alloy landing gear components are unsuited for producing large
parts. Wire deposition additive manufacturing techniques may be
used to form large parts. However, existing wire feedstocks for
titanium alloys tend to be high cost and tend to have reduced
tensile and/or fatigue strength in comparison to wrought processed
material.
SUMMARY
[0003] In various embodiments, a metallic part comprises a
functionally graded monolithic structure characterized by a
variation between a first material composition of a first
structural element and a second material composition of a second
structural element, wherein each of the first material composition
and the second material composition comprises at least one of a
titanium metal or an alloy.
[0004] In various embodiments, the first material composition
comprises an alpha-beta titanium alloy. In various embodiments, the
second material composition comprises a beta titanium alloy. In
various embodiments, the second structural element is composed of a
heat treated wire drawn from a sintered billet of powdered metals
deposited integrally with the first structural element. In various
embodiments, the sintered billet of powdered metals comprises
between 4% and 6% by weight iron, between 0.5% to 2% by weight
aluminum, and between 6% to 9% by weight vanadium. In various
embodiments, the heat treated wire comprises between 0.25% and
0.50% by weight oxygen and between 0.001% and 0.015% by weight
hydrogen. In various embodiments, the first structural element
comprises a base plate having between 5.5% and 6.75% by weight
aluminum and between 3.5% to 4.5% by weight vanadium. In various
embodiments, the second structural element comprises a flange
portion. In various embodiments, the first structural element and
the second structural element defines one of a "C" shaped channel,
a "T" shaped beam, an "S" shaped beam, an "I" shaped beam, an "H"
shaped beam, or an "L" shaped beam.
[0005] In various embodiments, an article of manufacture including
a metallic component comprising a functionally graded monolithic
structure characterized by a variation between a first material
composition of a first structural element and a second material
composition of a second structural element, wherein each of the
first material composition and the second material composition
comprises at least one of a titanium metal or an alloy, wherein the
second structural element is formed of a wire feedstock, wherein
the wire feedstock comprising a heat treated wire drawn from a
sintered billet of powdered metals, the powdered metals comprising
titanium hydride, iron, vanadium, and aluminum.
[0006] In various embodiments, the first material composition
comprises an alpha beta titanium alloy. In various embodiments, the
second material composition comprises a beta titanium alloy. The
sintered billet of powdered metals may comprise between 4% and 6%
by weight iron, between 0.5% to 2% by weight aluminum, and between
6% to 9% by weight vanadium. The heat treated wire may comprise
between 0.25% and 0.50% by weight oxygen and between 0.001% and
0.015% by weight hydrogen. In various embodiments, the heat treated
wire is heat treated by at least one of annealing, solutionizing,
or aging. In various embodiments, the heat treated wire may undergo
at least one of a beta phase transformation, a beta anneal, or an
alpha-beta anneal during the at least one of annealing,
solutionizing, or aging.
[0007] In various embodiments, a method of additive manufacturing
comprises mixing a plurality of powdered metals comprising
titanium, iron, vanadium, and aluminum to produce a powder blend,
cold isostatic pressing and sintering the powder blend to form a
billet, performing a wire forming operation on the billet to
produce a worked wire, heat treating the worked wire to produce a
heat treated wire, loading a first structural element into an
additive manufacturing machine, printing a second structural
element of the heat treated wire integral to the first structural
element to form a part, and heat treating the part to generate a
functionally graded monolithic structure. In various embodiments,
the titanium is a titanium hydride powder and the first structural
element comprises a substantially Iron free Titanium alloy. In
various embodiments, the powder blend comprises between 4% and 6%
by weight iron, between 0.5% to 2% by weight aluminum, and between
6% to 9% by weight vanadium. In various embodiments, the sintering
is performed between 900.degree. F. and 1600.degree. F. and under a
vacuum.
[0008] The foregoing features and elements may be combined in
various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly
indicated herein otherwise. These features and elements as well as
the operation of the disclosed embodiments will become more
apparent in light of the following description and accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The subject matter of the present disclosure is particularly
pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the
specification. A more complete understanding of the present
disclosures, however, may best be obtained by referring to the
detailed description and claims when considered in connection with
the drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like
elements.
[0010] FIG. 1A illustrates an additively manufactured part, in
accordance with various embodiments;
[0011] FIG. 1B illustrates an additively manufactured part, in
accordance with various embodiments;
[0012] FIG. 2A illustrates a method for titanium wire additive
manufacturing, in accordance with various embodiments; and
[0013] FIG. 2B illustrates a continuation of a method from FIG. 2A
for titanium wire additive manufacturing, in accordance with
various embodiments; and
[0014] FIG. 3 illustrates a method of additive manufacturing, in
accordance with various embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The detailed description of exemplary embodiments herein
makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show exemplary
embodiments by way of illustration and their best mode. While these
exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable
those skilled in the art to practice the disclosures, it should be
understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical,
chemical, and mechanical changes may be made without departing from
the spirit and scope of the disclosures. Thus, the detailed
description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only
and not of limitation. For example, the steps recited in any of the
method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are
not necessarily limited to the order presented. Furthermore, any
reference to singular includes plural embodiments, and any
reference to more than one component or step may include a singular
embodiment or step. Also, any reference to attached, fixed,
connected or the like may include permanent, removable, temporary,
partial, full and/or any other possible attachment option.
Additionally, any reference to without contact (or similar phrases)
may also include reduced contact or minimal contact.
[0016] Titanium alloy Ti-185 has a relatively high tensile
strength; however, the high iron percentage of the alloy causes
segregation during conventional melting. Stated another way,
titanium alloys having iron compositions above 3% by weight tend to
have an iron composition prone to segregation by conventional
manufacture via melting. Powder metallurgy techniques such as, for
example, pressing and sintering may overcome the segregation issues
induced in conventional melt metallurgy, thereby enabling a lower
cost part. Alloying powder may be either elemental powders (e.g.,
Ti, Fe, V, Al), master alloy powders, or a combination thereof.
Sintered billets may be drawn or otherwise worked into a wire
feedstock for additive manufacturing operations. In this regard,
large, high strength titanium alloy components such as, for
example, pistons, bogie beams, torque links, brake rods, and/or the
like may be produced at reduced cost. Additionally, additive
manufacturing according to the process described herein may tend to
overcome macro segregation issues encountered in conventional melt
metallurgy and benefit of enhanced fatigue and ultimate
strength.
[0017] With reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, an additively
manufactured part 100 is illustrated with XYZ-axes provided for
reference in perspective view as shown in FIG. 1A and in cross
section through the XY-plane as shown in FIG. 1B in accordance with
various embodiments. Part 100 may comprises a functionally graded
structure characterized by a variation in structural material
composition between structural elements of a monolithic structure.
In this regard, the monolithic structure may be tailored to the
particular engineering design loads for each structural element as
a function of the material composition of the structural element
(i.e. functionally graded). Part 100 may comprise a first
structural element such as a base plate 102. In various embodiments
the first structural element may comprise one of a plate, a tube, a
rod, or a hollow structure. Base plate 102 comprises a first
metallic material such as one of a metal, an alloy, a titanium
alloy, and/or the like. In various embodiments, the first
structural element such as base plate 102 comprises an iron free
titanium alloy, or substantially less iron free titanium alloy of
up to 2.5 wt. % iron, or an alpha-beta titanium alloy such as, for
example, Ti-64 alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) conforming to SAE AMS 4911
comprising aluminum at 5.5-6.75 wt. %, vanadium at 3.5-4.5 wt. %,
yttrium at not more than 0.005 wt. %, iron at not more than 0.3 wt.
%, carbon at not more than 0.08 wt. %, nitrogen at not more than
0.05 wt. %, hydrogen at not more than 0.015 wt. %, a total of other
elements at not more than 0.4 wt. %, and with the balance of
titanium. Base plate 102 may be a rectilinear plate comprising a
first side 104, a second side 106, a third side 108, and a fourth
side 110 defining a first face 112 and a second face 114. In
various embodiments, base plate 102 may be of any alpha-beta alloy
known to those skilled in the art where low material cost tends to
be preferred over material strength.
[0018] In various embodiments, one or more second structural
elements such as first 116, second 118, third 120, and fourth 122
flange portions may be formed from the base plate 102. Each of the
second structural elements may comprise a second metallic material
such as one of a metal, an alloy, a titanium alloy, and/or the
like. In various embodiments, the flange portions (116, 118, 120,
122) comprise a titanium-iron alloy or a beta titanium alloy such
as, for example, Ti-185 alloy (Ti-1Al-8V-5Fe) comprising aluminum
at 0.8-1.5 wt. %, vanadium at 7.5-8.5 wt. %, iron at 4-6 wt. %,
oxygen at 0.25-0.5 wt. %, nitrogen at not more than 0.070 wt. %,
carbon at not more than 0.050 wt. %, and with the balance of
titanium. Each of the second structural elements, such as the
flange portions (116, 118, 120, 122), may be formed integrally with
the first structural element, such as the base plate 102, via an
additive manufacturing process. In various embodiments, the second
structural elements may extend radially outward of the first
structural element such as, for example, the tube and/or hollow
shape. The additive manufacturing process may include one of
selective laser melting, selective metal sintering, direct energy
deposition, wire deposition, wire arc, and/or any suitable additive
manufacturing process known to those in the art.
[0019] In various embodiments, one or more second structural
elements may be configured to alter the shape of additively
manufactured part 100 such as, for example, an "I" or "H" shaped
beam as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B. For example, part 100 may
comprise base plate 102 having first flange portion 116 proximate
first side 104 with second flange portion 118 proximate second side
106. Each of the first flange portion 116 and the second flange
portion 118 may extend perpendicular to base plate 102 from first
face 112. In this regard, additively manufactured part 100 may form
a relatively "C" shaped channel. In another embodiment, additively
manufactured part 100 may comprise base plate 102 having the first
flange portion 116 and the third flange portion 120 proximate first
side 104. The first flange portion may extend perpendicular to base
plate 102 from first face 112 and the third flange portion 120 may
extend perpendicular to base plate 102 from second face 114. In
this regard, additively manufactured part 100 may form a relatively
"T" shaped beam.
[0020] In various embodiments, additively manufactured part 100 may
comprise base plate 102 having the first flange portion 116
proximate first side 104 and the fourth flange portion 122
proximate second side 106. The first flange portion may extend
perpendicular to base plate 102 from first face 112 and the fourth
flange portion 122 may extend perpendicular to base plate 102 from
second face 114. In this regard, additively manufactured part 100
may form a relatively "S" shaped beam. In another embodiment,
additively manufactured part 100 may comprise base plate 102 having
the first flange portion 116 proximate first side 104. The first
flange portion may extend perpendicular to base plate 102 from
first face 112. In this regard, additively manufactured part 100
may form a relatively "L" shaped beam.
[0021] With additional reference to FIG. 2A, a method for titanium
wire additive manufacturing is illustrated according to various
embodiments. A plurality of powdered metals 202 comprising titanium
and iron are added to powder blender 204 and blended to consistency
to powder blend 206. In various embodiments, powder blend 206 may
comprise titanium and iron and any of oxygen, aluminum, vanadium,
and/or hydrogen. Powdered metals 202 may include titanium hydride
powder. Powder blend 206 may be between 4% and 6% by weight iron,
between 0.5% to 2% by weight aluminum, and between 6% to 9% by
weight vanadium. The input powders may contain oxygen levels
between 0.25% and 0.5% by weight and hydrogen levels up to 0.015%
by weight or between 0.001% and 0.015% by weight. In various
embodiments, powdered metals consist of Al--V master alloy and Fe
elemental powder blended with TiH.sub.2 powder. The billet
elemental weight percent may be adjusted to account for
vaporization of elements such as aluminum during the wire-fed
additive process tending thereby to ensure the additive
manufactured part is within a desired weight percent limit. In
various embodiments, the billet shape may be a solid round or other
shape as appropriate to input stock for wire drawing.
[0022] Powder blend 206 is loaded into sintering furnace 208 which
applies force 210 to compact the powder blend 206 and heat to
sinter the powder blend 206, thereby forming billet 212. In various
embodiments, the powder blend 206 may be compressed by cold
isostatic pressing to form a compressed shape prior to sintering.
In various embodiments, sintering furnace 208 may be a vacuum
sintering furnace and powder blend 206 may be compressed and heated
under a vacuum. In various embodiments, the compressed powder blend
206 may be heated to between 900.degree. F. [483.degree. C.] and
1600.degree. F. [871.degree. C.] for the sintering operation. In
this regard, the sintered billet may undergo beta phase
transformation. Sintering the powder blend 206 may include removing
gasses evolved from the powder blend 206 during sintering and
sintering furnace 208 may include a gas removal system and/or
control system. In various embodiments, oxygen, nitrogen, and/or
hydrogen may be removed from the powder blend 206 during sintering.
In various embodiments, billet 212 may undergo an annealing cycle
subsequent to sintering and prior to wire forming operations 216.
In various embodiments, the annealing cycle temperatures may be
between 1200.degree. F. [649.degree. C.]and 1400.degree. F.
[760.degree. C.].
[0023] Billet 212 may receive an initial anti-oxidation coating 214
prior to undergoing wire forming operations 216. In various
embodiments, wire forming operations 216 may draw the billet 212
that has been sintered into a wire of a desired diameter. Wire
forming operations 216 may include rotary swaging 218 via an array
of swaging dies 220 which exert force circumferentially about
billet 212, thereby reducing its diameter. Wire forming operations
216 may also include rolling 222 of billet 212 through rollers 224,
thereby reducing its diameter. Additionally, wire forming
operations 216 may include extruding 226 of billet 212 through die
228, thereby reducing its diameter. A plurality of wire forming
operations 216 may be conducted repeatedly or sequentially as
required to achieve a desired wire diameter for a worked wire 230.
In various embodiments, the diameter of billet 212 may be reduced
by wire forming operations 216 to a wire diameter between 0.0104 in
[0.265 mm] and 0.156 in [4.0 mm]. In various embodiments,
anti-oxidation coating 214 may be reapplied between successive wire
forming operations 216 as rotary swaging 218, rolling 222, and
extruding 226 tend to remove the coating. In various embodiments,
the worked billet 212 may undergo a metal pickling treatment
between wire forming operations 216. In this regard, scale
formation on billet 212, impurity, and oxygen uptake of billet 212
are reduced. In various embodiments, any of wire forming operations
216 may be conducted in a vacuum or under an inert gas such as, for
example, argon.
[0024] In various embodiments, worked wire 230 may undergo one or
more heat treatment operations 232, for example, in a heat treat
oven 234 between wire forming operations 216 (e.g., intermediate
heat treatments) and/or when worked wire 230 has achieved the
desired final diameter (e.g., final heat treatment) In this regard,
crack formation and oxide formation during wire forming operations
216 may be reduced. Heat treatment operations may include
solutionizing heat treatment, aging, and/or annealing. In various
embodiments, heat treatments may include a beta anneal and an alpha
beta anneal. For example, annealing between 1550.degree. F.
[843.degree. C.] and 1600.degree. F. [871.degree. C.] or annealing
between 1200.degree. F. [649.degree. C.] and 1400.degree. F.
[760.degree. C.] or annealing between 1300.degree. F. [705.degree.
C.] and 1350.degree. F. [732.degree. C.]. In various embodiments, a
solutionizing heat treatment may be between 1350.degree. F.
[732.degree. C.] and 1450.degree. F. [788.degree. C.]. In various
embodiments, an aging heat treatment may be between 800.degree. F.
[427.degree. C.] and 1100.degree. F. [593.degree. C.] or may be
adjusted to achieve a desired material property for wire
manufacture. In various embodiments, the heat treated wire may have
between 0.001% and 0.015% by weight hydrogen and may have between
0.25% and 0.5% by weight oxygen.
[0025] Heat treated alloy wire 236 may be coiled 238 onto feed
spools 240 and loaded in a wirefeed additive manufacturing machine
242 configured for heat treated alloy wire 236. Wirefeed additive
manufacturing machine 242 may comprise hardware and/or software
configured to perform additive manufacturing of an aerospace
component. In various embodiments, wirefeed additive manufacturing
may include laser wire metal deposition, electron beam additive
manufacturing, wire arc additive manufacturing and/or the like. In
various embodiments, wirefeed additive manufacturing machine 242
may be configured to deposit the heat treated wire on a substrate.
For example, the wirefeed additive manufacturing machine 242 may be
configured with a turntable, gantry style or rotating head and
tailstock style. In various embodiments, the wirefeed additive
manufacturing machine 242 may incorporate a single or a multiple
wirefeed system and be capable of delivering the heat treated alloy
wire 236 at a rate of of 0.5 in/min [1.27 cm/min] to 25 in/min
[63.5 cm/min] and may have deposition rates between 1 and 20
lbs/hour [0.45 and 9 kg/hr]. Wirefeed additive manufacturing
machine 242 may produce a metallic aerospace component 244 from
heat treated alloy wire 236. Metallic aerospace component 244 may
undergo a component heat treat process 245 similar to heat
treatment operations 232.
[0026] In various embodiments and with additional reference to FIG.
3, a method 300 of manufacturing a functionally graded metallic
part is illustrated. Method 300 may include loading a first
structural element into an additive manufacturing machine (step
302). For example, base plate 102 may be loaded in to wirefeed
additive manufacturing machine 242. Method 300 includes printing a
second structural element integral to the first structural element
to form a part (step 304). For example, heat treated alloy wire 236
may be continuously deposited over first face 112 of plate 102 to
form a flange portion such as, for example, first flange portion
116, of part 100. Method 300 may include heat treating the part
(step 306) for example by one of annealing, solutionizing, or aging
to generate a functionally graded monolithic structure. As will be
appreciated by those skilled in the art, the functionally graded
monolithic structure may benefit of as printed part heat treating
and heat treating variables may be tailored in consideration of the
first material composition and the second material composition. The
heat treating temperature may tend to drive similar microstructural
transformations, such as, for example overlapping the annealing
temperatures. In one embodiment, for example incorporating a
Ti-6Al-4V base plate and additive manufactured Ti-185 features
having annealing temperatures of 1300.degree. F. [705.degree. C.]
to 1650.degree. F. [899.degree. C.] and 1250.degree. F.
[677.degree. C.] to 1350.degree. F. [732.degree. C.], respectively,
the as printed structure may be annealed between 1300.degree. F.
[705.degree. C.] and 1350.degree. F. [732.degree. C.].
Alternatively, the heat treating temperature may drive different
microstructural transformations. In another embodiment, an
alpha-beta annealing temperature of Ti-6Al-4V may serve as a beta
annealing temperature for Ti-185, as the beta transus temperature
for Ti-185 (1525.degree. F. [830.degree. C.]) is markedly different
than for Ti-6Al-4V (1825.degree. F. [996.degree. C.]). Such a heat
treatment may result in a functionally graded part having differing
microstructures tailored for a desired structural performance of a
part feature such as, for example, a Widmenstattan or lamella
structure for one titanium alloy (e.g., the first material
composition), and a mill annealed microstructure for the other
(e.g., the second material composition). Method 300 may include
finish machining the part (step 306) such as, for example, by a
subtractive manufacturing process.
[0027] Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have
been described herein with regard to specific embodiments.
Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures
contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional
relationships and/or physical couplings between the various
elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional
functional relationships or physical connections may be present in
a practical system. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to
problems, and any elements that may cause any benefit, advantage,
or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be
construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements
of the disclosures.
[0028] The scope of the disclosures is accordingly to be limited by
nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an
element in the singular is not intended to mean "one and only one"
unless explicitly so stated, but rather "one or more." Moreover,
where a phrase similar to "at least one of A, B, or C" is used in
the claims, it is intended that the phrase be interpreted to mean
that A alone may be present in an embodiment, B alone may be
present in an embodiment, C alone may be present in an embodiment,
or that any combination of the elements A, B and C may be present
in a single embodiment; for example, A and B, A and C, B and C, or
A and B and C. Different cross-hatching is used throughout the
figures to denote different parts but not necessarily to denote the
same or different materials.
[0029] Systems, methods and apparatus are provided herein. In the
detailed description herein, references to "one embodiment", "an
embodiment", "an example embodiment", etc., indicate that the
embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure,
or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include
the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover,
such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment.
Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is
described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it
is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such
feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other
embodiments whether or not explicitly described. After reading the
description, it will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant
art(s) how to implement the disclosure in alternative
embodiment
[0030] Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the
present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public
regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is
explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is intended to
invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) unless the element is expressly recited
using the phrase "means for." As used herein, the terms
"comprises", "comprising", or any other variation thereof, are
intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process,
method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements
does not include only those elements but may include other elements
not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article,
or apparatus.
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