A NEW PROCESS TO MANUFACTURE TITANIUM NEAR‐NET SHAPES

摘要

Reducing the buy‐to‐fly ratio is a major concern forrnthe aerospace industry. A number of developmentrnprograms are aiming at reducing this ratio.rn‐METEC Powder Metal AB has developed arntechnology which allows to manufacture near‐netrnshape parts of up to 6lbs (limitation only linked tornthe present equipment, the process could allowrnbigger parts).rn‐METEC is currently making parts in stainless steelrnor tool steel from powder in its Swedish facility inrnKarlskoga. The process is proprietary and protectedrnby 5 patents. It can start from any kind of powder.rn‐A Research & Development program has beenrngoing on for one year to apply the process to thernmanufacturing of titanium parts. Parts with 98%rndensity and forged products properties havernalready been made, full density and completernforged product properties should be reached byrnyear end.rn‐The process allows to make multilevel shapedrnproducts with an extremely economical process duernto the reduced number of heat cycles and absencernof material loss.