CN1430544A - Method for making near-net-shape molds - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a near net shape mold made of weldable material, the method comprising establishing a computer model of a mold portion (30, 32); analytically dividing the computer model of the mold portion into a plurality of mold regions (22); forming a die area cutting path for a cutter to follow; cutting the weldable material into a plurality of die areas; forming a surface-shaped cutting path for a cutting machine to follow; machining a surface shape in the mold region; assembling the mold sections by placing the mold sections side by side; forming a welding path for an electron beam welding machine to follow; and welding the mold sections together.

Description

Make ten thousand methods of near net-shape mold

Technical field

The present invention relates to Mold Making.Particularly, the present invention relates to make a kind of technology of mould, this technology is each mould segment of machining (mold segment) individually, then these mould segments is linked together in proper order.

Background technology

Check to be used for producing molder tool that the perhaps various technologies of mould will help showing the benefit of process of the present invention.At present, those Mold Making processes that are used for vehicle, the consumer goods, apparatus, computer and consumer electronic industry are loaded down with trivial details, relate to countless steps, the overlong time between going into operation from the product design to reality.Below be the several examples that need the part of mould:

Part is such as giving birth to sheet stock compression moulding (SMC) or sheet stock reaction injection molding method (SRIM)

The car body or the structural panel that produce, and injection molded part, as bumper bar shell, inlet manifold,

Instrument board or the like;

The consumer goods, as dustbin, laundry with hoop, bucket, hold-up vessel, or the like;

Apparatus is as vacuum cleaner, washing machine and dish-washing machine;

Computer case is as notebook, desktop computer and server.

The consumer appliances shell that is used for radio, television set etc.The die manufacturing cost of these parts differs, from the mould of simple, small size, and 000, to a very large A level (Class A) mould automobile, that can produce more than 100 ten thousand parts, more than 000,000.

After the design of part and mould is finished, there are two kinds of traditional approach to begin to make a big mould.If make the part of mould is not too dark, and mainly is smooth profile, and this mould can form from a solid instrument bloom machining.If it is very big to make the part of mould, and has dark profile, can be cast as a nearly clean shape (near net-shape) to tool steel earlier, and then machining.In both cases, mold profile all is to be formed by the tool steel that has hardened (general Rc 30-40) roughing, this be one slowly and expensive technical process requires with large volume, powerful machining center, this will spend thousands of dollar up to a million.Though foundry goods can compare near final mold shape, the as cast condition surface is uncertain accurately, so the first road cutting processing must slowly carefully, bang into cast(ing) surface to avoid cutter.Use solid steel block, can use machining confidently, still, must machine away a large amount of mold materials.In both cases, to finishing surperficial roughing, very most of Production Time accounts for from Element Design.Take half of production time from designing a big vehicle mould the used time to casting, and roughing spends other 20% time again.For cutting the injection molding of die cavity and core from solid steel block, according to the mould material and the finishing requirements that must machine away, the full-time 30%-70% that can account for is processed in rough cut.

After roughing was finished, fine finishining began.For many big moulds, owing to the distinct requirement to rigidity, power, precision, roughing is to finish on different equipment with fine finishining.Can effectively finish simultaneously slightly, accurately machined machine is extremely expensive.The most frequently used method of the big mould of fine finishining is to use ball end mill, and with the very little depth of cut.This is a process slowly, be to guarantee dimensional accuracy, requires cutting road number very high and cutting output is very little.So fine finishining can account for up to 30% from lead time.Discharge processing (EDM) is another kind of the selection, in mould fine finishining, even the achieving success of mold polish aspect, still, when being used for big mould, faster unlike machining usually.

The next step of mould production is pincers worker, that is the grinding and buffing stage.Even the modernism of utilization, this also is very labour-intensive process, depends on that Surface Finishing requires and the fine finishining quality, this process can account for 15-20% from lead time.Generally need the obviously less pincers worker amount of labour with discharge processing (EDM) accurately machined mould.

Final step is mould assembling and all auxiliary lining, pin and other mold components of machining.A difficult process process is deep drilling cooling or a heat tunnel in mould.Because the draw ratio of these passages can reach more than 100 in big mould, must especially carefully use lining insert supports drill rods during boring.This has increased the technology cost widely.For guaranteeing mould dimensionally stable under pressure, and enough heat-transfer characters are arranged, also require to have suitable accuracy, in the mould of casting, heating or cooling duct can cast out sometimes, but must remove inner burr, and the position of the relative die surface of these passages that can not know for sure.

To big Mold Making, traditional machining has reached its potential limit.The difficulty of improving these technologies is:

Long very slowly from the lead time of casting;

The speed of removing hardened steel is limited, causes the roughing cycle long;

In finishing step,, require feed velocity very slow for keeping dimensional accuracy;

For keeping the quality of ball end mill otch, require the cutter spindle rotating speed low, feed is slow;

The cooling duct is confined to straight channel, and difficult boring.

Some newer technologies are used, and this has obvious improvement to those older technologies.Advanced machinery processing and nickel shell mould (nickel shell tool) are to accelerate two of big mould production successful method, yet diversified rapid processing technology also impacts to finding market.These technologies can be described below:

From the introducing of computer numerical control technology (CNC), a much progress of field of machining is high-speed machine tool (High Velocity Machines, birth HVM).High-speed machine tool has changed the mode of big Mold Making.

For ease of comparing, traditional Mechanical Processing Center (machining center) operating condition is: the cutter spindle rotating speed is 200-6000rpm; Feed velocity is 1-4m/min.When high complex surface that cutting accuracy requires, these old Computerized digital control systems usually limit feed velocity less than 1m/min.Furthermore, these heavy mechanical alteration directions are also slow, and general acceleration is at 0.1g or following.As follows from the canonical process of a big mould of a bloom cutting:

Fall the material of 10mm from this bloom surface cut, the surface with this processed mistake is a benchmark then, resets machining tool;

Plain milling cutter roughing with a 100mm goes out a two-dimentional die cavity, and it is similar to final geometry;

Continue roughing with a 50mm round end slotting cutter and go out the die cavity profile, its notch depth reaches 25mm, and feed velocity reaches 2m/min, stroke (step over) 10mm;

With 25,20 and the 10mm slotting cutter finish the roughing of mold cavity profile, feed velocity reaches 3m/min;

Rough machined mould is moved on on the finishing machine, and it has the higher low-power of precision, quick cutter spindle;

With 10,6 and this mold profile of 4mm slotting cutter fine finishining, its feed velocity is generally 3m/min, and stroke is little of 0.2mm, forms the tip height between the 0.04-0.01mm; And

Polishing is also polished this mold profile, according to the different surfaces requirement, spends 50-400 hour.

For high-speed machine tool (HVM), its member and electronic system ratio system in the past have much higher operational capacity.The key member of a high-speed machine tool is its main shaft.These main shaft devices depend on pottery, fluid dynamic or magnetic bearing, make its tool speed far above traditional machine tool, and its running speed is 10,000-60,000rpm.For utilizing these high-speed, lathe must accurately keep feed velocity more fast.Accurate ball threaded rod or linear motor make its high-speed cruising in conjunction with casting structure lighter, computer optimization, and next generation computer numerical control simultaneously (CNC) increases batch process speed to guarantee positional precision.The speed of this high-speed machine tool cutting material is the twice of traditional machine tool, and better precision and surface quality are arranged.Even under so high speed, all otch have the smooth finish surface quality.Further, with littler slotting cutter, its feed velocity can fade to 30m/min from 3m/min with the acceleration of 3g,, therefore, reduce the fine finishining time widely.In addition, available less path increment, tapering off to a point highly is lower than 0.005mm, can sharply reduce even eliminate the bench work amount like this.

Unfortunately, high-speed machine tool (HVM) is very big and expensive at present, and its price is 10 times of traditional machine tool.Although this big, leading capital requires to hinder most instruments on a small scale to adopt this technology with the mould factory, auto industry has recognized that the employing high-speed machine tool has huge income in productivity ratio with from being designed into aspect the time between operation.Those dropped into high-speed machine tool than semiworks may since with the mach technology difference of tradition experience difficulties, but through after one period running-in period, they almost report always saved great amount of cost and shortened from lead time.

Nickel vapour deposition process (NVD) is the another kind of selectable quick manufacturing process with respect to traditional mould nickel shell electrotyping forming method.The nickel vapour deposition process is deposited on nickle atom on the master mold (pattern) singly with the chemical reaction between nickel and the carbon monoxide.This technology is with the pure nickel of the deposited at rates 99.998% of 0.25mm/hr, and it has sodium meter level feature resolution.Quick with this, the nickel shell that wall thickness is 6mm can form in 24 hours.

The nickel vapour deposition process is from making master mold.The final use that depends on moulding, master mold can process with various material mechanicals, but general with the metal manufacturing that does not contain the hole.For fast deposition, this master mold will be heated to 175-180 ℃.Under this high temperature, mould expands and must consider, to obtain high-precision shell.Although zinc, stainless steel, copper, brass successfully utilized already, the most frequently used metal mother material is cast aluminium or 6061 aluminium sheets.Wood, plastics and other material are suitable for the nickel vapour deposition process of lower temperature (slower).These master molds are coated conductive coating before deposition.Because the deposition of nickel one next atom, the surface characteristics on the master mold can accurately be duplicated, so if desired, wood grain can be duplicated easily.

After master mold forms, must in a clean room, carefully clean, to prevent blemish.Then this master mold is put in the low-pressure chamber and deposited.The nickel steam is imported into this low-pressure chamber, and is deposited on this master mold surface.Deposit thickness is generally about 4-6mm, and possible deposit thickness arrives above 35mm at the part millimeter.When depositing to desirable thickness, with non-invasive technology housing is separated from master mold, this makes master mold to clean and to re-use.This nickel housing is placed in the mould supporter subsequently.Itself can be machined this housing, polishes, weld, and does general the processing as most of die surfaces.

Because the nickel gas-phase deposition deposits with a low-pressure chamber, this low-pressure chamber has determined the full-size of part.Available very large chamber, and be general to the master mold of 1.2m * 2.5m greatly.The housing precision depends on the master mold size, but generally can reach 0.15-0.25mm.Certainly, tolerance also depends on the fine finishining after housing places supporter.As the nickel shell made from other method, the housing of nickel vapour deposition also has good performance.It is more durable than steel, and is antirust, and good dimensional stability is arranged.In addition, this technology does not produce residual stress in housing, and forms uniform housing, has any desirable surface structure, as master mold.The nickel shell is repairable, and adopts the nickel vapour deposition process can produce a plurality of shells within a couple of days.

Another newer formative technology adopts the composite die structure, in conjunction with conformal cooling system (conformalcooling), to reduce circulation timei, reduces the moulding cost, and improves the injection molding performance, as heat-conductive characteristic.This technology is drawn the model of part and mould insert (moldinsert) earlier with the auxiliary design of three-dimensional computer (CAD) method, computer numerical control then (CNC) machine tooling goes out a master mold by free machining material.This master mold is coated conductive silver coating with conduction, the nickel of about 2mm in the electroforming then.In the electroformed nickel shell, design and making and the conformal cooling duct of part geometry size are positioned over the nickel shell back side then.Then master mold, nickel shell and the cooling system that conforms to profile are put into second electrotyping bath, be coated with copper coating.It is thick that this copper coating is generally 4-6mm, and cooling system is sealed.

Common whole nickel/copper component supports to form a shell with the proprietary composite with high compression-strength again.All three kinds of material coefficient of thermal expansion coefficients (CTE) closely cooperate, to prevent the shell delamination.The hole of ejector and pin, cooling import and outlet connection, the texture that may need, and other traditional characteristic all can be included.Shell fits into the Standard Module pedestal of production usefulness subsequently.

The mould that this explained hereafter goes out has rational hardness, very accurate nickel surface, and the copper substrate of high conductivity.The cooling duct not only conforms to the die surface shape, can cool off more equably, and design the surface area bigger than annular cooling channel, has the feature that causes the disturbance fluid, to increase the pyroconductivity of cooling fluid.Because the material that is injection molding can cool off in mould more equably sooner, finished parts can reduce internal stress and warpage.Equally, reach 75% than the traditional moulds minimizing circulation timei of this moulded component, generally can reduce 20-30%.Per minute is molded to more part and means and increased output and need not buy unnecessary machine.

The life-span that a shortcoming of this technology is this finished product mould is long not as the respective steel mould.Yet the nickel shell can be changed or repair with electroforming, welding, and these die tests have shown mouldable at least 270,000 parts.Shortcoming is that the finishing housing may expend 4-5 week.Equally, this mould maximum temperature is between 190-204 ℃ (being 375-400 °F), and maximum injection pressure is between 70-100MPa.At present, the accuracy of this mould can compare favourably with the mach mould of computer numerical control.These moulds can be competed mutually with Standard Module on cost, and the production time be 8-10 week (the most time flower is in tediously long electroforming process), but guaranteeing a large amount of savings aspect reducing circulation timei.

Also have other various new Modeling Technology, its target be the mould produced its from lead time than traditional machined much shorter.These technology in fact all are based on certain accelerated model and make (RP) technology, for example, and stereosopic printing or powdered-metal sintering.Many technology can form conformal cooling duct in mould.The purpose of these technologies is to shorten from being designed into the time between the operation, and its way is directly to obtain a finished product mould from the model of a CAD (CAD), eliminates machined and most of bench work amount.Be some leading technologies below:

Fast solidification technology (RSP): the liquid mold materials of this Process heat inert gas atomizer.This drop is sprinkled upon on the substrate, produces last part layer by layer;

Resin bonding technology: this process using based on the deposition techniques resin adhesive of ink-jet printer on one deck tool steel powder." green compact " part of Xing Chenging is through sintering thus, and its binding agent is burnt, and infiltrates second kind of metal then and forms complete closely knit part.

Tungsten carbide/steel technology: this process using stereosopic printing machine is produced the model of a part.This model is as the master mold of silicon rubber mould.Then, the mixture of tool steel, tungsten carbide and binding agent is poured in the mould, and sintering infiltrates subsequently;

Select sintering process: this process using CO ₂The instrument comminuted steel shot part of laser sintered polymer bonding similarly infiltrates then.

The epoxy resin steel: this technology also is to begin with a RP master mold, but the part that casts out is the mixture of the epoxy resin of 90% steel and 10%.It is said that this material is high temperature resistant, and the compressive strength higher than aluminium arranged.

The clean shape technology (LENS) of Laser Processing: this technology focuses on high-power laser on one substrate, and metal dust is ejected into layer by layer under computer control and forms a closely knit fully near clean shape part on the substrate.

From the front, these technologies can both form conformal cooling duct, and RSP and LENS potential in conjunction with hard tool steel and combarloy in same part, form concentration gradient gradually at interface zone.Some can also be formed in set of sensors in the mould in these technologies.The most important thing is that traditional relatively machined was shortened widely from lead time.

From negative,, all be not useable for big mould though these technologies have many good qualities to finding.Accelerated model method (RP) and sintering process have inborn random error and shrink composition, and this makes the entire die precision can not be better than 0.1%.To the accessory size of a 25cm, the error that this will cause 0.25mm, be general machine dies 5-10 doubly.If these moulds require fine finishining, its cost and will disappear from the advantage that is designed into production time.In addition, the per kilogram cost of flash mould material is much higher than cast copper or block steel, and this makes these technologies expensive more for big mould.

Therefore, even these flash mould technology of nearest exploitation are arranged, big die casting producers have been recognized only by adopting high-speed machine tool (HVM) or nickel shell technology to reduce cost and shortening from lead time.The success of these technologies in less mould market indicating in minimizing will obtain immense value from aspect lead time and circulation timei.

Technology of the present invention is a Mold Making technology, especially for big mould, is expected to reduce half from lead time, and improves part quality and shorten circulation timei, makes mould have some characteristics that present technology does not have.Technology of the present invention is expected already to improve existing way by following one or more mould manufacturing, molding processing and tool die of being improved to:

Reduce or exempt casting and roughing operation

Benefit: significantly reduce from being designed into the time between the operation

Increase the productivity ratio of existing Mechanical Processing Center

Reducing part handles and labor cost

Add and the conformal heating/cooling duct of part geometry shape

Benefit: circulation timei faster

Littler temperature fluctuation

Increase the productive rate of mold apparatus

Reduce warpage and residual stress

The competitiveness and the productive rate of increase instrument and mould industry

Benefit: for client shortens from lead time and saving cost.

The present invention is at time and the cost of others by significantly reducing Mold Making, and improves quality and improve current mould manufacturing.

Summary of the invention

Advantage of the present invention and purpose will partly be addressed among description subsequently, and partly clear because of these descriptions, perhaps can understand by enforcement of the present invention.

For obtaining advantage of the present invention and reach purpose of the present invention, as specializing and broadly described the same herein, by one of a board making closely only the method for shape part at first comprise the step of cutting, machining, assembling and welding.Cutting step comprises this board-like material is cut into more than one a zone that each zone has a length, a width and a degree of depth.Mechanical processing steps is included in that machining goes out a surface configuration on the degree of depth at least one these a plurality of zone and the width.This installation step comprises these a plurality of zones is assembled up side by side.This welding step comprises this system realm is welded together.

Secondly, the method of being made a nearly clean shape part by board-like material comprises modeling (creating), analytical ground subregion (analytically sectioning), setting-out (generating), cutting, setting-out, machining, assembling, setting-out and welding step.This modeling procedure comprises a computer model setting up a mould segment.This analytical subregion step comprises this computer model of this mould segment is divided into a plurality of model areas analytically.First setting-out step comprises the cutting approach that forms this die region of following for cutting machine.This cutting step comprises this board-like material is cut into more than one a zone that each die region has a length, a width and a degree of depth.Second setting-out comprises the cutting approach that forms the surface configuration of following for cutting machine.This mechanical processing steps is included in surface configuration of machining on the degree of depth at least one these a plurality of zone and the width.This installation step comprises these a plurality of zones is assembled up side by side.The 3rd setting-out step comprises the welding approach of following for bonding machine that forms.And this welding step comprises these a plurality of zones is welded together.

It should be understood that aforesaid general description and detailed description subsequently all just illustrate, is not limitation of the present invention.

Description of drawings

In conjunction with in this manual and constitute the accompanying drawing of the part of this explanation, express several embodiments of the present invention, and illustrate principle of the present invention with specification.

Fig. 1 represent one can be constructed in accordance the exemplary injection molding core of bumper skin;

Fig. 2 shows the computer depiction of last female die that can be constructed in accordance;

Fig. 3 show one can be constructed in accordance the model of mould;

Fig. 4 shows the model of the Fig. 3 that is divided into the zone;

Fig. 5 A-5C shows the manufacturing process of institute's favored area of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 schematically show can be constructed in accordance a mould supporting base;

The jet biasing of Fig. 7 schematic depiction one water jet;

Fig. 8 schematically illustrates an electron beam welding machine and an electron gun;

Fig. 9 schematically illustrates keyhole welding;

Figure 10 schematic depiction diffusion brazing process;

Zone of forming by the subregion of different materials of Figure 11 schematic depiction; And

Figure 12 shows a typical process chart.

The specific embodiment

In detail with reference to illustrative examples of the present invention, this embodiment is shown in the drawings now.In institute's drawings attached, same or analogous part will be as far as possible with identical Reference numeral.

Can predict,, will shorten dramatically technology mfg. moulding die of the present invention or mould segment by the not available mold feature of prior art, particularly big mould, also have medium mould or any complex geometric shapes mould from lead time; Simultaneously, improve part quality and shorten circulation timei.Technology of the present invention can be ready to one offer die making shop with accurately machined near net-shape mold or mould segment, and only spends the part of casting or used time of roughing die cavity, can save material and time.In an example, the present invention can also be in conjunction with conformal heating/cooling duct.Circulation timei can be reduced in conformal heating/cooling duct like this, and big molded parts is estimated to reduce 20-75%, thereby reduces manufacturing cost.Fig. 1 shows the injection molding core 20 of the bumper bar shell of a suggestion, and wherein half of each area part 22 is made into perspective view, to show inner heating/cooling duct 24.

In an example, technology of the present invention is made near net-shape mold or mould segment with the part or the zone of the relative thin of three kinds of current major technique means cause metallic plates: 5 abrasive material water spray cutting, electron beam welding (EBW) and based on the knowledge of CAD (CAD).For example, the thinner region of metallic plate can be formed by the same tool steel plate through polishing, and these steel plates can spray the cutting machine cutting with 5 abrasive material water.The zone of these mould segments can be in interior heating and the cooling duct that forms complexity, and these passages conform to mold profile, thereby improves the temperature homogeneity and the heat conduction of finished product mould.These zones can be in its indoor assembling of electron beam welding of being welded (EBW) and fixing, and for example penetration depth can reach 100mm.This heating and cooling duct can deburrings, such as available abrasive processing method (AFM), this mould is transported to the client do fine finishining and polishing then.

Cast a near net-shape mold and can reduce the quantity of material that in machined, must remove, but need to make master mold, and optimize pouring technology to obtain complete closely knit foundry goods, this will offset any from being designed into the advantage aspect the production time, and only be useful on and have the most maximum mould of dark profile and just save cost.Technology of the present invention is sought the near net-shape mold similar to the foundry goods that can be finish-machined to the finished product mould, but does not have foundry goods distinctive from being designed into the very long and limited shortcoming of precision of production time.

In an example, technology of the present invention will be set about from the model of the part of molding.This model is a computer model preferably.Mould enterprise be made and be sent to this model can with common way.Traditionally, this mould enterprise designing mould geometry and parting line, and the position of definite deep drilling heating/cooling duct.As shown in Figure 2, the solid model of core half module 30 and die cavity half module 32 can be created, and checks whether conflict is arranged.Moreover this model is a computer model preferably.Also can carry out cavity filling process (mold filling process) analysis and predict the performance of mould.In a preferred examples, this analysis can be the computer numerical analysis.In another example, can develop a CNC drilling program comes mold materials (as a tool steel) is carried out roughing and fining-off operation.

In the design link of an example of technology of the present invention, determining to be different from traditional mold production process aspect heating and/or the position, cooling duct.These heating and cooling duct 24 are shown in the semi-transparent perceived model of Fig. 3, and can be used as is the feature of mold former and adding.The interaction software instrument that employing has a NONLINEAR HEAT TRANSFER analysis can be determined the optimum position and the geometry of this heating and cooling duct 24, guarantees that finishing die has suitable heat conduction and structural behaviour.

Have at least two kinds of methods to add conformal heating and cooling duct.Passage can water sprays the cross section that cutting machine passes each plate and cuts out, and is linked together then and forms final passage; Perhaps available mechanical processing method along or pass suitable regional cross section and process passage.Arbitrary method all is expected to significantly reduce the temperature fluctuation along die surface, thereby cuts down residual stress, improves the quality of mould parts.

In an example, hot transmission can be finished by the pulse cooling method.The pulse cooling method is different from traditional continuous cooling method, can change and control flow of coolant in the mould.Can carry out according to the temperature sensor reading such as mobile control.Mould is not remained on a steady temperature, but allow mould in cavity filling process, to heat, adopt the cooling agent of cooling rapidly mould to be dropped to calcining temperature then.The efficient that the pulse cooling is increased is based on the principle that thermal conductivity is proportional to the temperature difference.Heat when filling type by the permission mould, and utilize colder cooling agent, the temperature difference is expected to be three times in normal cooling.

In an example, the pulse cooling can be operated as follows.The first, fill and close cooling agent stream during the type, flow freely in mould to allow hot resin, increase mold temperature simultaneously.Since less than mold heat to the resin flows resistance, so it is very fast to fill type.The second, after filling type and finishing, thus the pulse cooling agent by mould cooling die and part rapidly.Increased hot transmission and reduced the cool cycles time because colder cooling agent flows into suddenly, so this causes very fast cooling.Other benefit of pulse cooling comprises the stress that reduces finished parts, reduces the warpage of finished parts, and improves the quality of finished parts.The pulse cooling also allows the outer mold surface to heat as a part in the mold cycle, thereby reduces the chance in the die surface condensation.

The benefit addition of the benefit of conformal cooling and pulse cooling, thereby shorten circulation timei widely.Further, can conformal cooling duct of optimal design and mould inside structure, to utilize the pulse cooling technology and to increase the pulse cooling effectiveness.By removing unnecessary material in the mould, such as by means of finite element analysis, total thermal capacity of mould can reduce.This can accelerate the overall heating and cooling of mould, feasible easier fast lifting mold temperature.In an example, mould can heat before injecting resin stream wittingly, and is more beneficial when filling type.By hotter melt, thinner part can molding, and the welding pattern can significantly reduce.In another example of the present invention, can be with the finite element analysis of the dynamic Analysis of heat transfer integrated structure of instrument, with the pulse cooling of optimal design mould.In another example of the present invention, the method of making near net-shape mold can improve the benefit of pulse cooling, since before injecting resin to mold heated, thereby increase the molten mass flow rate, and so that being reduced to calcining temperature, mold temperature provides higher heat transfer rate at the pulse cooling agent.

According to an example of the present invention, after mould geometry is determined, it is divided into a plurality of regional 22 analytically.The preferred number in this zone 22 and width depend on the thickness and the die size of part geometry shape, available processing plate.Fig. 4 shows the situation after the lower mold half 32 of Fig. 3 is divided into zone 22.

In a preferred examples, the next procedure of technology of the present invention is to form 5 abrasive material water to spray the cutting approach that cutting machines are used, so that the zone 22 that cuts out nearly clean shape by the machining sheet of suitable thickness (such as, the same tool steel plate of polishing).A zone among Fig. 4, zone 26 can be used as an example.At first, set up the rectangular profile in zone 26, preferably use computer model, and as mach basis, shown in Fig. 5 A.Create skew surface (offsetsurface) 27 of finished product mould geometry, to guarantee leaving enough surpluses, shown in Fig. 5 B for last machined analytically.Such as, be 5 machined programs of restriction with a knowledge with the water jet performance, analyticity ground forms the cutting approach of cutting machine, and this cutting machine can cut this machining sheet to such an extent that approach this skew die surface as far as possible like this.Can also be formed for forming the approach of heating and cooling duct 24.

In this example, this processing plate is cut to this profile subsequently, and be fixed on the cutting machine (such as, water sprays cutting machine), move this program then.If necessary, can form in the plate in processing and reach the dark otch of 20cm.In Fig. 5 B, jet cutting surface is labeled as surface 28.Material 29 for example can be removed in finishing step subsequently, shown in Fig. 5 C.As an example, although water sprays cutting machine some limitation are arranged, (such as not cutting along the acute angle of zone length direction) still is expected surface that most of water spray cutting within the 3mm of finished surface or littler.This is the acceptable degree of depth of finishing machine.Require to have the place of acute angle at mould, must remove unnecessary material.Thereby, in an example of the present invention,, in the computer numerical control manufacturing procedure, can enroll some half rough machined programs in order to remove these unnecessary materials.Selectively, these half roughing also can be finished by finishing machine.

But abrasive material water sprays a kind of novel and attractive system of selection that cutting technique is the various materials of cutting.Abrasive material water spraying machine almost can cut any material: stone, plastics, metal, composite and glass.Modern control appliance makes water injection cutting machine have much higher cutting speed than computer numerical control machined or discharge processing, and good accuracy is arranged, and simultaneously, it is more cheap, more general than laser and plasma cutting process that water sprays cutting technique.In many situations by other machine operation traditionally, the benefit that abrasive material water sprays cutting technique makes it become a kind of effective solution of saving money very much.

Abrasive material water injection cutting machine utilizes High-Pressure Water and solid abrasive particle to cut and wears material.Be used for the water spraying machine of cuts sheet material prevailing be 2 or 3 machines, yet its operation is equal to 5 or multiaxis structure more, can cut with the angle that surpasses 45 ° and wear material.This machine generally includes stand (gantry) X, the Y-axis navigation system of a frame above the big estrade of trough of belt.Element mounting drops on the trough of belt platform, and the unnecessary water and the material of removal flow in the pond down from groove.The hydraulic pressure that high pressure increase pump offers nozzle is between 350 to 400MPa, and water mixes with abrasive grain in nozzle with computer-controlled speed.The mixing velocity control cutting process of particle also makes the cutting speed maximum.

Water sprays cutting technique and has many glamours.Water sprays can accurately cut the material of almost any thickness between 0.025 to 14cm.Although cutting when wearing very thick material, abrasive material water sprays may lose some precision, but still can cut the steel of wearing 40cm.It is minimum that 0.08-0.15cm thin joint-cutting is reduced to waste material, and because cutter can and stop in the starting Anywhere of raw material, so they are more than other technology from part that a whole block material cuts out.Because the chip that its leftover pieces soaked than the agent that is cooled is more prone to be recycled into clean blank, waste material further reduces.Another advantage that water sprays cutting technique is the precision of its cold conditions cutting.Because water sprays cutting machine scaling loss material never in any form, it has been avoided by annealing effect and the residual stress of other method in the piece surface generation.As metal and plastics can be easily and accurately cutting to heat sensitive material, its tolerance is in 0.13mm or better.In addition, there are not burr or scaling loss corner to remain subsequent treatment.

Water sprays cutting technique can cut laser and plasma cutting process inefficient reflectivity of institute and heat-sensitive material, and its precision is much better than laser and plasma and cuts any of this two kinds of methods.The cutting speed office of water injection cutting is formed on the complexity of the thickness and the cutting approach of material.Although most water spraying machines can move fast to surpass 1.5m/min, most of cutting speeds at 0.127cm/min between the 1.3m/min.When comparing with traditional computer Numerical control cutting technology with discharge processing, cutting speed is a key issue.It is faster, more general than these methods that water sprays cutting machine, has very approaching tolerance.In addition, the water injection cutting machine with 5 controls can cut out almost any in any material and the very approaching complicated shape of its final size.

Because this processes expend abrasive material composition is generally diamond dust, not have cost fully so water sprays cutting technique.When considering the wearing and tearing nozzle, during all costs of abrasive material and machine operation, a water sprays the operating cost Yue Wei $100/hr of cutting machine.Water sprays the amount that the cutting cost major part depends on the abrasive diamond that each part consumes, the speed that its spray beam that is proportional to no unnecessary deflection is advanced.Preferably produce area segments (zone section) with rational speed and cost, thereby, preferably be increased in the speed of cutting complex curve in the processing plate as far as possible.Because it all is to finish with diaxon or three workbench that nearly all abrasive material water sprays cutting technique, relevant 5 cutting datas seldom.Yet the tolerance of known control complex cuts is only tested related material and curvature.Obtain the required speed of low-cost part, require exploitation one model,, and interrelate at the thickness of this angle material the curvature of part and spray beam angle.These contacts are preferably set up at each mold materials that will consider, and are integrated in the software in order to the control machine.

Though it is exceedingly useful instrument that water sprays cutting machine, it is new technology after all.New technology constantly develops, and to optimize its behavior in service, expands its ability.In order to optimize the zone that utilizes abrasive material water to spray the cutting tool steel, must grasp the behavior in service of its equipment in advance.Preferred cutting speed is expected to change with curvature, to the 10cm slab, its speed between 5-20mm/min, therefore, operative employee unlikely by program hand guided machine to prevent galled spots.Further, in order suitably to work out processing approach setting-out software, the depth of cut that changes is expected rule of thumb to determine the preferred cutting speed of straight and curved cutting approach.Unlike milling process, there is not known effective theoretical model can be used for the accurately predicting behavior in service at present, particularly within the tolerance of looking for.

In an example of the present invention, in case the operability of characterization cutting tool just can information integratedly go into to process this in approach software grand.In order to reduce the amount of the material of removing at the fine finishining process need as far as possible, wish that the effective guiding fuel injection bundle of exploitation follows the ability of mold profile.For example, in 5 axle systems, water sprays can be with arbitrarily angled turnover sheet material almost, makes it carve out complex curve near part feature.When material cost need be considered, core and die cavity section can cut out from same steel plate, allow a pair of zone of complete making and leftover pieces are reduced to minimum.But, though this technology economical with materials cost can make part cutting complicated, because must develop special fixtures and program to hold this technology.

Spraying a method that guarantees precision in the cutting at water is to reduce cutting speed, but the speed of 5-20mm/min is slow, and a few centimeter length linear cut of many quantity must be produced in each zone.Yet if electron beam welding speed is 300-400mm/min (although being on four faces rather than on a face), it may be a step the slowest in the technology that water sprays cutting step, thereby optimizes this step very big value is arranged.By quickening feed velocity along straight line and, being expected to make the overall efficiency of water injection cutting technique to double along curve deceleration feed velocity.

The problem that water sprays cutting is that the water spray beam is tended to depart from or setover from predetermined approach when the thick material of high-speed cutting.This just becomes problem usually when approach is crooked, cause the offset part of spray beam to divide cut-out predetermined approach (see figure 7).This phenomenon is similar to heavy-duty drill and tends in dead angle overshoot approach.Yet some program softwares as the I-DEAS Camand Multax software kit of SDRC company comprise along the algorithm of crooked approach control tool speed.For introducing the suitable restriction of water being sprayed cutting machine, should measure the deviation of spray beam in a series of excursions.The operation of spray beam can be determined by several method.For example, the speed that a sheet material can change is scanned into a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) to the gained part then along curvilinear cut.Compare with predetermined surface on the surface of being cut with computer aided design software again, can produce the occurrence of tolerance.For obtaining the depiction of more detailed spray beam approach, can along cutting seaming and cutting sheet, therefore, can obtain a similar as shown in Figure 7 track then in the cutting of cutting Halfway Stopping.In the test of a series of degree of depth and velocity interval, can formation can cause the track of known error scope by repeatedly.

In one aspect of the invention, in order to quicken to make the overall process of near net-shape mold, in case produce cutting process, water sprays the physical model of the rough machined mould of cutting machine can send back to the further fine finishining program of doing of compiling of client.Water sprays cutting machine can expect to have the 0.2mm precision, and this is enough to develop a program, and this program begins fine finishining immediately, need not " cut air (cutting air) " and set up the surface of a known mould, further reduces the time of machined and programming.

In another example of the present invention, after water sprayed cutting machine rough lumber area segments, these area segments were arranged neat and fixing, and (such as electron beam welding (EBW)) prepares for permanent assembling.According to the physical model in the zone of roughing, can work out the program of 5 electron beam bonding machines of a control.The regional assembly of marshalling is fixed on the indoor turntable of EB subsequently.Vacuumize indoor, weld together with the degree of depth handle component that reaches 10cm.Under special circumstances, welding penetrates that to reach 20cm deeply be possible.Available chamber reaches 3.5 * 2.7 * 2.7m, so the virtually any size mould can hold basically.

Since the 1950's, electron beam welding exists, but impossible welding operation became possibility before accurately the computer-controlled appearance of multiaxis just made up to date, and has reproducible quality.Any welding that under lab can do also can be done now aborning.For example, it is problematic that deep penetration is welded on the past, has been successfully used to new F-22 advanced tactical fighter project now.Further, this F-22 project is just enlarging utilizes electron beam welding to be connected to the primary structure place, comprises along complex curve the titanium of variable thickness is carried out deep welding.

Electron beam welding (EBW) is the melting process of high-energy-density, and this process is transmitted in tie point to energy with strong electron beam.This technology is applied to industrial quarters at first the 1950's, and maturation is an important modern connection technique.In many examples, the electron beam welding quality and the degree of depth are superior to other welding procedure, comprise traditional arc welding and other high-energy-density fusion weld, such as laser weld.Because the electron beam of high order focusing can be the point of a large amount of power concentration on workpiece, so in pad zone-melting and gasification rapidly.The welding that forms is very dark, narrow usually, and plane parallel almost, has very little heat affected area, and only needs welding together usually.Can control most of welding process with the computer numerical control technology of precision.Except easy welding common metal, this technology can also be welded different or difficult wlding material.

The basic principle that produces electron beam is by successful Application decades.(one of prevailing application of electron beam is a kinescope.) most electron beam welding machines employing triple-pole type electron guns.This rifle is assembled by three electrodes and solenoid, and these electrodes produce and accelerated electron beam, and solenoid focuses on and the deflection beam (see figure 8).Negative electrode is to be heated to about 2500 ℃ filament, is made by the high material of emission electronics rate, such as carbon or tungsten, and is maintained under the big negative potential by high-voltage power supply.This heat and the energising filament launch electronics.Grid cup (grid cup), being bias voltage cup (bias cup) again is the electrode of a special shape, it can be used to the negative electrode of this heating is applied back bias voltage.This grid cup is regulated the number of electrons that forms electron beam.Change its electromotive force and promptly change the number of electrons that those can anode quicken, anode is a ground connection.The electric field that is produced by big electrical potential difference accelerates to electronics 70% light velocity and makes it become parallel electron beam.Act on voltage on the electrode generally at 30-200kV.Beam electronic current is generally 0.5-1500mA, and beam power is 30kW-200kW.High-power electron beam passes an aperture in the anode, then by an electromagnetic centralizing coil.The diameter of this electron beam is dwindled in this magnetic lenses, and focuses on a point on the workpiece.The electromagnetism correcting coil can be used to the electron beam of setovering, and generally reaches 15 ° angle.

Electron gun remains on (about 13mPa or 10 in the high vacuum ^-4Torr), in case the electrion starting the arc of filament oxidation or rifle, also in order to keep the rifle cleaning.In order to obtain the little electron beam focus and the very deep penetration of part, workpiece chamber also will keep in a vacuum.(medium or non-vacuum electronic beam connects and is applicable to many application, but any atmosphere all can make the electron beam disperse in the welding booth, hinders to obtain real high-energy-density.)

When the needs degree of depth penetrated, the electron beam of focusing can be penetrated on workpiece, formed for a short time of the wide point of 0.25mm-1.3mm, and at that point power of effect reaches 10 ⁸W/cm ²Temperature up to 14,000 ℃ forms a dark steam hole (vapor hole).In the material fusing in steam post (vapor column) forward position, the Volatile Gas pressure support this molten mass.When workpiece is moved to electron beam following time, molten mass is moving along orifice flow, then at filling trailing edge (trailing edge) after coagulation.This bond pattern is called lockhole (keyhole) pattern, because this hole and the shape and a similar (see figure 9) of lockhole of trailing weld seam.Workpiece itself is a ground connection, so can be because of the electron beam stored charge of prolonged exposure.

Electron beam welding provides sufficient process control.For a given electron gun, the basic controlling variable of control electron beam intensity and exit point size has:

Beam electronic current;

Electron accelerating voltage;

Focus current, the focal length of its control magnetic lenses, thereby control electron beam focal position;

Projection distance, that is the distance from the rifle to the workpiece; And

Speed of welding or the exit point translational speed on workpiece.Increase beam power (being the product of beam electronic current and accelerating potential), generally increase penetration depth and burn-off rate.Increase speed of welding and generally reduce penetration depth and weld width.Reduce electron beam spot intensity,, generally dwindle penetration depth but the increase weld width such as electron beam being defocused or vibrating.

In addition, can handle electromagnetism adjustment and focus coil and further control welding process.Electromagnetism is adjusted coil can setover electron beam slightly to change the angle of electronic impact workpiece, and this makes some be welded with the interface that vertical electron beam is difficult to reach.This correcting coil can also cause the electron beam vibration, and its frequency forms bigger electron beam spot effectively greater than 5kHZ.This technology can produce the weld seam of broad, slower cooling velocity and uniform weld shape, and needn't defocus(s)ed beam.It can also control section penetrates the porosity of weld seam.When the needs maximum penetration, focus coil can make the electron beam spot on workpiece as best one can little.Yet, all right defocus(s)ed beam of this focus coil, the expansion beam energy does to produce wideer weld seam like this to bigger zone.Another purposes of defocus(s)ed beam is heat treatment.The electron beam of dispersing can act on surface of the work, and this can go out two Rockwell hardness points than the heat treatment increase of other method.

Electron beam can also form pulse, with the reduction firing rate, and does not change other e-beam feature.Typical pulse frequency is 0.1Hz-3KHz, and the pulse period reaches 70ms.Low-frequency pulse can be used for producing tack welding and spotweld.High-frequency impulse can be controlled the microstructure that weld seam solidifies pattern and heat affected area.Further, although when weldering speed is slow, the total amount of heat of input part is perhaps higher, and near the peak temperature position while welding is lower usually.

Computer control system can be handled almost whole aspects of electron beam welding process, comprises that workpiece moves, and changes beam power, focusing and correction.The modern control system of electronic welding can be accomplished very high precision, flexibility and reproducibility.Yet, there are many potential source of errors, particularly those can influence the source of error that keeps pad and electron beam tight connecting.Just because of this, the method for a kind of crying " scanning " is used to check the deviation between electron beam spot and the contact to be welded.In when scanning, a weak electron beam has enough power and forms a detectable exit point, but deficiency is so that workpiece is overheated, and this electron beam is focused on surface of the work.Workpiece is aligned, and does like this in whole process then with as checking.

Relative other welding procedure, electron beam welding has many advantages:

The weld seam that it produces is producible darker, narrower than other technology.Electron beam welding is sewn in the steel can reach 150mm deeply, is 305mm in aluminium, and is 100mm in copper.

The total amount of heat input of electron beam welding is far below arc welding.This means that the heat affected area on workpiece is narrower than arc welding usually.Lower heat also causes less fuel factor usually, comprises bending and contraction, and allows to weld near heat-sensitive components (such as sensor).

The high degree of depth of electron beam weld seam means the ratio of width does not need multiple-pass weld, unlike arc welding.

The general not impurity as oxide and nitride of the weld seam that in high vacuum, forms.

High melting rate allows high speed of welding, causes more high production rate and better efficiency.For example, the total energy conversion efficiency of electronic welding is 65%, and is generally than arc welding height, more much higher than the close technology of other high energy.

Electron beam welding can be welded most of hardening metals, does not significantly worsen usually in the commissure mechanical performance.According to " american society for metals's handbook in 1993, the 6th the volume: welding, soldering and solidify ", need not anneal or other heat treatment to the tool steel after the high-speed welding.

Electron beam welding can also reach the inaccessiable interface of other method, comprises by a slit separating but the multi-level interface of same marshalling.

The height process control also can be used for electron beam welding.The precision of electronic welding is high in essence, and its repeatability too.

Surface treatment and disposal costs are low.

A shortcoming of electron beam welding is its high capital cost, and is general than traditional arc welding height, but can compete mutually with other high-energy-density welding procedure.Another limitation is to need high vacuum.The size of vacuum chamber has limited the size of workpiece, vacuumizes required time and has limited productivity ratio.For example, 0.85m ³The chamber to vacuumize with three minutes.A 8.5m ³The chamber will be with about 10 minutes.

As any other welding procedure, electron beam welding causes weld seam and heat affected area firmness change usually.The heat affected area width generally is proportional to weld width, also can influence to shrink and bending.Welding also causes residual stress owing to weld seam shrinks usually.These effects preferably reduce as much as possible.

In addition, the weldability of tool steel differs widely.Control accuracy and surface quality depend on control residual stress and surface roughness in the finished product mould.The control surface roughness requires the variation of control die surface hardness.Because welding changes the weld seam and the hardness of heat affected area on every side, so the combination that needs to determine what e-beam feature, weld speed and workpiece after welding treatment is best to weld particular materials.At " 1993 american society for metals's handbooks, the 6th volume: welding, soldering and solidify " in " technological development of electron beam welding and practice thinking " joint, but the case hardness situation of change of being run into when electron beam welding hardened steel, tool steel and metal sclerosis and work strengthening have been discussed.Because geneogenous bead weld and heat affected area, and Fast Heating, melt, solidify, and cool time, the parent metal performance can remain unchanged, even also constant near the electronics commissure.By welding after-baking welding portion, also can reduce or eliminate any variation.

Electronic welding connection place intensity can without preheating or post weld heat treatment, only need eliminate stress near parent metal.Yet perhaps thicker need preheating or postwelding heat reason in case cracking.When connecting tool steel, an advantage of electronic welding is that it can rapid welding, needn't be with annealing or other heat treatment.

In order to develop the electronic welding data, need carry out sample test to a series of tool steel.The plate good mill is fixed together, welding then, and the degree of depth reaches 90mm.For improving technology, can change any computer-controlled welding parameter of above-mentioned discussion.Can predict that a problem that must overcome is the variation of hardness in the heat affected area.

Perhaps go back the needs assessment die quality and optimize technological parameter, this is by the roughness of measuring machine processing back mold cavity surface, and the microhardness of welding region and microscopic structure.The uniformity of these performances can be served as the standard of judging die quality.Can predict, welding process will influence these performances, and need reduce these welding effects as far as possible with heat treatment.Surface roughness and mould surface hardness change closely related, and hardness is determined by the microscopic structure of mold materials.Because fusion weld can cause weld seam and heat affected area microscopic structure and change that so the hardness at this place may be different from non-weldering place, this can influence the uniformity of surface roughness when polishing.Preferably can determine the microhardness distribution figure that passes welding region.Further, visit the relation of grinding between surface roughness, hardness and the microscopic structure.

Micro Vickers can be used for measuring the microhardness along the electronic welding example cross section.Then, the distribution map of microhardness can be used for assessing the uniformity along the electronic welding example cross section, and the width of definite weld seam and heat affected area.Consistent distribution map is normally desirable.The marked change of microhardness means that welding has caused that serious microscopic structure changes.In the case, need reach uniform microscopic structure and recover uniform rigidity with post weld heat treatment.

Light microscope and SEM (SEM) also can be used for observing the microscopic structure of welding region.Further can obtain with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) (EPMA) about the information of phase and composition variation.These microscopic examinations can be determined the reason that the welding zone microscopic structure changes, such as phase transformation and defective.This information finally can indicate optimizes electronic welding and heat-treating methods, and the means that comprise have removing surface, workpiece prestrain, change before electron-beam voltage and electric current, electron beam focal dimension, speed of welding and the weldering or the post weld heat treatment system.

Hardness is represented the material degree that plasticity flows under certain stress.The hardometer of three kinds of main types of commercial offers: Bu Shi, Rockwell and Vickers.All based on same principle: with a given power one pressure head is pressed in a specimen surface, hardness is the function of formed impression size.Each hardometer difference is the method for its shape and its measurement impression.As pressure head, and its hardness number (HB) is calculated as institute's loading divided by the area of indentation to the Bu Shi method with the steel ball of a 10mm diameter that has hardened.The Rockwell method generally adopts brale, and it wears into 120 ° of cones with radius of circle at the bottom of the 0.2mm.Rockwell hardness number acts on the formed depth of cup of pressure head by a constant load and determines.The Vickers pressure head is the diamond of the Pyramid of a square base.Vickers hardness is determined by two catercorner lengths of measuring impression.

Brineling is very simple, but its steel pressure head very hard material of energy measurement not.Sizable impression has limited the size and dimension of workpiece, and dies on usually behind the workpiece calibration.Rockwell hardness testing is the method for most widely used measurement hardness.It is easy to operate, and does not need the operative employee of high degree of skill.Utilize different loads and pressure head, rockwell hardness measurement can be used to determine most of metals and hardness of alloy, scope from the softest bearing material to the hardest steel.Reading only needs several seconds, does not need optical measurement.Yet Rockwell apparatus lacks continuous range.There is not single range can cover whole hardness ranges; Different materials must be selected different ranges.

Bu Shi and Rockwell apparatus are because its impression size generally is used to measure macrohardness, and Vickers is generally used for the measurement of microhardness.Vickers hardness test can provide Bu Shi and Rockwell the material hardness characteristic information that can not obtain.Microhardness is considered to a kind of method of valuable measurement hardness, can measure top layer, adhesive linkage, coating, paper tinsel, silk, small but excellent close workpiece and the hardness at the place that keeps to the side.It is particularly useful to the hardness distribution of determining to pass the welded specimen cross section.Hardness distribution provides the positive evidence of relevant welding region uniformity and quality.This can predict the surface roughness of polishing back weldment.Yet optical device is used for microhardness testers with accurate measurement impression diagonal.Need special training operative employee preparation and specimen.

The overall shape of a piece surface comprises two major parts: roughness and waviness (waviness).Waviness is a kind of long wavelength's situation, and its common influence factor has the machine tool mainshaft bearing situation and the vibration in other source from the mill floor.Roughness is a kind of erose shorter wavelength pattern, is superimposed upon on the waviness pattern, is that cutter is engraved in the pattern on the part.Two compositions all are subjected to the operative employee to select the influence of the depth of cut and speed.

By roughness, microhardness and the microscopic structure of assessing each pilot seam, can assess the validity that many possible electron beams are provided with.This process can continue with backfeed loop, all reaches needed performance up to each rapidoprint.For example, can carry out following steps to the sample test of P-20 tool steel:

Select initial electron beam setting and path velocity according to initial material knowledge;

One sample welds above-mentioned the setting under the condition, and perhaps a parameter scope is welded in a test;

This sample through machined and polishing with imitation fine finishining process;

The evaluation form surface roughness is also made the acceptable limit with itself and mould and is compared;

The hardness that welded seam area is passed in check;

The technical research microscopic structure of narrating with the front;

Interrelate by the influence that microstructure characteristic is known with it, make the scheme of improving microscopic structure roughness and hardness;

The parameter that changes one or more control electronic welding processes is to produce desirable effect; And

Repeat this process up to obtaining satisfactory result.

When relating to polylith plate and a plurality of weld seam, because the cumulative effect of contraction and residual stress, it is complicated more to obtain acceptable welding meeting.

In one aspect of the invention, it utilizes narrow welding heat affected zone, can insert strain gauge and other sensor in the mould between two sheet materials, thereby allow directly to measure stress or other performance of assembling.Further, along with molding company accepts the quality control technological specification more widely, in mould, used the increase in demand of sensor.By machined groove cave or boring in the zone of institute's sampling, multiple sensors (such as pressure sensor, thermoelectricity strain gauge occasionally) can be placed in the mould Anywhere.The computer model of mould and mould fill type and solidify the computer model that operates and can be used for determining which kind of sensor is suitable and where should be placed on.

The effect of assessment preheating, tack welding, welding sequence, speed of welding, cooling velocity, preload can be utilized Hewlett Packard laser location surveying instrument or other similar position measuring instrument (CMM) by scanning mould or mould.Position measuring instrument allows very accurately the relatively size and dimension of mould before and after welding or other operation.Also can determine repeatedly the error accumulation that fixing, correction and welding operation cause, and the influence of interface position and element precision, also can determine the thermal expansion (this may influence the position of not welding interface) of part when welding.Information in view of the above, the parameter of improving the weld assembly performance may be limited in the scope that sample test sets up, to produce satisfied performance.

According to the present invention, regional after roughing and marshalling, but can carry out permanent assembling with other system of selection.For example, as described later, soldering and Diffusion Welding (diffusion brazing or diffusion melting welding) are the selectable assembly methods that is suitable for.

Soldering is by introducing the technology that 450 ℃ of (840) above liquid metals of fusing point come the bonding solid metal that leans on very closely.Select suitable filling alloy to produce firm soldering adhesive spots usually; Base metal is clean, and keeps clean during being heated to the brazing filler metal alloy flowing temperature; The fair meter of appropriate joint design utilizes capillarity.Can be quick, cheap, even obtain joint strong, even, leakproof synchronously.Usually but the metal of soldering can be as thin as 0.01mm (0.0004 "), thick in 150mm (6 ").Further, the intensity of soldering point generally is high.A simple pad intensity can be equal to or greater than the intensity of the base metal of institute's soldering.

An attracting feature of soldering is the remarkable fusing that soldering does not relate to any parent metal.This has several advantages to other welding procedure.Build-up tolerance more closely can be kept, surface cleaner and tidier solder joint and can be formed without secondary operations.Soldering can also connect dissimilar metals, metal and pottery, or those can not be with the material that traditional smelting process connected.

Soldering also produces still less thermal flexure or warpage than fusion weld.Whole part can be heated to same brazing temperature, thereby prevents local heat and the bending that causes.

A shortcoming of soldering is that the heat affected area (HAZ) that soldering produces has the microscopic structure of serious change, and this is because of mutual mass transfer anxious strong between parent metal and added metal.The width of heat affected area is difference with used heating process.Generally speaking, the heat affected area that soldering produced is wideer and define more unintelligible than other fusion weld.

In another example of the present invention, Diffusion Welding is that another kind can be used for the method for permanent assembly area section.Diffusion Welding both can refer to diffusion brazing, also can refer to diffusion welding (DW), depended on whether used added metal.Diffusion brazing is a kind of like this technology that connects metal, it is undertaken by the brazing temperature that METAL HEATING PROCESS to is fit to, in this temperature, the added metal that presets will melt and owing to capillarity flows, perhaps original position formation liquid phase between a surface of fluid-tight engagement and another surface.In either case, added metal diffuses into parent metal, up to the physical and mechanical property of the interface almost completely the same (see figure 10) with parent metal that becomes.Can exert pressure so that metal temperature is risen to brazing temperature.Diffusion brazing relates to two aspects.The first, as common soldering, liquid added metal must form and in attachment section activity be arranged.The second, added metal must diffuse into parent metal widely.This diffusion process is usually eliminated the sign of original braze joint.

The diffusing capacity that is occurred depends on brazing temperature and time usually, can supply the amount of the added metal of diffusion, and the mutual solubility of added metal and parent metal.Diffusion brazing generally carries out in the stove that is in particular soldering or heat treatment setting.Can heat earlier together with eddy-current heating or torch, brazing member be put into to do in the stove to spread for a long time then and circulated two part solderings.This circulation is wanted 30 minutes to 80 hours usually, even the longer time.With presetting the added metal thin slice, when perhaps the added metal powder bed carries out soldering, exert pressure usually to reduce when added metal melts the slit between two parent metals.

Some state-of-the-art diffusion brazing technology is used for aerospace industry, particularly relates to the soldering of titanium, nickel, cobalt and aluminium alloy.As an example of these technologies, a cobalt-base alloys in vacuum drying oven in 1120 ℃ of (2050) diffusion brazings, with a kind of nickel-chromium-boron filler in the form of sheets.This assembling insulation 8 hours.Even the solidus of added metal alloy has only 970 ℃ (1780 °F), but soldering point has lost the sign vestige fully by diffusion, and the remelting temperature that causes is higher than 1370 ℃ (2500 °F).In this case, the reinforcing of exerting pressure is simply to increase the weight of on part top.Because added metal alloy boracic is as fusing point depressor, boron diffuses out added metal and enters parent metal, causes the added metal remelting temperature to raise.Because boron also is a very little atom, when parent metal heats up, is easy to diffusion and leaves pad.

Diffusion Welding (diffusion welding) but be the system of selection of another kind of permanent assembly area section.Diffusion Welding is the technology that a high-temperature solid connects.Whole consistent adhesive spots forms by the bonding of atom level, and this is that diffusion by the match surface layer causes.In its simplest form, Diffusion Welding can comprise makes machined in advance closely contact with the part of clearing up, and heats in protective atmosphere then.Be diffused in the bonding part that matches and play a major role.High temperature and pressure may cause micro-(part) plastic deformation, and help in the surface diffusion mutually that part matches, but macroscopical plastic deformation can reduce as far as possible.In order to guarantee enough atom activity, reduce macroscopical plastic deformation again as far as possible, must between temperature, pressure and time technological parameter, set up a suitable balance.

Traditional Diffusion Welding is used unidirectional loading usually, and this can use fixed weight, machinery, pneumatic or hydraulic pressure means.Add the macroscopic deformation that load generally is limited to fertile material and is allowed.Temperature is generally the 50-75% of fusing point.Heat available radiation, induction or resistance heated.Time can be depended on used pressure and temperature from a few minutes to the several hrs.Most Diffusion Welding operate in carries out in vacuum or the inert gas in case the clean weld interface of burning and maintenance.The surface roughness of the part of preprocessing should be better than 0.4 μ m (16 μ in), mean roughness (RA).Before being about to enter bonding machine, the surface should be cleaned with acetone or benzinum.Also available ultrasonic cleaning.Sometimes also remove the oxide of piece surface with ion bombardment or other means.

High temperature insostatic pressing (HIP) (HIP) Diffusion Welding relates to uses high temperature and high pressure gas to part.The pressure that heat iso-hydrostatic diffusion welding connects is significantly higher than the pressure that is used in unidirectional welding usually.Yet, because pressure is to wait static pressure, so deformation extent is extremely low.In addition, require less preprocessing usually.Isobar pressurization can allow to handle the more welding of complex geometric shapes than unidirectional welding procedure.

Hot isostatic press is made up of a stove in air-pressure chamber.Its size is about diameter 100mm (4in) to 1.1m (44in) and height 2.2m (88in).General use hydrogen, and need the sealed attachment interface, in case gas enters the connection place.This usually realizes by part being put into the cylinder of steel of finding time and sealing.Typical high temperature insostatic pressing (HIP) circulated sustainable 6 to 16 hours, or the longer time.High temperature insostatic pressing (HIP) welds desirable minimum pressure and temperature depends on this metal and alloy.Temperature is generally the 50-70% of its fusing point.Because economic reasons, to most of metal systems, pressure limit is at about 25MPa, although more high pressure can be used.

An advantage of Diffusion Welding is the tie complete obiteration, and whole part becomes an even monomer.Yet Diffusion Welding requires all parts to be heated to high temperature usually in stove, although essentially no deposite metal occurs, related temperature may influence the performance of weld metal.For example, the parent metal of cold conditions work hardening may soften, perhaps owing to its recrystallization temperature of the high son of Diffusion Welding temperature causes grain growth.The desired heat of Diffusion Welding also can change the mechanical performance that is obtained by heat treatment.Therefore, Diffusion Welding should only be used for some specific occasions.For example, the material of annealed state generally can not changed by Diffusion Welding, perhaps after Diffusion Welding material once more heat treatment to recover its original performance.

Aspect of technology of the present invention, after the welding, mould can be heat-treated and eliminates stress with normal mode.As hereinafter will discussing, can make any heating and the cooling duct is smooth and remove burr with for example abrasive processing technology (AFM).

Another aspect of technology of the present invention, best water injection cutting machine processes conformal heating and cooling duct 24 (seeing Fig. 5 B) from zone 22 before the welding.This may form in the zone boundary wedge angle or even little step, and possible welding burr.Traditional machine-tooled method perhaps can not be with removing these steps and burr, and this is because these passages have the character of desired conformal unanimity.A method of head it off is to use abrasive process technology (AFM).Abrasive processing relates to and forces the abrasive material of for example high polymer carrying to pass heating and cooling duct, removing any step and burr, and the inner surface that polishes these passages.A kind of bloated flow pattern (dilatantversion) of can filling a prescription out high molecular polymer is sheared retrogradation (shear-thickening) phenomenon to produce, thereby allows to remove more material with the increase of polymer fluid resistance.This can cause removing more material from big step, and from remove less material than smooth domain.A kind of abrasive processing machine generally comprises two and erects relative medium tube, and it is hydraulically closed so that part is remained between two.By push these abrasive material medium from a medium tube to another medium tube, no matter medium enter and where are obstructed in the passage through one, all produce the scraped finish effect.By making the two-way circulation of medium pass passage, can eliminate or reduce these steps and burr.This will allow suitable heating and cooling fluid to pass mould.Even these passages can be used machine glazed finish, opening heating with the abrasive processing method still is easy to do with the cooling duct, need a few minutes only, and significantly faster than other selectable process for machining.

Commercialization ground is applied to a challenge by the mould of process manufacturing of the present invention to the abrasive processing technology and is to develop one and overlaps optional equipment, and it can be connected in the abrasive process equipment to mould with flexible pipe or hard tube.This will not need mould is installed between the medium tube.

In an embodiment of technology of the present invention, the finishing operation of making a near net-shape mold can comprise cleaning and carry out slight machined, to guarantee that appropriate correction is placed on client's the milling machine to the assembly that has welded.Joint can be added on heating and the cooling duct.

Another embodiment of technology of the present invention can relate to the single regional plate that making is formed by two kinds or above material.The subregion of these different materials can be soldered the formation final area.For example, a mould has stainless steel core and mold cavity surface, and its back side is strengthened with more cheap material such as carbon steel or supported.This stainless steel subregion can water sprays cutting being complementary with part shape, and provides desirable from the die surface degree of depth.The carbon steel subregion can be cut to such an extent that be complementary with stainless steel subregion inner surface.Single subregion can fine finishining to closely cooperate, with electron beam welding or other assembling method it is unified into a zone (seeing Figure 11) then.The welding burr can be ground off, and can be assembled into aforesaid near net-shape mold to the zone of assembling then.

Except that being used for direct production mould or the preform, technology of the present invention also can be used to the big mould production technology of supporting that fully other is popular.For example, the nickel shell mould of producing with nickel vapor deposition or galvanoplastic generally is used for automobile and consumer goods industry, and the mould of huge size makes and handles a solid steel block inconvenience here.In these technologies, technology of the present invention also can be saved cost and widely from lead time.As mentioned above, the first step of producing shell mould (being generally nickel) is to produce a master mold, and this is normally from aluminium (processing easily) machined, perhaps by stainless steel machined (if must make several moulds by a master mold).A big aluminium master mold is usually by being cast as nearly clean shape, and fine finishining forms then.Because it is generally more important from being designed into production time than what grow that the high material cost of aluminium, the material of casting are saved advantage.Want the time only to account for the sub-fraction of casting time with master mold preform of explained hereafter of the present invention.Further, can expect that such master mold preform does not have the hole problem.In addition, easier other aluminium of machined level can utilize technology of the present invention, and the performance of pressed sheet outclass casting.

In case finish master mold and produce shell 42, (see figure 6) must be supported with certain supporting construction or mould substrate in its back side.For big mould, this supports must be extremely strong and mate fully with shell.Usually technology is that cutting nickel or corrosion resistant plate come and hull shape shape coupling, it is welded to be the crate structure of adorning egg then.Another selectable technology is with a kind of this shell of high molecular polymer coagulation back side filling, and its prescription is modulated to such an extent that be complementary with the coefficient of thermal expansion number (CTE) of nickel.These two kinds of technologies all have critical defect.No matter how careful, the welding shell always produces certain warpage and stress.The general hot property of macromolecule backing is poor, can break away from from shell in the course of time.

Utilize an embodiment of technology of the present invention, mould supports 40 can easily make nearly clean shape, only needs a little or does not need fine finishining.The material that mould supports can be for example nickel or copper, or the two combination.If with nickel system shell 42, its advantage is that it has higher pyroconductivity than tool steel, and can directly weld copper heating or cooling tube or be brazed on the shell.Mould support by technology manufacturing of the present invention can provide better arrangement.By making supporting construction with copper coin, and cut conformal passage within it, nickel shell all surfaces can be placed to support with copper mould and contact, and forms surface temperature fully uniformly, has the highest possible conductivity.Shell and mould support and can be made by any suitable material, are not limited to nickel and copper.

Optionally, utilize the near net-shape mold of technology of the present invention to support perhaps incomplete and shell surface coupling, so can utilize an intermediate layer 44 (as shown in Figure 6).For example, the thermal coefficient of expansion of copper is only higher a little than nickel, has reduced the possibility that problem occurs as far as possible.Further, make intermediate layer or transition zone by selecting suitable material, thermal stress can reduce or eliminate in composite die.This intermediate layer should have one to be higher than shell but to be lower than the thermal coefficient of expansion that mould supports (in this example, be higher than nickel and be lower than copper) ideally.For example, can expect to fill a prescription out a kind of the have pottery of such thermal coefficient of expansion and (cermet) bridging agent of metal.Possibly, this bridging agent is a kind of copper powder and ceramic bonding agent such as Ludox or phosphatic mixture.Because pottery generally has thermal coefficient of expansion about 8 * 10 ^-6Mm/min/ ℃, add an amount of copper powder and can produce a kind of adhesive, its thermal coefficient of expansion is between nickel and copper.This adhesive can be used between shell and the mould support.In order to make removable shell, a kind of release agent can be sprayed on the surface that mould supports before using adhesive.Shell and mould support and are fixed on the appropriate location then, solidify up to adhesive.It is its high heat-conduction coefficient that such copper adhesive also has an advantage.

The purpose of any adhesive transition zone 44 all is shell 42 and mould to be supported 40 stick together, and in this operation filling slit therebetween.This slit preferably is eliminated, because it hinders heat transmission, and may cause that shell is out of shape in gap area owing to the support that the shortage mould supports.Can expect that certain adhesive material has suitable performance, effectively to address these problems.

Cermet is one or more ceramic materials and metal mixture mutually.Cermet is generally in conjunction with the toughness of metal and the thermal resistance and the hardness of pottery.Cermet forms by mixing, compacting and sintering usually.They can be used for rocket engine, gas-turbine, turbojet, nuclear reactor,

Car liner, cutter or the like.As the transition zone between shell and the mould support, ideally, cermet should possess following characteristics:

Matched coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE);

High heat conductance;

High compression-strength; And

Operation easily.

It is important as cracking that matched coefficient of thermal expansion is avoided fire damage to mould.For example, the nickel shell has thermal coefficient of expansion 13.5 * 10 ^-6Mm/min/ ℃ mates the thermal coefficient of expansion 17 * 10 that copper mould supports preferably ^-6Mm/min/ ℃.If cermet transition zone thermal coefficient of expansion between the two, can further reduce the amount of thermal stress.Perhaps, appropriate cermet can't buy, but can be from several existing combination of materials prescriptions.For example, to having the composite die that nickel shell and copper mould support, the cermet that is used as transition zone can be copper powder and ceramic bonding agent such as Ludox, water-soluble silicate or phosphatic mixture.Because pottery generally has thermal coefficient of expansion about 8 * 10 ^-6Mm/min/ ℃, add an amount of copper powder and perhaps can produce its thermal coefficient of expansion of a kind of cermet between nickel and copper.Further, adding copper powder can increase ceramic-metallic thermal conductivity greatly, and the ceramic bonding agent can produce very high compressive strength, depends on processing technology.Ceramic-metallic processing can be simple as traditional slip-casting (slip casting).Therefore, perhaps the cermet of being made by copper powder and ceramic bonding agent can satisfy all major requirements of transition zone between nickel shell and copper mould support.

Cermet processing relates generally to several steps: determine composition, mixing, curing, measurement rheological property (as the viscosity of cermet powder slurry (or slurry) material), and measure curing back ceramic-metallic hot property (such as thermal coefficient of expansion and conductivity).Process equipment comprises mixer, balance, viscosimeter and some containers probably.The cermet slurry can spray or brush the surface of supporting at mould, forms gel coat.Then shell is pressed thereon tightly, solidify up to cermet.In order to make removable shell, before the matel coated pottery, a kind of release agent can be sprayed on the surface that mould supports.Preferably can make cermet in cold curing.

The cermet transition zone can be mixed with physics and the hot property with optimization.The last performance of the comparison of granular size and filler and bonding agent has a significant impact, and comprises amount of contraction, thermal shock resistance, bonding strength, porosity and thermal conductivity.A performance of powder slurry is a thixotropy.Though many slurries are thixotropic, they can be processed well by stirring, and this is to cause that promptly material flows because stir gently.Spraying or brushing slurry are also broken its thixotroping structure in vertical surface, thereby make slurry approach and expansion easily.Yet, support in case be coated in mould, wish that usually slurry recovers its gel structure as early as possible, in case pulp layer trickles from the surface.

The suitable disperse of powder slurry is another parameter of preparation slurry.Wet ball grinding or mixing are prevailing technology.The various compositions that comprise powder, bonding agent, wetting agent, curing agent and dispersant, the selected casting liq with proper proportion adds ball mill usually, and ball milling is to abundant mixing, wetting and grain refine.This slurry is timeliness subsequently, and is constant relatively up to its performance.Be ready to do final viscosity check (and if needing then adjusting), degasification and application then.

Aspect of technology of the present invention, the expectation cermet also serves as adhesives, so that shell and copper mould support at room temperature are glued together.Water miscible silicate, Ludox and phosphate be generally use can be at the adhesives of cold curing.

Water-soluble silicate is alkaline silicate normally, such as sodium, potassium, lithium.The water-soluble silicate coating can use spraying, brushing or dip-coating mode to apply; They can solidify from 90-320 ℃ (200-600 °F) in room temperature or temperature, and can chemical adhesion in metallic matrix.These water-soluble silicate coatings are tough and tensile, afford to stand the finite deformation of matrix; Can opposing impact and fatigue; And reach 1370 ℃ (2500 °F) in temperature, still can provide protection to prevent oxidation in air.Because its chemical bonding water composition, coating must be careful dry, in case cause cracking, bubble or peel off from the matrix separation.

Soluble silicate can with fluosilicate or quartz reaction, produce acidproof adhesive.This product generally has the low-shrinkage energy, and its thermal expansion is near steel; Compressive strength is near 50Mpa, but loses intensity at 400 ℃.Sodium silicate often is called waterglass, is a kind of colourless low-cost inorganic material, and supplies in the viscous aqueous solution mode usually.Its composition is usually with SiO ₂: Na ₂O ratio mode is represented, is generally 2-3.5, has certain viscosity, and it is fit to the bonding prescription of most of commerce.This adhesives has few viscosity, must keep matrix together with positioning pressure, up to the adhesive sufficiently dry.The binding agent of doing is fragility, water sensitive, and its glue-line can dissolve by water, forms undissolved material up to the carbon dioxide with air.

Ludox is a kind of water base colloid quartz solution on substantially.It has the performance similar to soluble silicate, but does not contain Na because of it ₂O is so have better heat endurance.Ludox is very strong as bonding agent, and this depends on condition of cure.Clean shape or nearly clean shape part can be made of the powder of Ludox bonding.For example, the Ludox Ludox  of E.I.Du Pont Company's production is widely used in the high technology ceramics shell mould of cast steel industry as bonding agent.Very thin formwork can bear molten steel and be not defeated and dispersed.

Phosphate forms by the chemical reaction of phosphoric acid and metal oxide such as aluminium oxide, chromium oxide, zinc oxide or zirconia.After being that temperature 2-430 ℃ (70-800 °F) solidifies, the bonding coating of phosphate has low-density, low-thermal conductivity and high fire resistance.Trbasic zinc phosphate is widely used as the tooth bonding agent.This material also with silicate modified so-called to produce " permanent material (permanent materials) " with as inserts.Its compressive strength is generally up to 200MPa.

After the preparation, the general timeliness of phosphate slurry 24 hours or longer is to allow acid and reactive metal oxide.The slurry that timeliness is crossed can directly spread upon on the matrix.Coating is preferably solidified when close control time and temperature.The reaction of this acidic coatings and matrix is owing to release hydrogen from acid, so behind precipitation or initial solidification, may cause and expand or bubble.Catabolite phosphorus pentoxide (the P of acid ₂O ₅) volatilization also may cause foaming.All cpds, such as chromium oxide, ammonium compounds or ferric phosphate can add coating material, in case the phosphorus pentoxide etched the matrix.These additives generally increase the pH value of coating and do not influence its cementation.

Copper powder can have been bought, and has high heat conductance preferably.General about 325 purpose fine powders are more satisfactory.To more high-intensity requirement, can use thinner powder (, quite a few being arranged) less than 1 μ m on average less than 5 μ m.Particle size distribution should produce maximum bulk density and maximum uniformity when cast.Impact in order to bear cycling hot, also can use the bimodal particle size, wherein some particle should be obviously greater than 325 orders.Gradation is combination adding binding agent, wetting agent, suspending agent and thickening agent in a step usually, also in conjunction with pulp preparation.This generally realizes by ball milling, but also available vibromill or other wet-grinding technology and relative device.After the grinding, slurry can sieve.Perhaps need to regulate a little to obtain desired viscosity, slurry is ready to timeliness, degasification, spraying or brushing then.

As discussed above, the cermet slurry is preferably thixotropic, and so easy spraying also has long storage period.Ceramic-metallic viscosity can be measured with simple cup type aperture viscosimeter.Desirable range of viscosities can be determined by the infiltration test of carrying out on actual mould (spreading test).Selectively, ceramic-metallic viscosity can be measured with more accurate rotation viscometer, and this also provides data for the accurate mass control of cermet sizing process.

Thermal coefficient of expansion and conductivity after cermet solidifies also are the performances that will control.In order to measure these performances, the cermet slurry can water and cast from gypsum mold, to form hot test sample.Ceramic-metallic thermal coefficient of expansion can be measured with dilatometer.Ceramic-metallic pyroconductivity can be measured with calorimeter.

Technology of the present invention is a novelty, the method for unique making mould.In an example, need not become metal fillings to the first piece of mould (comprising the heating and the cooling duct that get out), this material can spray cutting machine with abrasive material water and remove more effectively.Can finish this material of processing by mould being divided into predetermined zone, with an electron beam welding machine these zones be welded then again.These complicated tasks combine with the advanced Software tool of this technology of management, just can produce a kind of than the standard method that it substituted technology more most advanced and sophisticated, more capable and ingenious.Further, for making big mould, technology of the present invention can be compatible mutually with traditional machined, high-speed machine tool and nickel processing method.

As mentioned above, three kinds of main prior aries of technology best incorporated of the present invention: 5 abrasive material water spray cutting, electron beam welding, knowledge-based CAD.Designing mould, selection zone and control cutting machine and all preferably automations as far as possible of bonding machine.The program of automation preferably is incorporated in a CAD (CAD) system like this, and its form is at segmented mold, optimizes location heating and cooling duct, and the automation macroprogram of establishment machined program.Ideally, the material selection tool welding parameter that comprises the desired uniqueness of different processing metals is provided with required rudimentary knowledge.

At one more preferably among the embodiment,, electron beam welding and water is integrated in the unified design tool for spraying the model that cutting developed.The Open I-DEAS architecture Design program of SDRC company can be used for promoting this integration, and the exploitation of unified design tool.The initial I-DEAS system of selecting is because of all design tool and function are all available, and the client characteristics of any needs, can both seamlessly be incorporated in the I-DEAS development environment.In addition, the Camand Multax of SDRC company may be that commercially available 5 cutter paths having great ability form software (this is the software that high-speed lathe is selected), and the function of all requirements all is based upon in the software.The concrete model of material preferably is integrated into design software and user interface.Further, other software systems also can be used, and do not leave the scope of technology of the present invention.

A famous CAD/CAM software kit is based on the I-DEAS platform of SDRC company.This interaction software bag can reduce the engineering time and the energy of design and segmented mold needs widely.The position that this software can desirable area user be browsed conformal heating and cooling duct, parting line and die surface cutting track.The moving model of integrating can help to analyze every thing, from the heat transfer rate of heating and cooling duct to stress; And allow the user automatically parts to be put on the mould and do not have very long design process.In addition, Open I-DEAS has flexibility, can allow might step all to be incorporated in the bag in the design.This complete design tool makes the user create accurately machined, as to be divided into a zone mould from a simple cad model in several hours or several days.

Be the example of the interaction software bag developed of the existing SDK of a usefulness below.For example, the I-DEAS Master Modeler of SDRC company ^TMBe first-class physical model software kit, can easily be connected in the Camand Multax of SDRC company, be shaped to be used for 5 tool paths.I-DEAS also can be designed to connect other CAD software kit such as ANSYS, and many other application programs are such as database or computation sheet.I-DEAS Master Modeler itself allows the user to design accurate details: geometry, layout, form characteristics, history design, variation size, geometrical constraint, engineering equation, surface smoothness, operation characteristic, high kinematics, size and form tolerance, design rule, working knowledge, assembling, drawing, simulation result, machined parameter, NC cutter path, assemble sequence, more in addition.Because it uses the degree of depth of integrating, I-DEAS Master Series makes people's creation in single environment, emulation, optimization, record, construction easily and tests a design.

When being connected in Camand Multax, Master Modeler becomes more useful.CamandMultax (5 track shafts form software) allows to be controlled at the whole parameters of cutter path in forming.The user can set up independently engineering equation, is used to control track, feed velocity, cutter acceleration and depth of cut.This software allows the user to handle curve and unmanageable details, and straight cuts is easy just as handling.Because its ability and flexibility, Camand Multax can create complicated cutter path and be used for 5 water injection cutting machines.

Open I-DEAS also allows the low-level standard feature that enters among all I-DEAS of programmer.This makes the second tame developer can write macroprogram to be used for I-DEAS.For example, these macroprograms can enter other program and can enter just as I-DEAS, and this gives one of end user powerful, multi-functional cad tools.For example the macroprogram of user's exploitation can provide a user interface, its binding entity model, and finite element analysis, mathematical computations and other instrument of many kinds are used for Element Design.The cutter path that is used for the part manufacturing can be made from identical macroprogram of Camand Multax, so the user need not be transformed into another one software to accurately machined part in order to make cutter path.In essence, single program can be handled from design process to the institute that makes in steps.

Open I-DEAS software is verified effective in some applications, and its customer requirements is similar to technology of the present invention.In fact, SDRC company uses for some are concrete provides several software kits that optionally design with OpenI-DEAS, these application comprise liquid flow, manufacture process in the assembling of cable emulation, part, the mould, and a collection of particular client can be with can no other concrete emulation.The relevant especially application product that SDRC company provides is I-DEAS sheet metal designs (I-DEAS Sheet MetalDesign ^TM).This software kit produces design, layout and the manufacturing that is used for assisting the sheet metalwork with Open-I-DEAS.

In order to design fast and assessment sheet metalwork, this sheet metal designs software automatically is attached to physical model to user-defined bending platform, stress release, shrinkage allowance.One " dynamic browser " guides the user to create geometry and constraint, and gives user's multiple choices when Element Design.For example, the user can be by defining common sweep and being connected two-dimensional section and selecting part model.Selectively, the user can push the cross section of opening, and crooked intelligently this cross section of this program concerns thereby inherit between plate automatically.Material bending platform allows the user to select the crooked tolerance of some special materials and thickness fast.Similarly, utilize specially and make other designed macroprogram, can easily calculate other design parameter for the sheet metal parts.For design process is rationalized, the interaction between this similarly " intelligence " software and the user needs.

As previously mentioned, the software relevant with some example of technology of the present invention can the assisted user designing mould and is that 5 water spray cutting machines and make cutting tracks.As an example, the first step of design can be that common customer can provide the physical model for the treatment of modeling tool file the model of mould input I-DEAS.With any physical model is that the cad model of form can easily be transformed into I-DEAS.In case model is in Master Modeler, the mould designer can start a macroprogram and develop conformal heating and cooling duct design.

This heating and cooling duct design macroprogram can be pointed out subscriber-related desirable hot property, mold stiffness and any special heating of being forced by desirable part manufacturing system and the constraints of cooling duct.This software can utilize theoretical or the heating and the cooling duct design of an optimization of creation automatically of empirical equation then, and is connected in optimizing process software such as ANSYS.In case this software has an opportunity to provide a design, revise any equation or size on demand also may for chance of user.This ability is standard in I-DEAS, and make an amendment slightly can produce one flexibly instrument be used for design and assess this heating and cooling duct.Further, this software can show the result of the hot finite element analysis of part (FEA), for real-time check; And the stress analysis result who is presented under the dummy load effect at the press inner mold.This heating and cooling duct design macroprogram can produce a design fast effectively for simple mould, only need the minimum workload of user.To more complicated mould, the user can check design neatly and change on demand, and this is because all analysis tools have been integrated in this software.Further, this macroprogram can be added to the suitable place of design to the details of optimizing.For example, this heating with/or the cooling duct can be designed to have maximum surface area, turbulent flow and the characteristics that conform to the die surface shape, to promote better cooling.

Be added into after mould designs in heating and cooling duct, the user can continue the cut zone macroprogram.This macroprogram can the assisted user jig parting line.The user can determine along that axis segmented mold, and may be putd question to the quantity in requirement zone or the width of a standard area.Certainly, use the plate of the polishing that concrete size is arranged to force some and restrict location,, allow the user that parting line only is positioned at suitable place so the user can have " location fast " function in these zones.Simultaneously, the user can define stand-by plate height (such as, require to be higher than any position of mould), and this highly can store the track that is used for subsequently and makes.Then, the user can increase, move or remove the zone, better to hold the details of mould.For example, perhaps a special details can be placed in the zone, to simplify the making of cutter path.

After the analyzed property of mould ground is cut apart, can create the surface that to use cutter (spraying cutting machine) cutting, and reserve the safe material amount for subsequent fine processing such as water.Every block of plate will form curve naturally on two faces that die surface and conformal passage intersect.Because die surface may have some details, the cutter macroprogram had better not be made the region surface that may remove any details.Software can be used for surveying the material that these details places increase by a safe dose.As with other multi-functional macroprogram, the user can have a chance to inspect track, gets rid of from each zone plate to guarantee predetermined an amount of material.

Be in case region shape is done, I-DEAS Master Modeler passes to Camand Multax to this region geometry shape, or other software that is fit to, and makes cutter path.This software can be made Machine-Tool Control and encode and cut this zone.Camand can utilize relevant cutter to different materials in different cutting speeds, the service data under thickness and the angle case is come the emulation cutter and is regulated cutting speed, even produces superior cutting quality on the curve of complexity.Again, the user preferably can inspect emulation Cutting Process standard, then to the lathe output encoder.Typical this process chart as shown in figure 12, this does not also mean that the restriction scope of the invention.

Technology of the present invention is not limited to mould and mould supports.For example, technology of the present invention can be used for making sheet metal molding die.Further,, support, or during big molding die, it is not so restricted in essence that expectation has commercial viability, technology of the present invention most such as big mould, big mould though technology of the present invention is being applied to large project.

For those skilled in the art, according to explanation of the present invention disclosed herein and enforcement, even other embodiments of the invention also are conspicuous.This specification and embodiment only should be by as examples, and real scope and spirit of the present invention will be shown by claim.

Claims (25)

1. A method of making a near-net-shape part with a plate, comprising the steps of: cutting the sheet into regions, each region having a length, a width and a depth; machining a surface shape on at least one of the plurality of regions at least partially into the depth and at least partially across the width; assembling the plurality of regions by placing the regions side by side; and Pin the multiple regions together. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the securing step includes electron beam welding. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the weld formed by electron beam welding penetrates to a depth of approximately 100 millimeters. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of machining includes machining a channel through the width of each of more than one of the plurality of areas, and the step of assembling includes aligning adjacent areas of the channel. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after the fixing step, the step of deburring the channel by forcing an abrasive-laden fluid through the channel. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the machining step includes using an abrasive water jet cutter. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of machining includes machining a surface shape in each of more than one of the plurality of areas. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the surface shapes are different from each other. 9. A method of manufacturing a near-net-shape part from sheet material, comprising the steps of: Create a computer model of the part; analytically segment the computer model of the part into part regions; forming at least one part area cutting path for the first cutting machine to follow; cutting the sheet material into the plurality of part regions, each part region having a length, a width and a depth; forming at least one surface shape cutting path for the second cutting machine to follow; machining at least one surface topography on at least one of the plurality of feature regions at least partially into the depth and at least partially across the width; assembling the plurality of part regions by placing the plurality of part regions side by side; forming at least one welding path for the welding machine to follow; and Fix the multiple part regions together. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the modeling step includes designing channels within the computer model of the part. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein heat transfer analysis is used to aid in the design of the channel. 12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of forming a channel cut path for a third cutting machine to follow, and the step of machining includes machining a channel through more than one of the plurality of part regions The width of each region of , the assembly step includes aligning the channels of adjacent part regions. 13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first cutting machine and the second cutting machine are the same machine. 14. A method of making a near net shape mold part from a plurality of pieces of weldable material, comprising: machining a first surface shape within one of the plurality of blocks of weldable material, and machining a second surface shape within a second of the plurality of blocks of weldable material; and After machining, the plurality of pieces of weldable material are electron beam welded together. 15. The method of claim 14, comprising producing the plurality of pieces of weldable material by cutting the weldable material. 16. A mold part made from at least two mold part regions electron beam welded together using the method of claim 14. 17. A method of making a near-net-shape mold part from at least one material, comprising: Build a computer model of a mold section; analytically segmenting the computer model of the mold part into a plurality of mold part regions; analytically forming at least one surface shape path; and At least one fixed path is analytically formed. 18. The method of claim 17, comprising: assembling a plurality of mold portion regions formed from the at least one material; machining at least one surface shape within at least one of the plurality of mold portion regions along the analytically formed at least one surface shape path; and At least two of the plurality of mold part regions are fastened together along the analytically formed at least one fastening path. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least two of the plurality of mold part regions are electron beam welded together. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least two of the plurality of mold portion regions are brazed together. 21. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least two of the plurality of mold part regions are diffusion welded together. 22. The method of claim 18, comprising: analytically forming at least one mold part area cutting path for a cutting machine to follow; and The at least one material is cut into at least one of the plurality of mold section areas along the analytically formed at least one mold section area cutting path. 23. The method of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of mold part areas has a depth and a width, and machining the at least one surface shape on at least one of the plurality of mold part areas, The surface shape at least partially into the depth, and at least partially across the width. 24. The method of claim 18 , wherein more than one surface shape path is analytically formed, and each of the more than one surface shape path is machined in at least one of the plurality of mold portion regions Inside. 25. A mold part manufactured from at least two mold part regions electron beam welded together using the method of claim 19.

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