Abstract: Apparatus for hot gas blow-forming including opposed heated and insulated tool containers, each including a tool heater plate that is adapted for attachment to a platen of a press with one or more load bearing spacers interposed between the tool heater plate and the platen. Each tool container also includes an insulation enclosure having a base portion that is interposed between the tool heater plate and the platen and further having perimeter wall portion that surrounds the tool heater plate. A perimeter seal is preferably attached to at least one of the heated and insulated tool containers and is adapted for sealing engagement with the other of the heated and insulated tool containers.

Abstract: A sheet material is gripped at its edges and hot blow formed by a pressurized working gas against a forming tool surface. The flow characteristics of the material are determined at increasing gas pressures over a range of temperature relevant to the forming operation. A predetermined pressure/time schedule is determined at a reference temperature for rapid shape formation of good parts on a continual basis. The process is then controlled as parts are thus formed by measuring the forming temperature of the parts and correcting the pressure time schedule, using the determined flow characteristics, for the actual temperature to achieve the desired shape evolution of the parts.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for two-stage stretch forming of a sheet metal blank workpiece between a preform tool with a concave cavity and an opposing finish-form punch tool. Both tools are independently heated to different forming temperatures with the preform tool being hotter. Gas pressure is first applied to one side of the workpiece in the first forming stage to balloon it into the cavity of the preform tool. Gas pressure is then applied to the other side of the preformed workpiece to stretch it against the finish-form surface. The hotter preform tool enables faster forming and gas venting in the first stage. The cooler finish-form tool enables the final shaping of the part and its undistorted removal from the punch surface.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming sheet metal articles, such as automotive body panels, having significant curvatures in front-to-back and side-to-side directions. Opposing, complementary, preforming and final shape forming tools are used in a single press. A sheet of superplastically or quick plastically formable sheet metal alloy, heated to a forming temperature, is first stretched against the preform tool using pressurized gas to form a preform that has experienced most of the metal stretching required for the final part shape. The preform is removed from the preform tool and formed against the opposing tool with pressurized gas to obtain the final sheet metal part shape.

Abstract: A heated metal forming tool including an un-heated mounting plate that is attached to a press. A tool detail is attached to the mounting plate. Insulation surrounds the tool detail to thermally isolate it from the mounting plate, and from the tool surroundings. The tool detail is heated internally by heaters disposed in zones within the tool detail. The temperature of various portions of the tool detail can be independently controlled by varying the temperature within any of the zones.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming sheet metal articles, such as automotive body panels, having significant curvatures in front-to-back and side-to-side directions. Opposing, complementary, preforming and final shape forming tools are used in a single press. A sheet of superplastically or quick plastically formable sheet metal alloy, heated to a forming temperature, is first stretched against the preform tool using pressurized gas to form a preform that has experienced most of the metal stretching required for the final part shape. The preform is removed from the preform tool and formed against the opposing tool with pressurized gas to obtain the final sheet metal part shape.

Abstract: A heated metal forming tool including an un-heated mounting plate that is attached to a press. A tool detail is attached to the mounting plate. Insulation surrounds the tool detail to thermally isolate it from the mounting plate, and from the tool surroundings. The tool detail is heated internally by heaters disposed in zones within the tool detail. The temperature of various portions of the tool detail can be independently controlled by varying the temperature within any of the zones.

Abstract: A cusp-shaped binder surface seal bead for a superplastic forming die or tool engages a sheet workpiece, especially an aluminum sheet, in a gas tight seal but displaces so little workpiece material that the formed sheet does not bond to the tool and is easily removed at the completion of the forming operation. The cusp shape may be truncated and the seal shape may incorporate adjacent valleys recessed in the otherwise flat binder surface.

Abstract: An anti-intrusion barrier comprising a corrugated metal sheet and at least one mounting flange integral with the sheet. The flange comprises extensions of the corrugations which have been collapsed inwardly upon themselves so as to provide a plurality of plateaus each defined by a pair of pleats formed by collapsed walls of the corrugations.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for stretching sheet blanks, especially superplastic sheets, by differential gas pressure into conformity with a female die surface without encountering excessive thinning or tearing of the sheet. The warmed SPF sheet is draped over a preformed surface to draw more of the sheet material into the die cavity before the edges of the sheet are fixedly clamped whereby the additional formable material is used in forming the product, thereby reducing thinning and tears.

Abstract: An anti-intrusion barrier comprising a corrugated metal sheet and at least one mounting flange integral with the sheet. The flange comprises extensions of the corrugations which have been collapsed inwardly upon themselves so as to provide a plurality of plateaus each defined by a pair of pleats formed by collapsed walls of the corrugations.