TUBULAR MEMBER DEFORMATION PROCESS

Abstract

A process to plastically deform a metallic tubular member includes heating a portion of the tubular member to at least 350 degrees Celsius, performing a feeding operation on the tubular member by applying axial force to one end of the tubular member to plastically deform a primary deformed portion of the tubular member, and subsequently creating one of a bent portion in the tubular member and a secondary deformed portion in the tubular member between the one end of the tubular member and the primary deformed portion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This disclosure claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/800,741 filed on Feb. 4, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure is related to a process for forming a complex metal part, and, in particular, to a process for plastically deforming and subsequently bending a tubular member.

BACKGROUND

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure. Accordingly, such statements are not intended to constitute an admission of prior art.

Processes of creating metallic parts are known and varied. According to one exemplary known process, a metal tubular member can be heated and an axial force applied to one or more ends of the member can be applied. Based upon the force and the temperature, a thickened area in the tube can be created for this purpose or the purpose of allowing subsequent enhanced elongation; or the force and temperature can be used solely to enhance elongation beyond that which the elevated temperatures can provide; or a combination of both. This can be termed a feeding operation. Feeding operations are useful in straight parts. However, in complex parts, such as parts with bends and twists, areas of a part can be “landlocked”, wherein providing an axial force at one end of the part cannot thicken a portion of the part around a bend or a twist.

SUMMARY

A process to plastically deform a metallic tubular member includes heating a portion of the tubular member to at least 350 degrees Celsius, performing a feeding operation on the tubular member by applying axial force to one end of the tubular member to plastically deform a primary deformed portion of the tubular member, and subsequently creating one of a bent portion in the tubular member and a secondary deformed portion in the tubular member between the one end of the tubular member and the primary deformed portion.

According to one exemplary embodiment, a process to plastically deform a metallic tubular member can include heating a portion of the tubular member to at least 350 degrees Celsius, performing a feeding operation on the tubular member by applying axial force to a two ends of the tubular member to plastically deform a primary deformed portion of the tubular member, and subsequently deforming the tubular member between the primary deformed portion and the first end of the tubular member and deforming the tubular member between the primary deformed portion and a second end of the tubular member, wherein deforming the tubular member between the primary deformed portion and the first end of the tubular member and deforming the tubular member between the primary deformed portion and the second end of the tubular member each comprise creating one of a bend in the tubular member and creating an additional deformed portion in the tubular member.

According to another exemplary embodiment, a process to plastically deform a metallic tubular member can include heating a portion of the tubular member to at least 350 degrees Celsius, performing a feeding operation on the tubular member by applying axial force to one end of the tubular member to plastically deform a primary deformed portion of the tubular member, and subsequently creating a bent portion in the tubular member between the one end of the tubular member and the primary deformed portion. Creating the bent portion includes cooling the tubular member and bending the tubular member. The process further includes subsequently reheating the tubular member to at least 350 degrees Celsius and creating a secondary deformed portion on the tubular member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One or more embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate a known prior art process for creating a thickened wall section in a tubular member;

FIG. 1D illustrates a tubular member with an expanded central section formed with known processes without any feeding operation, in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 1E illustrates a tubular member with an expanded central section formed with known processes including a feeding operation to limit thinning of expanded wall sections, in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 1F illustrates a tubular member with an expanded central section formed with known processes including a feeding operation to maintain constant thickness of expanded wall sections, in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a process for deforming a tubular member, in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate another exemplary embodiment of a process for deforming a tubular member, in accordance with the present disclosure; and

FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 5-7 illustrate exemplary end product configurations that can be created by the disclosed processes, in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary structure including a thickened central portion with bends between the thickened central portion and ends of the structure;

FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary structure including an expanded central portion with bends between the expanded central portion and ends of the structure; and

FIGS. 5-7 illustrate illustrates an exemplary structure including a flattened deformed central portion differently oriented flattened deformed portions between the deformed central portion and ends of the structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to known prior art processes, a feeding operation can be used to control wall section thickness in metallic tubular parts. Such metallic tubular parts formed through processes including feeding can include either thickening or enhancing elongation of the tubular parts. Such parts, once constructed, can be used for a wide variety of purposes. It is known that feeding operations require a linear column load to best thicken a wall without buckling, however, off angle feeding can be used with degrading efficiency. A more difficult balance between pressure, force and resultant outward bubbling or inward folding is required as angularity increases. In one embodiment, a feeding operation through a part with a 90 degree or more bend can be said to be exceedingly difficult or impossible. In another embodiment, a feeding operation through a part with a 45 degree or more bend can present significant balance problems and can be said to be problematic or impractical. A non uniform distribution of material occurs with more material forced to be added on the inside wall of the angle versus the outside wall of the angle. Changes in feed effectiveness and magnitude of wall thickness bias are continuous, non linear, and depend heavily on the part geometry being formed. The disclosed process can include either thickening or enhancing elongation. With regard to thickening, material is fed into a particular area for the purpose of aggregating metallic material in that area. With regard to enhanced elongation, one may or may not thicken first, then the expansion is continued to the enhanced large length of line of the section and the resulting wall may be finally thickened, an initial cross section can be maintained or restored, or may be thinner than the initial wall thickness. In one embodiment, the disclosed process can include a feeding operation at a rate whereby the wall is never thickening, and the process is just following the bubble growth to maintain wall or sometimes allow thinning.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating certain exemplary embodiments only and not for the purpose of limiting the same, FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate a known prior art process for creating a thickened wall section in a tubular member. FIG. 1A illustrates an essentially straight metallic tubular member 10. Tubular member 10 includes an exemplary circular cross section, although it will be appreciated that the cross section can be square, rectangular, rectangular with rounded corners, triangular, or any similar cross section. Tubular member 10 includes a first end 12 and a second end 14. Similar processes can be performed upon tubular members with more than two ends, for example, with three tubes being joined by a middle portion or four tubes being joined by a middle portion. Tubular member 10 includes essentially straight side walls.

FIG. 1B illustrates the tubular member of FIG. 1A situated within an exemplary feeding operation fixture. Tubular member 10 is illustrated in cross section including first end 12, second end 14, and wall sections to be thickened 16 and 18. A first fixed end 30 of exemplary feeding operation fixture 21 is illustrated which first provides a fixed surface against which tubular member 10 can be pressed. Second, fixed end 30 can seal an interior of tubular member 10 such that air or another gas can be optionally pressurized within tubular member 10. Second moving end 20 of fixture 21 is illustrated, with an axial force 22 being applied to moving end 20. Moving end 20 can seal the interior of tubular member 10 such that air or another gas can be optionally pressurized within tubular member 10. Tubular member 10 is heated to at least 350° C., either across the entire member or locally at wall sections to be thickened 16 and 18. By pressing and heating member 10, wall material can be fed into wall sections to be thickened 16 and 18, thereby causing the walls to increase in thickness.

Moving end 12 can be described as an end from which material is fed to thicken wall sections of member 10. An axial force applied to the tubular member under threshold heat causes the heated metal to aggregate in the desired area. A straight wall 17 exists between moving end 12 and wall sections to be thickened 16 and 18. According to known feeding operation processes, a straight wall must exist between an end from which material is fed and a wall section to be thickened. If a bend or a twist exists between the end from which material is fed and the wall section to be thickened, the material being fed accumulates at the bend or twist, for example, causing a kink, wall buckle, or undesirable bend in the part.

FIG. 1C illustrates the tubular member of FIG. 1A after the feeding operation is complete. Tubular member 10 is illustrated in cross section with thickened section 26 and thickened section 28.

In alternative embodiments, feeding can be used to augment wall thickness during bending or wall manipulation processes, for example, to permit a wall to be reformed or expanded past normal limits without failing. For example, under normal bending or expansion processes, a steel member expanded to 70% or more past its original size would experience significant thinning or undesirable necking of walls of the member. FIG. 1D illustrates a tubular member with an expanded central section formed with known processes without any feeding operation. Tubular member 10′ is illustrated in cross section with expanded section 26′ and expanded section 28′, which can but need not represent an expanded ring in the middle of member 10′. Expanded section 26′ and expanded section 28′ illustrate sections of tubular member 10′ expanded to an increased diameter of more than 70% greater than the original diameter of the central section, for example, as illustrated at unexpanded point 29′. Tubular member 10′ is formed through heating and expansion of an originally cylindrical member without any feeding operation. As a result, expanded sections 26′ and 28′ include only the material that was included in the original cylindrical form, with that material being stretched into thinner and thinner wall sections as the degree of expansion increases. One having skill in the art will appreciate that such drastic expansion of the material would result in impracticability and failure of tubular member 10′, for example, with a rupture, crack, or other failure at thinnest point 27′.

FIG. 1E illustrates a tubular member with an expanded central section formed with known processes including a feeding operation to limit thinning of expanded wall sections. Tubular member 10″ is illustrated in cross section with expanded section 26″ and expanded section 28″, which can but need not represent an expanded ring in the middle of member 10″. Expanded section 26″ and expanded section 28″ illustrate sections of tubular member 10″ expanded to an increased diameter of more than 70% greater than the original diameter of the central section. Tubular member 10″ is formed through heating and expansion of an originally cylindrical member while material is fed from ends of tubular member 10″. As a result of the feeding operation, thinning of expanded sections 26″ and 28″ is limited and can be controlled to a desired amount.

FIG. 1F illustrates a tubular member with an expanded central section formed with known processes including a feeding operation to maintain constant thickness of expanded wall sections. Tubular member 10′″ is illustrated in cross section with expanded section 26′″ and expanded section 28′″, which can but need not represent an expanded ring in the middle of member 10′″. Expanded section 26′″ and expanded section 28′″ illustrate sections of tubular member 10′″ expanded to an increased diameter of more than 70% greater than the original diameter of the central section. Tubular member 10′″ is formed through heating and expansion of an originally cylindrical member while material is fed from ends of tubular member 10′″. As a result of the feeding operation, thinning of expanded sections 26′″ and 28′″ is prevented and the thickness of the wall sections is maintained.

In a number of particular desired end product configurations, known processes to deform and shape tubular members such as the process illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C. FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 5-7 illustrate exemplary end product configurations that cannot be created by simply feeding material from the two ends of the parts. FIG. 4A illustrates hollow metallic structure 300 including a first tubular end 310, a second tubular end 320, and thickened central portion 330. Thickened central portion 330 includes thickened wall sections 332 and 334 and can but need not include a thickened ring around structure 300 at thickened central portion 330. Thickened central portion 330, upon a straight tubular member, can be formed by the feeding process described in FIGS. 1A-1C. However, bend 340 separates thickened central portion 330 from first end 310, and bend 350 separates thickened central portion 330 from second end 320. A feeding operation from a direction of arrow 312 upon first end 310 cannot create thickened central portion 330. Such an attempted feeding operation would distort either bend 340 or thickened central portion 330, for example, creating a kink or tear on inner elbow of the bend. Similarly, a feeding operation from a direction of arrow 322 upon second end 320 cannot create thickened central portion 330. Such an attempted feeding operation would distort either bend 350 or thickened central portion 330. However, structure 300 including thickened central portion 330 can be formed from a straight tubular member according to the processes disclosed herein.

FIG. 4B illustrates hollow metallic structure 352 including a first tubular end 360, a second tubular end 360, and expanded central portion 380, with central portion 380 including an exemplary expanded diameter of roughly double the diameter of the rest of structure 352.

A tubular member can be deformed to create an expanded central portion without a feeding operation similar to the process illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C. For example, the tube material can be heated, the part can be pressurized from within to expand the heated material, and die material outside the part can cause the expanding tube material to fit a desired expanded profile. However, the material of the tubular member is thinned by the expanding process, and as a result, the resulting expanded section includes thinner walls than the rest of the tubular member. By utilizing a feeding operation in combination with expanding material of a tubular member, material can be fed to the expanding section during the expanding process, and the expanded section can be maintained to include walls of a same thickness as a rest of the tubular member.

Expanded central portion 380 includes walls that are substantially a same thickness as the rest of structure 352 and includes expanded wall sections 382 and 384 and can but need not include an expanded ring around structure 352 at expanded central portion 380. Expanded central portion 380, upon a straight tubular member, can be formed by a feeding process similar to the process described in FIGS. 1A-1C. However, bend 390 separates expanded central portion 380 from first end 360, and bend 398 separates expanded central portion 380 from second end 370. A feeding operation from a direction of arrow 362 upon first end 360 cannot create expanded central portion 380. Such an attempted feeding operation would distort either bend 390 or expanded central portion 380. Similarly, a feeding operation from a direction of arrow 372 upon second end 370 cannot create expanded central portion 380. Such an attempted feeding operation would distort either bend 398 or expanded central portion 380. However, structure 352 including expanded central portion 380 can be formed from a straight tubular member according to the processes disclosed herein. Whether or not a desired angle or desired structure in a tubular member prevents a desired feeding/deformation process in a center of the tubular member can be described as an issue of a wall bias from the inner to outer parts of the included angle. In some cases, one can apply brute force according to known methods to achieve minimum wall thicknesses in a central portion, but such a brute force application of feeding past an unacceptable angle or geometry can carry waste on the outboard wall, be inconsistent in the manufacturing process, or create structural defects in the part such as kinking. If this bias is out of an acceptable range, straightening the feed angle to create the desired deformation in the central portion and then applying the secondary operation between the desired deformation and the end of the part can overcome the cited problems.

FIGS. 5-7 illustrate an additional exemplary end product configuration that cannot be created by simply feeding material from the two ends of the part. FIG. 5 illustrates hollow metallic structure 400 including a first tubular end 410, a second tubular end 420, and deformed portions 430, 440, and 450. Deformed central portion 430 includes a crimped deformation, flattening the cross section of structure 400 in one orientation, making the structure 400 wider in two radial directions and narrower in two radial directions. A deformed portion similar to deformed central portion 430 can be created upon a straight tubular member by heating the straight tubular member and squeezing the material of the tubular member in a die without feeding material to deformed portion during the deforming process. However, without feeding, the walls of the tubular member in the area of deformed portion would be thinned by the deforming process as compared to the rest of the straight tubular member. A deformed portion such as deformed central portion 430 can be formed with a feeding process similar to the feeding processes of FIGS. 1A-1C, 1D, and 1E, and walls of the deformed section can be maintained to include walls of a same thickness as a rest of the tubular member.

Deformed portions 440 and 450 are similar to deformed central portion 430, except that, deformed portions 440 and 450 are rotated about a longitudinal axis of structure 400 by some angle as compared to deformed central portion 430. FIG. 6 illustrates structure 400 of FIG. 5 from an end view. One can see deformed portions 430 and 440 rotated in relation to each other about a central longitudinal axis of structure 400. FIG. 7 illustrates the structure of FIGS. 5 and 6 through a cross section defined by section line AA of FIG. 6. Wall sections of structure 400 are illustrated to include substantially constant thickness throughout the structure.

Deformed central portion 430, upon a straight tubular member, can be formed by a feeding process similar to the feeding process described in FIGS. 1A-1C. However, deformed portion 440 separates deformed central portion 430 from first end 410, and deformed portion 450 separates deformed central portion 430 from second end 420. A feeding operation from first end 410 cannot create deformed central portion 430. Such an attempted feeding operation would distort deformed portion 440. Similarly, a feeding operation from second end 420 cannot create deformed central portion 430. Such an attempted feeding operation would distort deformed portion 450. However, structure 400 including deformed central portion 430 can be formed from a straight tubular member according to the processes disclosed herein.

Structures 300, 352, and 400 are exemplary end product configurations that can be achieved by the disclosed process. It will be appreciated that a vast variety of different end products can be made according to processed disclosed herein, and the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular examples provided.

In one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, rotation can needed to create a desired end product geometry. One may want the original feed stock to have the length of line maximized, but to feed it through an initial chokepoint it requires an axis rotation. For example, a small tubular member through the chokepoint may not be able to make a desired geometry in a middle of the tubular member due to lack of length of line present in the part, but a horizontal oval can be created through expansion of the tubular member to create more length of line in the part. The modified tubular member now has enough additional length of line to do the job, and it can be fed through a chokepoint which is narrow vertical but wide. However, without the presently disclosed processes, a problem exists including the outer segments are tall in vertical but narrow horizontal. The part still needs this larger tube starting length of line, but the part cannot be present in the original die shape or they would have conflicted with the tube in the horizontal direction and prevented feeding. According to the present process, one may feed through the narrow but wide chokepoints, and subsequently one can create the desired bubble to increase length of line. Finally, one may twist the ends to create the desired end product geometry.

A process for deforming a tubular member is disclosed. The process includes at least two steps. According to one embodiment of the process, a tubular member first is plastically deformed. The plastic deformation can include a deforming process to plastically deform at least one wall portion of the tubular member to create a deformed wall member portion. The deformed wall member portion can include a thickened wall member portion, an expanded wall member portion, or a flattened wall member portion, or an otherwise deformed wall member portion. The process of creating the deformed wall member portion can include a feeding process, for example, providing wall material to either thicken or maintain a wall thickness in the area being deformed. Second, the tubular member is bent or deformed, such that one of a bent member portion and a deformed member portion is created between the deformed wall member portion and an end of the member portion. The tubular member can then be further manipulated, for example, being placed within a die to create a final part.

According to a second embodiment of the process, a tubular member first is plastically deformed. The plastic deformation can include a feeding process to deform at least one wall portion of the tubular member to create a deformed wall member portion. Second, the tubular member is twisted, such that a twisted member portion is created between the thickened wall member portion and an end of the member portion. The tubular member can then be further manipulated, for example, being placed within a die to create a final part.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a process for deforming a tubular member. Process 100 starts at step 102. At step 104, the process is initialized with a hollow metallic structure with one or more open ends. At step 106, the metallic structure is heated, or at least a portion of the structure is heated, to a temperature above 350° C. At step 108, an optional step, the structure can be enclosed within a die after (or before) the part is heated. At step 110, ends of the metallic structure are clamped and sealed either before or after the structure is heated. If the structure is enclosed in a die, the clamping and sealing can be accomplished before or after the structure is placed into the die. At step 112, the structure undergoes a feeding operation and the part is internally pressurized, such that a portion of the structure is plastically deformed, for example, to shape the walls, to thin the walls in a desired way, to maintain a thickness of at least one wall section or wall portion in the structure, or to thicken at least one wall section or wall portion in the structure. At step 114, the structure is bent. The bending can occur after the structure is permitted to cool after the plastic deformation, after re-heating the structure after the structure is cooled, or while the structure is still hot from the plastic deformation step. The bending is performed between an end of the structure that was a feed axis for the feeding operation of step 112 and the portion of the structure that was plastically deformed. In one embodiment, the bend can be in excess of 15 degrees. In step 116, the structure is heated or heat is retained in the structure to keep the structure above at least 350° C. In step 116, the structure is enclosed in a die and the structure is put through a final shaping operation including plastic deformation within the die according to known die processes. The die can but need not be heated for this step. At step 120, the process ends. Process 100 is provided as one exemplary embodiment of a deformation process. Other embodiments are envisioned, and the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular examples provided herein.

The structure of FIG. 2 can be a tube or fabricated multi-leg structure. At least one open end is required. Heating the structure can be performed by any known means, including by conducting current through the structure. Pressurizing a structure or tubular member is useful to prevent the part from buckling or caving in during the deformation of the part.

In the process of FIG. 2, one creates a plastically deformed segment of a metallic structure through a feeding operation. The structure then is subsequently bent, twisted, or otherwise manipulated in such a way that a feeding operation would not have been able to create the plastically deformed segment after the bending or manipulation was performed.

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate another exemplary embodiment of a process for deforming a tubular member. Process 200 starts at step 202. A structure as described in FIG. 2 can be described in one embodiment as a tubular member. At step 204, a tubular member is pre-fabricated based upon a desired finalized shape. The member can include any number of ends, including two ends, three ends, and four ends. At step 206, a determination is made whether the tubular member needs to be sealed on one or more ends. If no seal is required, the process proceeds to step 212. If one seal is required, the member is sealed on the required side at step 210. If more than one seal is required, at step 208, the tubular member is sealed on every required side. At step 212, the tubular member is clamped, sealed, and pressurized. At step 214, a material feeding operation is initiated. At step 216, a determination is made whether the feeding operation should occur within a die. If the feeding operation is to be performed outside of a die, the process proceeds to step 218, where the tubular member is heated, and the process proceeds to step 232. If the feeding operation is to be performed within a die, the process advances to step 220, where a determination is made whether the member is to be heated within the die or outside of the die. If the member is to be heated outside of the die, the process advances to step 222, where the member is heated prior to being placed into the die in step 224; after which the process subsequently advances to step 232. If the member is to be heated within the die, the process advances to step 226, wherein a determination is made whether the member should be actively heated by a heating device or if the member should be passively heated by heating the die. If the member is to be actively heated, the process advances to step 228 where a heating device is used to heat the member and the process advances to step 232. If the member is to be passively heated, the process advances to step 230 where the die is heated and the process advances to step 232. At step 232, an axial force is applied to at least one side of the tubular member. At step 234, material is fed and the part is pressurized to create desired plastic deformation in the tubular member. Plastic deformation through such a feeding operation can include shaping a section of the walls, thinning a section of the walls, or thickening a section of the walls.

At step 235, a determination is made whether the tubular member was put in a first die in steps 224, 228, or 230. If the member was not put in a first die, the process advances to step 236. At step 236, it is determined whether an intermediate bending operation is required. If the intermediate bending operation is required the process advances to step 248. If the bending operation is not required, the process advances to step 254.

If, at step 235, it is determined that the member was put in a first die, the process advances to step 238. If the bending operation is not required, the process advances to step 252. If the bending operation is required the process advances to step 240. At step 240, a determination is made whether the intermediate bending operation can be performed within the die. If the intermediate bending operation cannot be performed within the die, the process advances to step 242, where the member is removed from the die, and the process advances to step 248. If the intermediate bending operation can be performed within the die, the process advances to step 244, where the member is heated to a desired temperature, and the member is bent within the die at step 246. The process then advances to step 252.

At step 248, the member is heated to a desired temperature, and the member is bent at step 250. The process then advances to step 254.

At step 254, the tubular member is heated to a desired temperature for a final shaping operation, and the process advances to step 256 where the tubular member is placed in a die capable of performing the final shaping operation. The process subsequently advances to step 266.

At step 252, a determination is made whether the final shaping operation can be performed within the first die, or whether a second die is required. If the final shaping operation can be performed within the first die, the process advances to step 264 where the member is heated within the first die to a desired temperature required for the final shaping operation. The process subsequently advances to step 266.

If, at step 252, it is determinate that the final shaping operation cannot be performed within the first die, the process advances to step 258, where the tubular member is removed from the first die. At step 260, the member is heated to a desired temperature required for the final shaping operation. At step 262, the part is placed in a second die configured to perform the final shaping operation. The process subsequently advances to step 266.

At step 266, a determination is made whether the die used for the final shaping operation needs to be heated. If not, the process advances to step 270. If the die does need to be heated, then the process advances to step 268, where the die is heated, and the process advances to step 270. At step 270, the final shaping operation begins including die processes known in the art. At step 272, a determination is made whether any of the walls of the tubular member need to be plastically deformed through a second feeding operation. If not, the process advances to step 278. If one or more sections or portions of the walls of the member do need to be plastically deformed, the process advances to step 274, where an axial force is applied to at least one side of the tubular member. At step 276, material is fed and the member is internally pressurized to plastically deform the member. At step 278, the die process is completed upon the tubular member to create the final part. At step 280, the final part is removed from the die. At step 282, the process ends. Process 200 is provided as one exemplary embodiment of a deformation process. Other embodiments are envisioned, and the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular examples provided herein.

In various embodiments and descriptions, tubular members are illustrated and described as being expanded more than 70% past an original diameter or size. In some embodiments and materials, 70% can describe a natural limit past which a metallic tube cannot be expanded without a feeding operation as described herein. However, 70% expansion is not provided herein as any limiting value, the process steps as disclosed herein can be utilized to create various shapes and geometries in the parts being formed, including expansion, wall augmentation, or large length of line expansion, and the disclosed images and descriptions are meant to be non-limiting examples of capabilities of the disclosed process.

The disclosure has described certain preferred embodiments and modifications of those embodiments. Further modifications and alterations may occur to others upon reading and understanding the specification. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A process to plastically deform a metallic tubular member, comprising

heating a portion of the tubular member to at least 350 degrees Celsius;

performing a feeding operation on the tubular member by applying axial force to one end of the tubular member to plastically deform a primary deformed portion of the tubular member; and

subsequently creating one of a bent portion in the tubular member and a secondary deformed portion in the tubular member between the one end of the tubular member and the primary deformed portion.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein performing the feeding operation on the tubular member comprises creating an expanded portion in the tubular member.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein performing the feeding operation on the tubular member comprises creating a flattened portion in the tubular member.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein performing the feeding operation on the tubular member comprises creating a thickened portion in the tubular member.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein performing the feeding operation on the tubular member comprises applying axial force to two ends of the tubular member.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein subsequently creating one of the bent portion and the secondary deformed portion comprises:

achieving a minimum temperature in a secondary portion of the tubular member of at least 350 degrees Celsius; and

creating the bent portion.

7. The process of claim 6, further comprising, after performing the feeding operation, permitting the tubular member to cool; and

wherein achieving the minimum temperature comprises heating the tubular member back to the minimum temperature.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein subsequently creating one of the bent portion and the secondary deformed portion comprises:

achieving a minimum temperature in a portion of the tubular member of at least 350 degrees Celsius; and

creating the secondary deformed portion.

9. The process of claim 8, further comprising, after performing the feeding operation, permitting the tubular member to cool; and

wherein achieving the minimum temperature comprises heating the tubular member back to the minimum temperature.

10. The process of claim 8, wherein creating the secondary deformed portion comprises creating an expanded portion.

11. The process of claim 8, wherein creating the secondary deformed portion comprises creating a flattened portion.

12. The process of claim 8, wherein creating the secondary deformed portion comprises creating an thickened portion.

13. The process of claim 8, wherein creating the secondary deformed portion comprises creating a twist in the tubular member.

14. A process to plastically deform a metallic tubular member, comprising

heating a portion of the tubular member to at least 350 degrees Celsius;

performing a feeding operation on the tubular member by applying axial force to a two ends of the tubular member to plastically deform a primary deformed portion of the tubular member; and

subsequently deforming the tubular member between the primary deformed portion and the first end of the tubular member and deforming the tubular member between the primary deformed portion and a second end of the tubular member, wherein deforming the tubular member between the primary deformed portion and the first end of the tubular member and deforming the tubular member between the primary deformed portion and the second end of the tubular member each comprise creating one of a bend in the tubular member and creating an additional deformed portion in the tubular member.

15. A process to plastically deform a metallic tubular member, comprising

heating a portion of the tubular member to at least 350 degrees Celsius;

performing a feeding operation on the tubular member by applying axial force to one end of the tubular member to plastically deform a primary deformed portion of the tubular member;

subsequently creating a bent portion in the tubular member between the one end of the tubular member and the primary deformed portion, comprising: cooling the tubular member; and bending the tubular member; and

subsequently reheating the tubular member to at least 350 degrees Celsius and creating a secondary deformed portion on the tubular member..