Le formage superplastique et le soudage par diffusion

Superplastic forming and diffusion bonding

Chef du Département Cepem, ACB, Nantes

Abstract

Superplastic behaviour was first demonstrated in 1920 and industrial applications for this discovery have been developed in the past 20 years. Superplastic forming (SPF) has proved to be a highly efficient process for the fabrication of aerospace parts with complex geometries. When allied with diffusion bonding technology, SPF also permits fabrication of self-stiffened structures. The process is particularly suited to forming aluminium and titanium parts for special sheet metal using ACB-built hydraulic presses with supervisor control systems.

Originally a substitute technology, superplastic forming has today established itself as a full- scale industrial process enabling production of new generation parts with considerable weight and cost reductions. Markets for this technology have previuosly been centered in the aerospace industry, but are beginning to appear in other areas where part weight and performance characteristics are of special significance, e.g. the railroad and the health industries.