Patent ID: 9364930
Filing Date: 2016-06-14
CPC Classification: B23C,B23K,B23P,B23Q,B26F,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A method of manipulating a thin-walled structure, comprising: providing a thin-walled structure in a first unconstrained configuration; constraining the thin-walled structure to a first constrained configuration in which a first feature of the thin-walled structure is spatially located relative to a second feature of the thin-walled structure in a predetermined manner, wherein an open volume of the thin-walled structure is constrained to maintain a predetermined open volume shape; and machining the thin-walled structure to a second constrained configuration in which the first feature of the thin-walled structure remains spatially located relative to the second feature of the thin-walled structure in the predetermined manner; and wherein constraining the thin-walled structure to the first constrained configuration comprises providing a constrainer into the open volume of the thin-walled structure, the constrainer comprising at least partially solidified cetyl alcohol; and wherein the constrainer further comprises at least one of a magnetic material and a ferrous material, and the constraining comprises selectively applying a magnetic force to the constrainer.