Patent ID: 6810572
Filing Date: 2004-11-02
Classification: B21D,B32B,H05B,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for making a multisheet sandwich panel having a superplastically formed core of metal sheets adhesively bonded with a polymer film to outer metal face sheets being formable superplastically in a superplastic forming temperature range, comprising the steps of:(a) assembling a pack of a plurality of sheets of sheet metal having outer metal face sheets and a high temperature polymer film adhesive affixed to at least one sheet in the pack at selected locations corresponding to the location of adhesive bonds between a face sheet and the core in the finished part; (b) loading the pack to a press; (c) heating the pack to the superplastic forming range without destroying the polymer film adhesive; (d) superplastically forming the pack to define a selected core geometry for the finished part and to define polymer film adhesive bonds; (e) flowing the polymer film adhesive concurrently with forming the pack to produce polymer film adhesive bonds in desired locations; (f) cooling the formed pack below the superplastic range to a temperature where the polymer film adhesive sets to complete the finished part; and (g) removing the cooled, finished part from the press.