Patent ID: 8256661

Claim:
A method of forming a part that includes a first component and a second component and which two components are diffusion bonded together, the method comprising: providing a first component, the first component being configured as a pressure component and includes a first bond land surface; providing a separate second component, the second component being configured as a suction component and includes a second bond land surface; providing a mandrel, the mandrel including a first surface having a contour that mates with at least a portion of the first component and a second surface having a contour that mates with at least a portion of the second component; positioning the first and second components on the mandrel so that the first bond land surface and the second bond land surface are in mating abutment; connecting the first component to the second component at discrete locations along a longitudinal length of the first and second components and at a location that is spaced from the first and second bond land surfaces; positioning the connected first and second components together with the mandrel in a die assembly, the die assembly including a first die, a second die and a plurality of fastening members for releasably securing the first die to the second die, the first and second dies being formed of a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, the fastening members being formed of a second material having a second smaller coefficient of thermal expansion, at least one of said first and second components formed of a material having a different composition from said first and second dies and said fastening members; placing the die assembly in a vacuum furnace for a diffusion bonding cycle; evacuating the furnace; increasing the temperature of the furnace to a predetermined temperature; applying uniform pressure across an interface between the first and second bond land surfaces of the first and second components; maintaining a vacuum level, temperature and pressure within the furnace for a predetermined period of time to form a diffusion bond between the first and second bond land surfaces; and removing the die assembly including the diffusion bonded first and second components from the furnace.