Patent ID: 8684721

Claim:
An apparatus for forming a structural assembly from at least one preform, the apparatus comprising: first and second co-operable dies configured upon closing to define a die cavity therebetween for at least partially receiving the at least one preform; a sealing frame configured to seal the die cavity and having first and second sealing frame portions attached to said first and second dies respectively; at least one heater in thermal communication with said die cavity for heating the at least one preform to a forming temperature; at least one injector in fluid communication with said die cavity, each injector sealably attached to the sealing frame at an interface between the first and second dies, and each injector at one side thereof contacting the first sealing frame portion and at an opposite side thereof contacting the second sealing frame portion, wherein at least one of said at least one injector is configured to inject pressurized gas into said die cavity to urge at least a portion of the at least one heated preform directly against a forming surface of at least said first die so as to transform the at least one heated preform into the structural assembly, and wherein at least one of said at least one injector is configured to inject quenchant into said die cavity so as to heat treat the structural assembly while distortion of the structural assembly is at least partially restrained by at least one of said first and second dies or while the structural assembly is urged at least partially against said forming surface; and a valve configured to maintain pressure within said die cavity at an elevated pressure below a predetermined pressure during quenching, wherein a side of the first sealing frame portion opposing said side thereof in contact with each injector contacts at least one of said at least one preform, and wherein a side of the second sealing frame portion opposing said side thereof in contact with each injector faces said second die.