Brazed aluminum laminate mold tooling

Abstract

A laminate aluminum block for forming an article includes a series of aluminum laminate plates to collectively form a tool body for forming an article in a forming operation. A series of aluminum brazing layers are formed for brazing together adjacent aluminum laminate plates. The series of aluminum laminate plates and the series of aluminum brazing layers are deoxidized. Draining apertures are formed through a plurality of the series of aluminum laminate plates. The series of aluminum laminate plates are stacked alternating with the aluminum brazing layers between adjacent aluminum laminate plates without a flux. The stacked series of alternating aluminum plates and aluminum brazing layers are pressed. The stacked series of alternating aluminum plates and aluminum brazing layers are heated in a vacuum furnace to a temperature wherein the aluminum brazing layers braze the aluminum laminate plates together and excess braze material drains from the draining apertures.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mold block comprising a tool body having a contoured finished surface adapted to receive a tool insert having a forming surface for forming a bottle neck in a molding operation, the tool body defining an internal heat transfer channel for heat transfer with the tool insert forming surface, wherein at least a portion of the channel is offset generally equidistant from the finished surface to provide a path contoured for conformal cooling of the insert, and the tool body having a pair of ports, each port intersecting the channel. 
     
     
         2 . The mold block of  claim 1  further comprising ribs within the internal channel to provide structural support for the tool body and enhance turbulent flow of a coolant through the channel. 
     
     
         3 . The mold block of  claim 1  wherein the tool body is formed from aluminum plates. 
     
     
         4 . A laminate aluminum mold block formed by a process comprising:
 forming a series of aluminum laminate flat plates with channels to collectively form a tool body;   forming draining apertures through a plurality of the series of aluminum laminate plates in a thickness direction of the plates, the draining apertures being separate from the channels;   forming a series of aluminum brazing layers for brazing together adjacent aluminum laminate plates;   stacking the series of aluminum laminate plates alternating with the aluminum brazing layers between adjacent aluminum laminate plates;   pressing the stacked series of alternating aluminum plates and aluminum brazing layers;   heating the stacked series of alternating aluminum plates and aluminum brazing layers to a temperature wherein the aluminum brazing layers braze the aluminum laminate plates together, wherein excess braze material drains out of the tool body through the draining apertures during the heating; and   forming a finished surface in the tool body by the brazed series of aluminum laminate plates.   
     
     
         5 . The mold block formed by the process of  claim 4 , the process further comprising forming the series of aluminum brazing layers from aluminum foil sheets. 
     
     
         6 . The mold block formed by the process of  claim 4 , the process further comprising forming the series of aluminum laminate plates and forming the series of aluminum brazing layers without a flux. 
     
     
         7 . The mold block formed by the process of  claim 4 , the process further comprising deoxidizing the series of aluminum laminate plates and the series of aluminum brazing layers prior to stacking the series of aluminum laminate plates and the series of aluminum brazing layers. 
     
     
         8 . The mold block formed by the process of  claim 4 , the process further comprising heating the stacked series of alternating aluminum plates and aluminum brazing layers in a vacuum furnace. 
     
     
         9 . The mold block formed by the process of  claim 8 , the process further comprising placing Magnesium within the furnace to minimize oxidation of the series of alternating aluminum plates and aluminum brazing layers during heating in the vacuum furnace. 
     
     
         10 . The mold block formed by the process of  claim 8 , the process further comprising heating at a temperature of at least 1040 degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         11 . The mold block formed by the process of  claim 8 , the process further comprising heating at an atmosphere of 10-4 to 10-5 torr. 
     
     
         12 . The mold block formed by the process of  claim 4 , the process further comprising forming the series of aluminum laminate plates with cooling channels. 
     
     
         13 . The mold block formed by the process of  claim 12 , the process further comprising piercing the aluminum brazing layers at locations aligned with the cooling channels in the series of aluminum laminate plates to expose the cooling channels to an external environment during the heating of the series of aluminum plates and the series of aluminum brazing layers. 
     
     
         14 . The mold block formed by the process of  claim 12 , the process further comprising stacking the series of aluminum laminate plates and aluminum brazing layers upon a base plate with venting aligned with the cooling channels so that the cooling channels are exposed to an external environment during the heating of the series of aluminum plates and the series of aluminum brazing layers. 
     
     
         15 . The mold block formed by the process of  claim 4 , the process further comprising applying a force to the series of alternating aluminum plates and aluminum brazing layers during the heating of the series of alternating aluminum plates and aluminum brazing layers. 
     
     
         16 . The mold block formed by the process of  claim 4 , the process further comprising forming the finished surface in the brazed series of plates for forming an article with the finished surface. 
     
     
         17 . The mold block formed by the process of  claim 4 , the process further comprising forming the finished surface for receiving an insert for forming an article with the insert in a forming operation. 
     
     
         18 . The mold block formed by the process of  claim 4 , the process further comprising inserting the insert into the finished surface. 
     
     
         19 . A method for forming an article comprising:
 providing a laminate mold block according to  claim 4 ; and   forming an article from the mold block.   
     
     
         20 . A method for forming a laminate aluminum mold block for forming an article in a forming operation comprising:
 forming a series of aluminum laminate flat plates with channels to collectively form a tool body;   forming draining apertures through a plurality of the series of aluminum laminate plates in a thickness direction of the plates, the draining apertures being separate from the channels;   forming a series of aluminum brazing layers for brazing together adjacent aluminum laminate plates;   deoxidizing the series of aluminum laminate plates and the series of aluminum brazing layers, by submersion in an acetone solution, an alkali solution or an acid solution;   stacking the series of aluminum laminate plates alternating with the aluminum brazing layers between adjacent aluminum laminate plates;   pressing the stacked series of alternating aluminum plates and aluminum brazing layers;   heating the stacked series of alternating aluminum plates and aluminum brazing layers to a temperature wherein the aluminum brazing layers braze the aluminum laminate plates together, wherein excess braze material drains out of the tool body through the draining apertures during the heating; and   forming a finished surface in the tool body by the brazed series of aluminum laminate plates.