Extrusion dies and methods and apparatuses for forming the same

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a honeycomb extrusion die. The die includes a feed hole plate and a pin assembly comprising pins extending feed hole plate. One or more of the pins includes a head including an alignment surface, flow surfaces, a contact surface, and a taper located between the alignment surface and the contact surface. The pins are adhered to the output surface of the feed hole plate at their respective contact surfaces. A tail of each pin is connected to the head and extends away from the feed hole plate. The alignment surfaces of adjacent pins contact each other, such that the tails of adjacent pins are spaced apart to at least partially define discharge slots. The flow surfaces of adjacent pins are spaced apart to at least partially define channels to enable flow from the feed holes to exit the honeycomb extrusion die through the discharge slots.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a honeycomb extrusion die comprising a plurality of pins that define discharge slots of the honeycomb extrusion die, the method comprising:
 forming the plurality of pins using direct metal laser sintering.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adhering the pins to an output surface of a feed hole plate after forming the plurality of pins, wherein the feed hole plate comprises feed holes that extend through the feed hole plate from an input surface of the feed hole plate to the output surface. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each pin comprises a head comprising:
 an alignment surface configured to align the pins, a flow surface disposed adjacent the alignment surface, and a contact surface; and   a tail extending opposite to the head.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising aligning the plurality of pins on the feedhole plate by contacting the contact surfaces of the pins against the output surface of the feed hole plate and by contacting the alignment surfaces of adjacent pins against each other. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the aligning comprises:
 disposing the pins in a jig on the feed hole plate; and   biasing the pins together using the jig, such that the contact surfaces of the pins contact adjacent pins and align the pins into a pin assembly.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the biasing also comprises biasing the pins towards the feed hole plate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the head of each pin comprises a taper located between the contact surface and the tail such that a first width of the head at the contact surface is less than a second width of the head at the alignment surface. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the adhering comprises brazing, using an adhesive, or welding. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the pins are individually coated prior to adhering the pins on the output surface of the feed hole plate. 
     
     
         10 . A honeycomb extrusion die comprising:
 a feed hole plate comprising feed holes that extend through the feed hole plate, from an input surface of the feed hole plate to an output surface of the feed hole plate; and   a pin assembly comprising pins extending from the output surface of the feed hole plate, one or more of the pins comprising:
 a head comprising an alignment surface configured to align the pins, flow surfaces disposed adjacent to the alignment surfaces, a contact surface, and a taper located between the alignment surface and the contact surface such that a first width of each head at the contact surface is less than a second width of each head at the alignment surfaces, wherein the pins are adhered to the output surface of the feed hole plate at their respective contact surfaces; and 
 a tail connected to the head and extending away from the feed hole plate; and 
   wherein the alignment surfaces of adjacent pins contact each other, such that the tails of adjacent pins are spaced apart to at least partially define discharge slots, and the flow surfaces of adjacent pins are spaced apart to at least partially define channels to enable flow from the feed holes to exit the honeycomb extrusion die through the discharge slots.   
     
     
         11 . The honeycomb extrusion die of  claim 10 , wherein the second width of the head at the alignment surface is greater than a third width of the tail taken between corresponding opposing sides of the tail. 
     
     
         12 . The honeycomb extrusion die of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more pins comprise a groove between the head and the tail. 
     
     
         13 . The honeycomb extrusion die of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the flow surfaces are curved; and   the alignment surfaces are substantially flat.   
     
     
         14 . The honeycomb extrusion die of  claim 10 , wherein the pin assembly comprises a first plenum at least partially defined by the tapers of the pins. 
     
     
         15 . The honeycomb extrusion die of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the pin assembly further comprises a second plenum at least partially defined by grooves in the pins located between the heads and the tails of each pin; and   the channels between the flow surfaces are configured to guide the batch material from the first plenum to the second plenum.   
     
     
         16 . The honeycomb extrusion die of  claim 10 , wherein a ratio of the pins to the feed holes is 1:1 or 2:1. 
     
     
         17 . The honeycomb extrusion die of  claim 10 , wherein the first width of the contact surfaces is less than or equal to a distance between adjacent feed holes, such that the contact surfaces do not overlap the feed holes. 
     
     
         18 . The honeycomb extrusion die of  claim 10 , wherein the feed holes and the pins are aligned along an axis that extends through the input and output surfaces of the feed hole plate.