Shear-assisted extrusion configurations

Abstract

A shear-assisted extrusion process and related apparatus can include establishing a rotational shearing force and an axial extrusion force at an interface where a face of a die tool engages with a face of a portion of billet or other feedstock material, and extruding the portion of feedstock material through an opening of the die tool in response to establishing the rotational shearing force and the axial extrusion force. The die tool can be rotated at a different rate than the feedstock material prior to extrusion of the feedstock material through the opening of the die tool. A number of configurations can be used to provide the rotational shearing force and/or the axial extrusion force, as described herein.

1 . A method for shear-assisted extrusion, the method comprising:
 establishing rotational shear at an interface where a face of a die tool engages with a face of a portion of feedstock material supported by a container by rotating the feedstock material at a different rate than the die tool;   rotating the container relative to the die tool to establish the rotational shear; and   extruding the portion of the feedstock material through an opening of the die tool using plastic deformation of the portion of the feedstock material established by the rotational shear at the interface and an axial extrusion force.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 maintaining a rotational position of the die tool during extruding.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising:
 rotating the feedstock material with the container relative to the die tool to establish the rotational shear.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising:
 translating the feedstock material relative to the container during extruding to establish the axial extrusion force.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , comprising:
 rotating a ram to establish the rotational shear.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising:
 translating the ram relative to the container during extruding to establish the axial extrusion force.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising:
 extruding the portion of the feedstock material through the die tool opposite the ram.   
     
     
         8 . A method for shear-assisted extrusion, the method comprising:
 establishing rotational shear at an interface where a face of a die tool engages with a face of a portion of feedstock material supported by a container by rotating the feedstock material at a different rate than the die tool;   rotating the container relative to the die tool to establish the rotational shear; and   extruding the portion of the feedstock material through an opening of the die tool using plastic deformation of the portion of the feedstock material established by the rotational shear at the interface and an axial extrusion force between the face of the die tool and the face of the portion of the feedstock material.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising:
 maintaining a rotational position of the die tool during extruding.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  comprising:
 rotating the feedstock material with the container relative to the die tool to establish the rotational shear. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising:
 translating the feedstock material relative to the container during extruding to establish the axial extrusion force.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising:
 rotating a ram to establish the rotational shear.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising:
 translating the ram relative to the container during extruding to establish the axial extrusion force.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising:
 extruding the portion of the feedstock material through the die tool opposite the ram.   
     
     
         15 . A system for shear-assisted extrusion, the system comprising:
 a container configured to support feedstock material at least partially therein, the container configured to rotate relative to a die tool during extruding to establish rotational shear; and   a die tool configured to engage the feedstock material, the die tool defining an opening to receive the feedstock material therethrough in response to the rotational shear and an axial extrusion force to form extrudate through the opening.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the die tool is configured to maintain a rotational position during extruding. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the system is configured to rotate the feedstock material during extruding to establish the rotational shear. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the system is configured to maintain an axial position of the feedstock material relative to the container during extruding. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , comprising:
 a ram configured to directly or indirectly engage with the feedstock material, the ram configured to rotate relative to the die tool to establish the rotational shear, and the ram configured to maintain an axial position of the ram relative to the container during extruding.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 . wherein the container is configured to rotate the feedstock material therewith during extruding to establish the rotational shear.