Manufacturing metallic articles using rotational tools

Abstract

Implementations are described herein that relate to manufacturing articles comprised of one or more metallic materials. In one or more examples, the one or more metallic materials can have a preformed shape that is inserted into the die. In one or more additional examples, the one or more metallic materials can include one or more powders or flakes disposed in the die. The material is then contacted within the die by a tool that moves in a rotational direction and in a vertical direction. The manufactured articles can have a shape that corresponds to the shape of the die.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 placing an amount of a metallic material into a hollow region of a die;   inserting a tool into the metallic material disposed in the die, wherein the tool is inserted according to a protocol and the protocol indicates (i) one or more first vertical speeds and one or more first rotational speeds of the tool for one or more first depths and (ii) one or more second vertical speeds and one or more second rotational speeds for the tool for one or more second depths; and   in response to inserting the tool into the metallic material according to the protocol, forming an article within the die.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic material comprises an alloy of aluminum comprising at least about 50% by weight aluminum and at least about 1% by weight magnesium. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the tool includes a shaft having an extended member that is at least partially threaded. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the die includes a center region with a number of protrusions extending from the center region;   the metallic material comprises a preformed shape that corresponds to a shape of the center region of the die; and   applying the tool to the preformed shape in the center region of the die causes portions of the metallic material to be moved into the protrusions of the die.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more second rotational speeds are greater than the one or more first rotational speeds and the one or more second vertical speeds are less than the one or more first rotational speeds. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the one or more first rotational speeds are from about 100 rotations per minute (RPM) to about 1500 RPM;   the one or more second rotational speeds are from about 1000 RPM to about 1500 RPM;   the one or more first vertical speeds are from about 20 millimeters per minute (mmPM) to about 40 mmPM; and   the one or more second vertical speeds are from about 5 mmPM to about 15 mmPM.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the protocol is designed to heat the metallic material to temperatures that are at least about 70% of the melting temperature of the metallic material. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic material comprises an alloy of magnesium having at least about 50% by weight magnesium and at least about 1% by weight aluminum. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein metallic material comprises a powder including one or more metallic materials comprising (i) an alloy of aluminum having at least about 50% by weight aluminum and no greater than about 10% by weight magnesium and (ii) one or more ceramic materials. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more ceramic materials include titanium diboride. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising:
 forming the powder into a preformed object using friction consolidation before placing the metallic material into the hollow region of the die.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic material includes one or more powders and the tool contacts the one or more powders to form the article. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the tool includes an extended member that is free of threads. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the one or more first rotational speeds are from about 1 rotation per minute (RPM) to about 10 RPM;   the one or more second rotational speeds are from about 50 RPM to about 150 RPM;   the one or more first vertical speeds are from about 3 millimeters per minute (mmPM) to about 5 mmPM; and   the one or more second vertical speeds are from about 0.5 mmPM to about 2 mmPM.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tool comprises:
 a first section to couple to machinery that controls movement of the tool in a vertical direction and that controls rotational speed of the tool;   a second section including a first shoulder having a first diameter and a second section having a second diameter that is less than the first diameter; and   a third section including an extender member that contacts the metallic material disposed in the die during rotation of the tool.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the tool has a length from about 5 cm to about 12 cm and one or more diameters from about 0.8 cm to about 5 cm. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the tool includes a coolant receptable formed within the first section, the coolant receptable to hold an amount of coolant during at least a portion of a period of time that the third section of the tool contacts the metallic materials. 
     
     
         18 . An article comprising:
 a body, wherein the body comprises one or more metallic materials and has an axis symmetrical shape including a number of protrusions;   wherein the body has a diameter from about 5 mm to about 25 mm and   at least about 50% of grains of the one or more metallic materials comprising the number of protrusions of the body have grain sizes from about 5 micrometers to about 20 micrometers.   
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the body forms a circular hollow center region and includes a number of protrusions extending from the body; and   the body includes a gear, rotor, or stator.   
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more metallic materials include an alloy of aluminum having at least about 50% by weight aluminum and no greater than about 10% by weight magnesium.