• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2019

The superplastic forming/diffusion bonding process has been developed to fabricate a core frame structure with joint nodes out of tubes, for the development of a titanium high performance bicycle. The hydroforming process has been applied for bulging of a tube in the superplastic condition before, and during the diffusion bonding process. In this experiment, a commercial Ti-3Al-2.5V tube was selected as raw material for the study. The forming experiment has been performed using a servo-hydraulic press with a capacity of 200 ton. Next, nitrogen gas was used to acquire necessary pressure for the bulging and bonding of the tubes to fabricate the joint nodes. The pertinent processing temperature was $870^{\circ}C$ for the superplastic hydroforming/diffusion bonding (SHF/DB) process, using the Ti-3Al-2.5V tube. The bonding quality and the progress of bulging and diffusion bonding have been observed by the investigation of the joining interfaces at the cross section of the joint structure. The control of the nitrogen pressure throughout the SHF/DB process, was an important factor to avoid any significant defects in the joint structure. The whole progress stage of the diffusion bonding could be observed at a joint interface. A core structure with 5 joint nodes to manufacture a titanium bicycle could be obtained in a SHF/DB process.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.56-61
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• 2016

Heating experiments using the Ti-3Al-2.5V tube materials in a vacuum furnace have been performed to investigate a pertinent range of working temperatures and holding times for the development of the successive or simultaneous operation of superplastic hydroforming and diffusion bonding. The specimens were heated at $820^{\circ}C$, $870^{\circ}C$ and $920^{\circ}C$ respectively. Holding times at each temperature were varied up to 4 hours. Holding times longer than 1 hour were selected to consider the diffusion bonding process after or during the hydroforming process in the superplastic state. Grain sizes were varied from $5.7{\mu}m$ of the as-received tube to $9.2{\mu}m$ after heating at $870^{\circ}C/4hours$. Homogeneus granular microstructures could be maintained up to $870^{\circ}C$, while microstructures at $920^{\circ}C$ showed no more granular type.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.49-55
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• 2018

A T-shape structure was manufactured by the superplastic forming and diffusion bonding process using two Ti-3Al-2.5V alloy tubes. A Ti-3Al-2.5V tube was prepared for the hydroforming in the superplastic condition until it reaches a surface area such as a roof welded in the hole of another Ti-3Al-2.5V tube. Afterward, the superplastic forming process and the diffusion bonding process were carried out simultaneously until the appropriate bonding along the interface area of two Ti-3Al-2.5V tubes was obtained. The bonding qualities were different at each location of the entire interface according to the applied process conditions such as strain, pressure, temperature, holding time, geometries, etc. The microstructures of bonding interface have been observed to understand the characteristics of the applied processes in this study.