Andrew P Woodfield

US Patent:

6737017, May 18, 2004

Filed:

Jun 14, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/172217

Inventors:

Andrew Philip Woodfield - Madeira OH
Clifford Earl Shamblen - Cincinnati OH
Eric Allen Ott - Cincinnati OH

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

B22F 300

US Classification:

419 30, 419 38, 75351, 75370, 75371

Abstract:

An article of a base metal alloyed with an alloying element is prepared by mixing a chemically reducible nonmetallic base-metal precursor compound of a base metal and a chemically reducible nonmetallic alloying-element precursor compound of an alloying element to form a compound mixture. The alloying element is preferably thermophysically melt incompatible with the base metal. The method further includes chemically reducing the compound mixture to a metallic alloy, without melting the metallic alloy, and thereafter consolidating the metallic alloy to produce a consolidated metallic article, without melting the metallic alloy and without melting the consolidated metallic article.

US Patent:

6814818, Nov 9, 2004

Filed:

Oct 30, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/286241

Inventors:

Andrew Philip Woodfield - Madeira OH
Thomas Froats Broderick - Springboro OH
Reed Roeder Corderman - Niskayuna NY

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

C22C 1400

US Classification:

148501, 148669

Abstract:

A method for heat treating titanium-alloy articles in a vacuum furnace includes a step of first determining, for a first set of titanium articles in a first vacuum furnace and for a first set of heat treatment conditions, a minimum surface area of the first set of titanium articles associated with an acceptable alpha case formation for the first set of titanium articles. There is a second determining, for a second set of titanium articles in a second vacuum furnace and for a second set of heat treatment conditions, of a minimum surface area of a second set of titanium articles associated with an acceptable alpha case formation for the second set of titanium articles, responsive to the value of the minimum surface area of the first set of titanium articles. There follows a heat treating of a third set of titanium articles in the second vacuum furnace and for the second set of heat treatment conditions, where the surface area of the third set of titanium articles is not less than the value of the minimum surface area of the second set of titanium articles.

US Patent:

6849229, Feb 1, 2005

Filed:

Dec 23, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/329176

Inventors:

Eric Allen Ott - Cincinnati OH, US
Andrew Philip Woodfield - Cincinnati OH, US
Clifford Earl Shamblen - Cincinnati OH, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

B22F 300

US Classification:

419 36, 419 63, 419 65, 75351, 75369

Abstract:

A method of preparing an article made of a metallic material having its constituent elements includes the steps of furnishing at least one nonmetallic precursor compound, wherein all of the nonmetallic precursor compounds collectively include the constituent elements of the metallic material in their respective constituent-element proportions, and thereafter utilizing the nonmetallic precursor compound to produce a metallic injection molded brown article. The nonmetallic precursor compounds may be processed into the metallic material by first chemically reducing them to the metallic material, and then injection molding the metallic material, or first injection molding the nonmetallic precursor compounds and then chemically reducing them to the metallic material.

US Patent:

6884279, Apr 26, 2005

Filed:

Jul 25, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/206608

Inventors:

Andrew Philip Woodfield - Madeira OH, US
Clifford Earl Shamblen - Cincinnati OH, US
Eric Allen Ott - Cincinnati OH, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

B22F005/04

US Classification:

75351, 75367, 75369

Abstract:

A metallic article is produced by furnishing one or more nonmetallic precursor compound comprising the metallic constituent element(s), and chemically reducing the nonmetallic precursor compound(s) to produce an initial metallic particle, preferably having a size of no greater than about 0. 070 inch, without melting the initial metallic particle. The initial metallic particle is thereafter melted and solidified to produce the metallic article. By this approach, the incidence of chemical defects in the metal article is minimized. The melted-and-solidified metal may be used in the as-cast form, or it may be converted to billet and further worked to the final form.

US Patent:

6918974, Jul 19, 2005

Filed:

Aug 26, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/228701

Inventors:

Andrew Philip Woodfield - Madeira OH, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

C22C001/18

US Classification:

148671, 148670

Abstract:

An alpha-beta titanium alloy workpiece, preferably furnished in the form of a cast ingot, is processed by mechanically working in the beta phase field and in the alpha-beta phase field, and thereafter quenching from the beta phase field. The workpiece is thereafter mechanically worked at a first alpha-beta phase field temperature in the alpha-beta phase field and quenched from the first alpha-beta phase field temperature. The workpiece is thereafter mechanically worked at a second alpha-beta phase field temperature in the alpha-beta phase field, wherein the second alpha-beta phase field temperature is lower than the first alpha-beta phase field temperature, and optionally quenched from the second alpha-beta phase field temperature. The resulting microstructure is a distribution of globularized coarse alpha-phase particles and globularized fine alpha-phase particles in fine transformed beta grains.

US Patent:

6921510, Jul 26, 2005

Filed:

Jan 22, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/350968

Inventors:

Eric Allen Ott - Cincinnati OH, US
Andrew Philip Woodfield - Cincinnati OH, US
Clifford Earl Shamblen - Cincinnati OH, US
Michael Francis Xavier Gigliotti - Glenville NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

B22F003/00

US Classification:

419 10, 419 26, 419 29, 419 41, 419 48, 419 49

Abstract:

An article has a metallic matrix made of its constituent elements with a dispersoid distributed therein. The article is prepared by furnishing at least one nonmetallic matrix precursor compound. All of the nonmetallic matrix precursor compounds collectively include the constituent elements of the metallic matrix in their respective constituent-element proportions. A mixture of an initial metallic material and the dispersoid is produced. The matrix precursor compounds are chemically reduced to produce the initial metallic material, without melting the initial metallic material, and the dispersoid is distributed in the initial metallic material. The mixture of the initial metallic material and the dispersoid is consolidated to produce a consolidated article having the dispersoid distributed in the metallic matrix comprising the initial metallic material. The initial metallic material, the dispersoid, and the consolidated article are not melted during the consolidation.

US Patent:

6926754, Aug 9, 2005

Filed:

Jun 12, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/459738

Inventors:

Clifford Earl Shamblen - Cincinnati OH, US
Andrew Philip Woodfield - Cincinnati OH, US
Eric Allen Ott - Cincinnati OH, US
Michael Francis Xavier Gigliotti - Glenville NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

B22F003/00

US Classification:

75765, 419 66, 420590

Abstract:

An article of a base metal alloyed with an alloying element is prepared by mixing a chemically reducible nonmetallic base-metal precursor compound of a base metal and a chemically reducible nonmetallic alloying-element precursor compound of an alloying element to form a compound mixture. The base metal is nickel, cobalt, iron, iron-nickel, or iron-nickel-cobalt. One or more of the alloying elements are thermophysically melt incompatible with the base metal. The method further includes chemically reducing the compound mixture to a metallic superalloy, without melting the metallic superalloy, and thereafter consolidating the metallic superalloy to produce a consolidated metallic article, without melting the metallic superalloy and without melting the consolidated metallic article.

US Patent:

6926755, Aug 9, 2005

Filed:

Jun 12, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/459747

Inventors:

Clifford Earl Shamblen - Cincinnati OH, US
Andrew Philip Woodfield - Cincinnati OH, US
Eric Allen Ott - Cincinnati OH, US
Michael Francis Xavier Gigliotti - Glenville NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

B22F003/00

US Classification:

75765, 420590, 416 66

Abstract:

An article of aluminum base-metal alloyed with an alloying element is prepared by mixing a chemically reducible nonmetallic base-metal precursor compound of the aluminum base-metal and a chemically reducible nonmetallic alloying-element precursor compound of an alloying element to form a precursor compound mixture. The alloying element may be, but is not necessarily, thermophysically melt incompatible with the aluminum base metal. The method further includes chemically reducing the precursor compound mixture to a metallic alloy, without melting the metallic alloy, and thereafter consolidating the metallic alloy to produce a consolidated metallic article, without melting the metallic alloy and without melting the consolidated metallic article.