Creehan
Kevin Creehan US
Patent application number | Description | Published |
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20100285207 | Friction Stir Fabrication - A low-temperature friction-based coating method termed friction stir fabrication (FSF) is disclosed, in which material is deposited onto a substrate and subsequently stirred into the substrate using friction stir processing to homogenize and refine the microstructure. This solid-state process is capable of depositing coatings, including nanocrystalline aluminum and/or metal matrix composites and the like, onto substrates such as aluminum at relatively low temperatures. A method of making rod stock for use in the FSF process is also disclosed. | 11-11-2010 |
Kevin Creehan, Blacksburg, VA US
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20120009339 | FRICTION FABRICATION TOOLS - The present invention relates to tooling and methods for disposing, coating, building up, repairing, or otherwise modifying the surface of a metal substrate using frictional heating and compressive loading of a consumable metal material against the substrate. Embodiments of the invention include friction-based fabrication tooling comprising a non-consumable member with a throat and a consumable member disposed in the throat, wherein the throat is operably configured such that during rotation of the non-consumable member at a selected speed, the throat exerts normal forces on and rotates the consumable member at the selected speed; and comprising means for dispensing the consumable member through the throat and onto a substrate using frictional heating and compressive loading. Embodiments of the invention also include fabrication methods using the tools described herein. | 01-12-2012 |
20120279441 | SYSTEM FOR CONTINUOUS FEEDING OF FILLER MATERIAL FOR FRICTION STIR WELDING, PROCESSING AND FABRICATION - The present invention relates to tools and methods for disposing, coating, repairing, or otherwise modifying the surface of a metal substrate using frictional heating and compressive/shear loading of a consumable metal against the substrate. Embodiments of the invention include friction-based fabrication tooling comprising a non-consumable member with a throat and a consumable member disposed in the throat, wherein consumable filler material is capable of being introduced to the throat in a continuous manner during deposition using frictional heating and compressive/shear loading of the filler material onto the substrate. Preferred embodiments according to the invention include such tools operably configured for applying a force or displacement to the filler material during deposition. Especially preferred embodiments can include using various powder-type consumable materials or combinations during the deposition process to obtain a continuous compositional gradient in the filler material yielding a functionally graded coating on the substrate. | 11-08-2012 |
20120279442 | SELF-REACTING FRICTION STIR WELDING TOOL WITH THE ABILITY TO ADD FILLER MATERIAL - The present invention relates to tools and methods for welding, coating, repairing, or otherwise modifying the surface of a metal substrate. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide self-reacting friction stir welding tools which have an internal channel that allows filler materials to be added to the weld joint or otherwise friction stir processed area. Embodiments also provide friction stir tooling having upper and lower shoulders disposed at a fixed distance from one another and connected by a fixed split-pin. The tooling can be configured for automatically dispensing varying amounts of filler material into the tooling in response to variations in thickness of a substrate being processed. | 11-08-2012 |
Kevin D. Creehan, Blacksburg, VA US
Patent application number | Description | Published |
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20140130736 | FABRICATION TOOLS FOR EXERTING NORMAL FORCES ON FEEDSTOCK - The present invention relates to tooling and methods for disposing, coating, building up, repairing, or otherwise modifying the surface of a metal substrate using frictional heating and compressive loading of a consumable metal material against the substrate. Embodiments of the invention include friction-based fabrication tooling comprising a non-consumable member with a throat and a consumable member disposed in the throat, wherein the throat is operably configured such that during rotation of the non-consumable member at a selected speed, the throat exerts normal forces on and rotates the consumable member at the selected speed; and comprising means for dispensing the consumable member through the throat and onto a substrate using frictional heating and compressive loading. Embodiments of the invention also include fabrication methods using the tools described herein. | 05-15-2014 |
20140134325 | Friction Stir Fabrication - A low-temperature friction-based coating method termed friction stir fabrication (FSF) is disclosed, in which material is deposited onto a substrate and subsequently stirred into the substrate using friction stir processing to homogenize and refine the microstructure. This solid-state process is capable of depositing coatings, including nanocrystalline aluminum and/or metal matrix composites and the like, onto substrates such as aluminum at relatively low temperatures. A method of making rod stock for use in the FSF process is also disclosed. | 05-15-2014 |
20140174344 | FEED ROLLER TYPE SYSTEM FOR CONTINUOUS FEEDING OF FILLER MATERIAL FOR FRICTION STIR WELDING, PROCESSING AND FABRICATION - The present invention relates to tools and methods for disposing, coating, repairing, or otherwise modifying the surface of a metal substrate using frictional heating and compressive/shear loading of a consumable metal against the substrate. Embodiments of the invention include friction-based fabrication tooling comprising a non-consumable member with a throat and a consumable member disposed in the throat, wherein consumable filler material is capable of being introduced to the throat in a continuous manner during deposition using frictional heating and compressive/shear loading of the filler material onto the substrate. Preferred embodiments according to the invention include such tools operably configured for applying a force or displacement to the filler material during deposition. Especially preferred embodiments can include using various powder-type consumable materials or combinations during the deposition process to obtain a continuous compositional gradient in the filler material yielding a functionally graded coating on the substrate. | 06-26-2014 |
Kevin D. Creehan, Sammamish, WA US
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20150069649 | Powder Particle Layerwise Three-Dimensional Printing Process - Three-dimensional printing processes are disclosed which utilize printable fluids comprising a carrier fluid, a polymeric binder, and nanoparticles. The three-dimensional printing processes are useful for making articles from a build material powder, e.g., a ceramic, metal, metal alloy, or intermetallic powder. The nanoparticles enable low temperature interparticle bonding of the build material powder particles, e.g., by forming bridging bonds between adjacent powder particles, and/or increasing the interparticle friction between the build material powder particles to enhance the structural strength of the as-built article during a thermal treatment over at least a part of the temperature range which has as its low end the temperature at which the structural strength due to the binder becomes insubstantial and as its high end the temperature at which the structural strength due to interparticle sintering of the build material powder becomes substantial, i.e., the article's debile temperature range. Green density improvements are achievable. | 03-12-2015 |