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Apparatus and related process steps are disclosed for manufacturing titanium alloy sheet metal parts over a die form using radiant heating, particular mechanical motions, and differential fluid pressures in specific sequences of operations. The resulting parts have configurations with substantial de

Apparatus and related process steps are disclosed for manufacturing titanium alloy sheet metal parts over a die form using radiant heating, particular mechanical motions, and differential fluid pressures in specific sequences of operations. The resulting parts have configurations with substantial depths and are produced both at accelerated rates and with reduced alloy contamination in comparison to known titanium sheet metal forming practices.

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In a method of manufacturing a titanium alloy sheet metal part having a three-dimensional form portion within an essentially flat periphery portion from a substantially flat sheet of titanium alloy, the steps of: a. Clamping said titanium alloy sheet continuously around its periphery between the cla

In a method of manufacturing a titanium alloy sheet metal part having a three-dimensional form portion within an essentially flat periphery portion from a substantially flat sheet of titanium alloy, the steps of: a. Clamping said titanium alloy sheet continuously around its periphery between the clamping face of a pressurizable chamber containing an electrical resistance heater means offset from said pressurizable chamber clamping face and the clamping face of an opposed and aligned chamber containing a die member with a ceramic forming surface corresponding in shape and size to said metal part three-dimensional form b. Directly radiantly heating said clamped sheet to a maximum temperature in the range of approximately 850°C to 950°C only with respect to surface areas substantially outside the planform projection of said ceramic forming surface by said electrical resistance heater means and with an argon atmosphere in said pressurizable chamber at a first fluid pressure that is elevated with respect to ambient pressure and that is not less than approximately 0.3 kilograms per square centimeter and in said opposed and aligned chamber that is at a second fluid pressure that is substantially less than said first fluid pressure; c. Maintaining said clamped sheet at temperatures within said maximum temperature range and said argon atmosphere at said fluid pressure until surface portIons of said clamped sheet periphery conform to said die member ceramic forming surface; d. Cooling said clamped sheet conformed surface portions to a temperature not substantially exceeding approximately 550°C; and e. Releasing said clamped sheet from its clamped condition between said chamber clamping faces after reducing said argon atmosphere fluid pressure to ambient pressure.