| United States Patent | 6,455,804 |
| Gordon , et al. | September 24, 2002 |
A method for the fabrication of large metal matrix composite structures comprising the continuous brazing of aluminum matrix braze-clad tape using an infrared laser to melt the braze clad on the tape while applying pressure to the tape and simultaneously contacting it with previously applied tape layers on a rotating mandrel. The apparatus utilized to accomplish this fabrication process may include a variety of pre and post-contact heaters and preferably includes instruments for the continuous monitoring and control of the process.
| Inventors: | Gordon; Brian Louis (Wheeling, WV); Joseph; Brian E. (Wheeling, WV); Witzqall; James Frederick (Wheeling, WV) |
| Assignee: | Touchstone Research Laboratory, Ltd. (Triadelphia, WV) |
| Appl. No.: | 733566 |
| Filed: | December 8, 2000 |
| Current U.S. Class: | 219/121.64; 219/85.13 |
| Intern'l Class: | B23K 026/00; B23K 001/002 |
| Field of Search: | 219/121.63,121.64,121.85,85.12,85.13,76.1-76.17 228/145 |
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| Foreign Patent Documents | |||
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