US 12,465,971 B1
Equipment for simultaneous or near-simultaneous flash sintering and forging
Rubens Ingraci Neto, Los Alamos, NM (US); Erofili Kardoulaki, Los Alamos, NM (US); Darrin David Byler, Los Alamos, NM (US); and Kenneth James Mcclellan, Los Alamos, NM (US)
Assigned to Triad National Security, LLC, Los Alamos, TX (US)
Filed by Triad National Security, LLC, Los Alamos, NM (US)
Filed on Feb. 14, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/168,854.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/309,831, filed on Feb. 14, 2022.
Int. Cl. B21J 5/02 (2006.01); B21J 9/20 (2006.01); B21J 13/02 (2006.01); C04B 35/575 (2006.01); C04B 35/593 (2006.01); C04B 35/645 (2006.01)
CPC B21J 5/02 (2013.01) [B21J 9/20 (2013.01); B21J 13/02 (2013.01); C04B 35/575 (2013.01); C04B 35/593 (2013.01); C04B 35/645 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for synthesis of a target object through simultaneous or near simultaneous flash sintering and forging, the apparatus comprising:
a die defining a cavity having a geometry of the target object, wherein the die is non-conductive such that material positioned within the cavity of the die is at least partially insulated from electrical conduction through the die;
at least one punch configured to exert a pressure upon the material positioned within the cavity defined by the die, wherein the at least one punch is electrically conductive and is configured to direct electric current into the material, wherein the die comprises a guide positioned outside of an electrically-insulated liner, and wherein the guide is electrically connected to the at least one punch such that the guide is energized; and
a furnace configured to enclose at least a portion of the die and to heat the material within the die for an operational time period during which the at least one punch exerts the pressure upon the material and directs the electric current into the material.