THE OSPREY PROCESS - PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONS

Spray forming in the Osprey mode, involves the sequential stages of at omization and droplet consolidation to produce near-net shape preforms . This review traces the history and development of the process with p articular reference to the processing science base and attendant metal lurgical principles. The process has been scaled up for the fabricatio n of tubular and billet-shaped products in stainless steels, superallo ys, cast irons, tool steels, aluminum alloys, and copper alloys. Alloy development via spray forming has resulted in improved mechanical pro perties, compared to ingot metallurgy.