Generation and forming of spray-formed flat products

Cylindrical or billet-like semi-finished materials are already manufactured industrially by means of spray forming. Examples of end products produced from such materials are cylinder liners and welding electrodes. The advanta ges of spray forming, exploited during the production of the raw materials for these components, are the homogeneity of the produced material, the hig h cooling speeds in the spray cone, the flexibility of the spray-forming fa cilities and the extended alloying capabilities. For flat products, however, a process-determined porosity, which appears ne gligible with large volume products, as well as problems with the productio n of a geometry suitable for subsequent treatment obstruct the commercial u se of the potentials of spray forming in the field of flat or sheet metals. The production of flat and sheet metals and the examination of the workabi lity in subsequent manufacturing of such products is the subject of this pa per. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.