Method of forming aluminum alloy airfoils

1. A method of forming an airfoil, comprising:

placing a material onto a die that is heated to a predetermined temperature to pre-heat the material to a first temperature, while the die is in an open position;

closing the die at a predetermined rate;

holding the die in a closed position for a predetermined period of time at a first force to form the pre-heated material into a part;

removing the part from the die;

quenching the part by immersion;

cooling the die;

placing the part back onto the die;

and closing the die at a second force.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

cooling the part at an ambient temperature following the removing of the part from the die; and

heat treating the part at a second temperature for a predetermined time.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second temperature is greater than the first temperature.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

quenching the part by following the removing of the part from the die and the heat treating of the part immersing the part at a predetermined immersion rate; and

cooling the part at a third temperature at least until the die achieves approximately ambient temperature wherein the third temperature is less than the first temperature.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

removing the part from the die following the placing of the part back onto the die and the closing of the die at a second force; and

aging the part at a fourth temperature for another predetermined period of time, wherein the fourth temperature is less than the first temperature.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the die is cooled by ambient air.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the die is cooled by forced air provided by a forced air cooler disposed proximate to the die.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the die includes a plurality of positioning locators to locate the material relative to a shape of the die.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the die includes controller in communication with at least one thermocouple and at least one heating element that heats the die to the first temperature.

10. A method of forming an aluminum alloy airfoil, comprising:

heating a die having position locators;

placing an aluminum alloy material onto the heated die whereby the position locators are configured to locate the aluminum alloy material relative to a die shape within the heated die;

maintaining the heated die in an open position for a first predetermined period of time to heat the aluminum alloy material to a predetermined temperature;

Page 3 of 9 U.S. application Ser. No. 15/075,795 In Reply to Office Action dated Dec. 4, 2018 closing the heated die at predetermined rate after the aluminum alloy material achieves the predetermined temperature;

holding the heated die in a closed position for a second predetermined period of time to form a part made of a formed aluminum alloy material;

opening the heated die, removing the part and cooling the die to an ambient temperature;

quenching the part by immersion;

and placing the part back onto the die at the ambient temperature for executing a cold working process on the part.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the heated die includes a controller in communication with at least one heating element and at least one thermocouple.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the removing of the part comprises removing the part to cool the part to an ambient air temperature.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

placing the part onto a heat treat fixture having controlled contours configured to maintain a shape of the part; and

heating the heat treat fixture and the part to an aluminum alloy material solution temperature and time.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

quenching the part by immersion at a predetermined immersion rate.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the cold working process comprises:

closing the die at the ambient temperature; and

opening the die at the ambient temperature.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the ambient temperature is less than a heated die temperature.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

aging the part made of the formed aluminum alloy material.

18. A method of forming an airfoil comprising:

placing a material onto an open die that is heated to a predetermined temperature to pre heat the material to a first temperature;

closing the die and holding the die in a closed position for a predetermined period of time at a first force to form the pre-heated material into a part;

removing the part from the die;

quenching the part by immersion;

cooling the die with forced aft;

placing the part back onto the die;

and closing the die and holding the die in the closed position for a predetermined period of time at a second force.