Method for powder metal production

Claim 1

A METHOD OF PRODUCING METALLIC POWDER OF A SUPERALLOY WHEREIN EACH ELEMENT IN THE ALLOY IS PRESENT IN EACH PARTICLE OF POWDER IN SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL AMOUNTS, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: ARRANGING A STATICALLY CAST SUPERALLOY CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE HAVING A HETEROGENEOUS MAKE-UP IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION; ARRANGING A SECOND ELECTRODE IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION; MELTING SAID CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE BY STRIKING AN ELECTRIC ARC BETWEEN IT AND SAID SECOND ELECTRODE; COLLECTING MOLTEN MATERIAL DEOPLETS FROM SAID CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE IN A HEATED RESERVOIR, SAID DROPLETS HAVING VARYING COMPOSITIONS; HOLDING SAID MOLTEN METAL IN SAID RESERVOIR FOR A PERIOD OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO HOMOGENIZE IT; PASSING SAID HOMOGENIZED MOLTEN METAL FROM SAID RESERVOIR; ATOMIZING SAID HOMOGENIZED MOLTEM METAL AND COOLING IT TO A TEMPERATURE BELOW ITS MELTING POINT AS IT PASSES FROM SAID RESERVOIR, THEREBY FORMING METALLIC SUPERALLOY POWDER, EACH PARTICLE OR POWDER CONTAINING EACH ELEMENT IN SAID ALLOY IN SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL AMOUNTS; AND COLLECTING SAID POWDER, SAID POWDER BEING PROCESSABLE INTO PARTS HAVING EXCELLENT HIGH TEMPERATURE STRENGTH.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF PRODUCING METALLIC POWDER OF A SUPERALLOY WHEREIN EACH ELEMENT IN THE ALLOY IS PRESENT IN EACH PARTICLE OF POWDER IN SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL AMOUNTS, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: ARRANGING A STATICALLY CAST SUPERALLOY CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE HAVING A HETEROGENEOUS MAKE-UP IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION; ARRANGING A SECOND ELECTRODE IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION; MELTING SAID CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE BY STRIKING AN ELECTRIC ARC BETWEEN IT AND SAID SECOND ELECTRODE; COLLECTING MOLTEN MATERIAL DEOPLETS FROM SAID CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE IN A HEATED RESERVOIR, SAID DROPLETS HAVING VARYING COMPOSITIONS; HOLDING SAID MOLTEN METAL IN SAID RESERVOIR FOR A PERIOD OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO HOMOGENIZE IT; PASSING SAID HOMOGENIZED MOLTEN METAL FROM SAID RESERVOIR; ATOMIZING SAID HOMOGENIZED MOLTEM METAL AND COOLING IT TO A TEMPERATURE BELOW ITS MELTING POINT AS IT PASSES FROM SAID RESERVOIR, THEREBY FORMING METALLIC SUPERALLOY POWDER, EACH PARTICLE OR POWDER CONTAINING EACH ELEMENT IN SAID ALLOY IN SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL AMOUNTS; AND COLLECTING SAID POWDER, SAID POWDER BEING PROCESSABLE INTO PARTS HAVING EXCELLENT HIGH TEMPERATURE STRENGTH.

Claim 3

A method of producing metallic powder of a superalloy wherein each element in the alloy is present in each particle of powder in substantially equal amounts, which comprises the steps of: arranging a statically cast superalloy consumable electrode having a heterogeneous make-up in a substantially horizontal position; arranging a second electrode in a substantially horizontal position; melting said consumable electrode by striking an electric arc between it and said second electrode; collecting molten metal droplets from said consumable electrode in a heated reservoir, said droplets having varying compositions; holding said molten metal in said reservoir for a period of time sufficient to homogenize it; passing said homogenized molten metal from said reservoir; atomizing said homogenized molten metal and cooling it to a temperature below its melting point as it passes from said reservoir, thereby forming metallic superalloy powder, each particle of powder containing each element in said alloy in substantially equal amounts; and collecting said powder, said powder being processable into parts having excellent high temperature strength.

Claim 4

A method of producing metallic powder of a superalloy wherein each element in the alloy is present in each particle of powder in substantially equal amounts, which comprises the steps of: arranging a statically cast superalloy consumable electrode having a heterogeneous make-up in a substantially horizontal position; arranging a second electrode in a substantially horizontal position; melting said consumable electrode by striking an electric arc between it and said second electrode; collecting molten metal droplets from said consumable electrode in a heated reservoir, said droplets having varying compositions; holding said molten metal in said reservoir for a period of time sufficient to homogenize it; passing said homogenized molten metal from said reservoir; atomizing said homogenized molten metal and cooling it to a temperature below its melting point as it passes from said reservoir, thereby forming metallic superalloy powder, each particle of powder containing each element in said alloy in substantially equal amounts; and collecting said powder, said powder being processable into parts having excellent high temperature strength.