1. A method for reforming mechanical characteristics of an Al alloy casting by subjecting the Al alloy casting to the action of temperature and pressure, said method comprising the steps of:
introducing the Al alloy casting into an HIP apparatus capable of withstanding HIP pressure therein,
subjecting said Al alloy casting to a high temperaturehigh pressure HIP treatment in the HIP apparatus,
reducing the pressure in the HIP apparatus while maintaining the temperature of the thus-treated Al alloy casting in the HIP apparatus at about the same temperature as the temperature of the high temperaturehigh pressure treatment, and
subsequently carrying out solution treatment, quenching, and aging in this order,
wherein a heat insulating structure is provided, said Al alloy casting is accommodated in the interior of said heat insulating structure and is then introduced in the HIP apparatus and subjected in this state to said high temperaturehigh pressure HIP treatment and said solution treatment.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein, prior to said high temperaturehigh pressure HIP treatment, the Al alloy casting is preheated to a temperature near said high temperature and then said high temperaturehigh pressure treatment is performed in the HIP apparatus under the application of pressure.
3. A method for reforming mechanical characteristics of an Al alloy casting by subjecting the Al alloy casting to the action of temperature and pressure, said method comprising the steps of:
introducing the Al alloy casting into an HIP apparatus capable of withstanding HIP pressure therein,
subjecting said Al alloy casting to a high temperaturehigh pressure HIP treatment in the HIP apparatus,
reducing the pressure in the HIP apparatus while maintaining the temperature of the thus-treated Al alloy casting in the HIP apparatus at about the same temperature as the temperature of the high temperaturehigh pressure treatment, and subsequently carrying out solution treatment, quenching, and aging in this order,
wherein said Al alloy casting is covered with a heat-resistant porous heat insulator and is then introduced in the HIP apparatus and subjected in this state to said high temperaturehigh pressure HIP treatment and said solution treatment.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A printing system for printing an image on a continuous web of recording media moving along a web path comprising:
a backer roller configured to support the media moving along the web path at a backer roller location;
a first print module disposed adjacent to the backer roller, the first print module configured to eject ink on the recording media; and
a web retraction device disposed along the web path, the web retraction device configured to contact the web at a first location along the web path before the backer roller location and at a second location along the web path after the backer roller location to increase the amount of the web in contact with the first backer roller.
2. The printing system of claim 1 wherein the web retraction device includes a first retractor configured to contact the web at the first location and a second retractor configured to contact the web at the second location.
3. The printing system of claim 2 wherein the first print module defines a module face defining a face plane and the first retractor and the second retractor include respectively a first contact surface and a second contact surface, wherein the first contact surface and the second contact surface are located on a first side of the face plane when the print module ejects inks, and the first contact surface and the second contact surface are located on a second side of the face plane when the print module is not ejecting ink.
4. The printing system of claim 3 wherein the surface of the first backer roller defines a backer roller plane extending along a tangent substantially parallel to the face plane and the first contact surface and the second contact surface are located on a first side of the backer roller plane when the print module ejects inks, and the first contact surface and the second contact surface are located on a second side of the backer roller plane when the print module is not ejecting ink.
5. The printing system of claim 4 wherein the first retractor and the second retractor each include a length sufficient to extend a width of the web of recording media.
6. The printing system of claim 5 wherein the first reactor and the second retractor each respectively comprise a first roller and a second roller configured to rotate about an axis.
7. The printing system of claim 6 wherein the first roller and the second roller are configured to freely rotate.
8. The printing system of claim 5 further comprising a print module mover operatively connected to the print module and configured to move the print module toward and away from the backer roller.
9. The printing system of claim 8 further comprising a retractor mover operatively connected to the first and the second retractor and configured to move the first retractor and the second retractor toward and away from the web of print media.
10. The printing system of claim 9 wherein the retractor mover comprises a linear actuator.
11. A method of adjusting the path of a continuous web of recording media moving through a printer having an inkjet print module ejecting ink droplets to provide an image on the moving web supported by a backer roller, the inkjet print module defining a face plane, the method comprising:
stopping ejection of ink droplets from the inkjet print module;
adjusting a speed of the web;
moving a first contact surface of a first retract roller into contact with the web at a location adjacent to a first side of the backer roller; and
moving a second contact surface of a second retract roller into contact with the web at a location adjacent to a second side of the backer roller.
12. The method of claim 11, the moving the first contact surface of the first retract roller further comprising moving the first contact surface of the first roller from a first side of the face plane to a second side of the face plane into contact with the web.
13. The method of claim 12, the moving the second contact surface of the second retract roller further comprising moving the second contact surface of the second roller from a first side of the face plane to a second side of the face plane into contact with the web.
14. The method of claim 13, the adjusting the speed of the web further comprising adjusting the speed of the web to stop the web.
15. The method of claim 14, the moving the first contact surface of the first retract roller further comprising moving the first contact surface of the first retract roller into contact with the web once the web has stopped moving.
16. The method of claim 15, the moving the second contact surface of the second retract roller comprising moving the second contact surface of the second retract roller into contact with the web once the web has stopped moving.
17. The method of claim 16 further comprising disengaging the first and second retract rollers from contact with the web.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising determining whether the retract rollers have fully disengaged the web.
19. The method of claim 18 further comprising starting movement of the web once the retract rollers have fully disengaged the web.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising starting ejection of ink droplets on the moving web once the web has reached an operating speed.
21. A method for reducing the amount of web cockle appearing in a continuous web of recording media configured to move along a web path of a printer having an inkjet print module ejecting ink and having a backer roller configured to support the web in a printzone, the method comprising:
slowing and stopping the movement of the continuous web of recording media;
moving a first retractor and a second retractor into contact with the continuous web of recording media on opposite sides of the backer roller;
maintaining the position of the first retractor and the second retractor in contact with the continuous web of recording media;
disengaging the first retractor and the second retractor from contact with the continuous web of recording media;
starting the movement of the continuous web of recording media; and
ejecting ink onto the moving continuous web of recording media.