Process for inserting flow passages in a work piece

Abstract

A method for fabricating a flow passage in a director plate is presented, comprising placing a director plate and a sacrificial strip immediately adjacent a surface of the director plate in a stamping tool. The director plate is clamped to the sacrificial strip, and a flow passage is created in the director plate by punching a tool piece substantially completely through a predetermined location on the director plate. The flow passage in said director plate may comprise a fluid-discharge orifice for a fuel injector. The flow passage may be punched substantially orthogonal to the planar surface of the director plate, or, alternatively, oblique to the planar surface of the director plate.

1 . A method for fabricating a flow passage in a director plate, comprising: 
 providing a director plate comprising a substantially planar surface;    placing a sacrificial strip immediately adjacent the substantially planar surface of the director plate;    clamping the director plate to the sacrificial strip; and,    creating a flow passage in the director plate by punching a tool piece substantially completely through a predetermined location on the substantially planar surface of the director plate.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 forming an entrance shape of the flow passage, comprising:    applying a second tool piece to the substantially planar surface of the director plate at the flow passage, and,    deforming plastically the director plate at the flow passage with the second tool piece.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 forming an exit shape of the flow passage, comprising:    applying a second tool piece to the substantially planar surface of the director plate at the flow passage, and,    plastically deforming the director plate at the flow passage with the second tool piece.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein creating a flow passage in the director plate by punching a tool piece substantially completely through the substantially planar surface of the director plate comprises punching the flow passage substantially orthogonal to the planar surface of the director plate.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein creating a flow passage in the director plate by punching a tool piece substantially completely through the substantially planar surface of the director plate comprises punching the flow passage oblique to the planar surface of the director plate.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein punching the flow passage oblique to the planar surface of the director plate comprises punching the flow passage at an angle measuring approximately nineteen degrees from a line orthogonal to the planar surface.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flow passage comprises a fluid-discharge orifice for a fuel injector.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein creating a flow passage in the director plate by punching a tool piece substantially completely through a predetermined location of the director plate comprises breaking a portion of material substantially completely out of the director plate.  
   
   
       9 . A method for fabricating a flow passage in a director plate, comprising: 
 providing a director plate with a non-linear surface;    placing a sacrificial strip immediately adjacent a portion of the non-linear surface of the director plate;    clamping the portion of the non-linear surface of the director plate to the sacrificial strip; and,    creating a flow passage in the director plate by punching a tool piece substantially completely through the non-linear surface of the director plate at the portion of the non-linear surface of the director plate clamped to the sacrificial strip.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein creating a flow passage in the director plate by punching a tool piece substantially completely through the non-linear surface of the director plate at the portion of the non-linear surface of the director plate clamped to the sacrificial strip further comprises creating a substantially completely smooth bore flow passage in the director plate by punching the tool piece substantially completely through the non-linear surface of the director plate at the portion of the non-linear surface of the director plate clamped to the sacrificial strip.