摘要:
A method is disclosed for forming sheet metal articles, such as automotive body panels, having significant curvatures in front-to-back and side-to-side directions. Opposing, complementary, preforming and final shape forming tools are used in a single press. A sheet of superplastically or quick plastically formable sheet metal alloy, heated to a forming temperature, is first stretched against the preform tool by the final shape tool to form a preform that has experienced most of the metal stretching required for the final part shape. The preform is removed from the preform tool and formed against the opposing, final shape tool with pressurized gas to obtain the final sheet metal part shape.
摘要:
Apparatus and method for hot blow-forming an article from a blank of sheet metal. Simultaneously, a surface of the blank of sheet metal is formed against a form tool body that partially defines a forming surface and against a form tool insert that also partially defines the forming surface and that is positioned within a recess of the form tool body such that a lateral gap is defined between the form tool insert and form tool body. Opposed projections are provided on upper surfaces of the form tool insert and the form tool body adjacent the gap. The projections create a raised portion on the sheet metal panel that corresponds to the gap. The raised portion is removed flush with respect to a visible surface of the article.
摘要:
A forming apparatus and method for minimizing wrinkling in the forming of a three-dimensional component from a two-dimensional blank. The forming apparatus includes vertically opposed sets of tools or binders. A first tool or binder apparatus has first and second sets of opposed sides having contoured binder surfaces. A second tool or binder apparatus is mounted in vertically opposed relation to the first binder apparatus, and includes first and second sets of opposed tool or binder segments that have contoured binder surfaces thereon that are complementary in shape to the respective binder surfaces of the first and second sets of opposed sides of the first binder apparatus. One of the first and second sets of opposed binder segments of the second binder apparatus have substantially similar contours and the other have different contours. One of the first and second sets of opposed binder segments of the second binder apparatus is elevated and movable with respect to the other.
摘要:
A press and tooling apparatus for forming a preheated blank includes a heated upper tool and an opposing heated lower tool mounted within the press for relative closing movement to press the preheated blank there between. A binder ring assembly surrounds the lower tool and is mounted on the press for movement relative to the lower tool so at to bind the preheated blank to the upper tool in air tight sealing relationship in readiness for closure of the tools and application of pressurized gas to force the blank into contact with the upper tools. The binder ring assembly includes an upper ring that is heated so as to prevent the cooling of the preheated blank, and a lower ring that supports the upper ring and is fixedly connected to the upper ring by spaced apart connectors so as to minimize the heat transfer path from the heated upper ring to the lower ring. The upper and lower rings have opposed seal surfaces spaced from one another to receive there between a seal of metallic hollow tubular construction which provides fluid tight sealing between the upper and lower rings, and minimizes heat transfer there between.
摘要:
A method is disclosed for forming sheet metal articles, such as automotive body panels, having significant curvatures in front-to-back and side-to-side directions. Opposing, complementary, preforming and final shape forming tools are used in a single press. A sheet of superplastically or quick plastically formable sheet metal alloy, heated to a forming temperature, is first stretched against the preform tool using pressurized gas to form a preform that has experienced most of the metal stretching required for the final part shape. The preform is removed from the preform tool and formed against the opposing tool with pressurized gas to obtain the final sheet metal part shape.
摘要:
Method of preforming and forming a sheet metal article from a preheated blank of sheet metal uses opposing dies including a punch having a punch surface defining a final configuration for the article and a cavity die having a cavity surface defining a preform configuration. The blank is placed between the dies and has a first side surface facing the cavity die and a second side surface facing the punch. A vacuum is applied to the first side of the blank to draw and shape the blank into the cavity die to a preform configuration conforming to the cavity surface. The punch and the cavity die are then closed toward one another and gas pressure is then applied to the first side surface of the blank to press the second side surface against the punch surface to the finish configuration.
摘要:
A method for forming sheet metal articles, such as automotive body panels, having complex curvatures. Opposing, complementary, pre-form and finish-form tools are used in a single press. A sheet of hot blow-formable sheet metal alloy, heated to a forming temperature, is placed between the tools. The pre-forming tool is lowered to a first stage closed position thereby trapping edges of the sheet between binder surfaces of the tools. The sheet is first stretched against the pre-form tool using pressurized gas to form a pre-form that undergoes most of the metal stretching required for the final part shape. Then the finish-form tool is pivotably advanced into a second stage closed position. The pre-form is displaced away from the pre-form tool and hot plastically formed against the opposing finish-form tool with pressurized gas to obtain the final sheet metal part shape. The finish-form tool is then pivotably retracted so as to avoid die lock or part interference conditions.
摘要:
A mechanical mechanism is disclosed for supplementing the action of a pressurized working gas in hot blow forming of a sheet material. Opposing complementary heated forming tools grip the sheet material and form a shaping surface on one side of the sheet and a gas pressure chamber on the other side. An internal complementary mechanical forming device is located inside the pressure chamber. The device is operated by an internal rotatable shaft supported through the chamber defining tool wall. The internal shaft is coupled outside the tool wall to an external shaft for external activation of the mechanical forming device. The external shaft and coupling are enclosed in a housing structure that provide a pressure seal, thrust support and thermal insulation for the external activation mechanism.
摘要:
A method of quick-plastic-forming a component from a sheet metal blank in multiple forming stages of single-action tooling along a transfer line. The blank is transferred from a prebending station to a preforming station along the transfer line, wherein the blank is preformed by a single-action forming tool into a preform blank. The preform blank is then transferred from the preforming station to a finish-forming station along the transfer line, wherein the blank is finish-formed by a single-action forming tool into the component. The component is transferred from the finish-forming station to a cooling station along the transfer line. The transfer steps are carried out by a reciprocating transfer mechanism that simultaneously transfers the blanks and component from station to station along the transfer line.
摘要:
A quick plastic forming (QPF) tool is provided in which a thermal gap is created that reduces or eliminates some of the conductive heat loss paths when the QPF tool is in an open position during part removal or sheet loading. By reducing conductive heat loss, a more precise temperature control for the QPF tool from manufacturing cycle to manufacturing cycle may be realized. The QPF tool may also have a thermal gap when the tool is placed in a semi-open position during idle times. The QPF tool may also include components for creating the thermal gap when the QPF tool is moved to the open position and control the lateral movement of the part forming section of the QPF tool as the part is moved between the open position and the closed position.