Elevated temperature forming method and preheater apparatus
An elevated temperature forming system in which a sheet metal workpiece is provided in a first stage position of a multi-stage pre-heater, is heated to a first stage temperature lower than a desired pre-heat temperature, is moved to a final stage position where it is heated to a desired final stage temperature, is transferred to a forming press, and is formed by the forming press. The preheater includes upper and lower platens that transfer heat into workpieces disposed between the platens. A shim spaces the upper platen from the lower platen by a distance greater than a thickness of the workpieces to be heated by the platens and less than a distance at which the upper platen would require an undesirably high input of energy to effectively heat the workpiece without being pressed into contact with the workpiece.
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This is a divisional application based on U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/366,310, filed Feb. 5, 2009.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an elevated temperature forming method and preheater apparatus for fabrication of complex deep drawn panels such as door inners, lift gates, deck lids and hoods from sheet metal workpieces comprising a metal, such as aluminum or magnesium, having insufficient formability at lower temperatures.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 Cfr 1.97 and 1.98
Elevated temperature forming and the preheating of sheet metal workpieces is known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,779 issued 15 Oct. 2002 to Terziakin, discloses a preheating system that includes placing a sheet metal workpiece on a press table or lower die of a die set and rapidly preheating the workpiece to a desired temperature by running high-density electrical current through the workpiece. Current flow is then removed from the workpiece and an upper die of the die set is closed on the lower die, forming the workpiece into a desired shape. The workpiece may be left between the upper and lower dies of the die set under pressure long enough to cool the workpiece by conductive heat transfer into the upper and lower dies.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 7,199,334 issued 3 April 2007 to Friedman, et al., discloses a preheating system in which a sheet metal workpiece is placed on a lower platen of a convective heater assembly and sandwiched between an upper platen and the lower platen by actuating the heater assembly to lower the upper platen. The heater assembly then heats the workpiece to a desired temperature by conduction and the upper platen is raised to release the workpiece. The workpiece is then transferred to a forming press by actuating a shuttle assembly. The forming press is then actuated to form the workpiece.
In addition, GM's U.S. Pat. No. 6,890,394 issued 10 May 2005 to Carsley, et al. discloses a method for heating a cold worked sheet of superplastically formable metal composition by placing the sheet between two electrical resistance heated platens that are then closed together to within a critical gap distance of either side of the sheet. The critical gap distance is maintained by positioning shims between the platens before the platens are closed together.
However, an elevated temperature forming method and preheater apparatus constructed or executed according to these patents would be unable to support high volume fabrication of deep drawn panels from sheet metal workpiece of limited formability.
What would be desirable would be an elevated temperature forming system capable of high volume fabrication of deep drawn panels from sheet metal workpieces having insufficient formability at lower temperatures.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREA method is provided for fabrication of deep drawn panels from sheet metal workpieces having insufficient formability at lower temperatures by providing a first sheet metal workpiece in a first stage position of a multi-stage pre-heater, heating the first workpiece to a first stage temperature lower than a desired pre-heat temperature, moving the first workpiece to a final stage position of the multi-stage preheater, heating the first workpiece to the desired final stage temperature, transferring the first workpiece to a forming press, and actuating the forming press to form the first workpiece.
Alternatively, the first workpiece may then be cooled and an operation may be performed on the first workpiece selected from the group of operations consisting of trimming, piercing, and flanging. Performing such operations after cooling improves dimensional accuracy of the first workpiece by causing the first workpiece to contract to a desired size and shape before any such operations are performed.
Alternatively, the steps of moving the first workpiece to a final stage position of the multi-stage preheater and heating the first workpiece to the desired final stage temperature include providing a second sheet metal workpiece in the first stage position of the multi-stage pre-heater, and heating the second workpiece in the first stage position to a first stage temperature.
Alternatively, the steps of moving the first workpiece to a final stage position of the multi-stage preheater and heating the first workpiece to the desired final stage temperature include moving the first workpiece to a second stage position of the multi-stage preheater after the step of heating the first workpiece to a first stage temperature, heating the first workpiece in the second position to a second stage temperature greater that the first stage temperature and less than a final stage temperature, moving the second workpiece to the second stage position after the step of heating the second workpiece to a first stage temperature, heating the second workpiece in the second stage position to a second stage temperature, providing a third sheet metal workpiece in the first stage position, and heating the third workpiece in the first stage position to a first stage temperature.
Alternatively, the step of transferring the first workpiece to a forming press includes transferring the first workpiece to a forming press as the second workpiece is moved to the final stage position.
Alternatively, the step of actuating the forming press to form the first workpiece includes actuating the forming press to form the first workpiece as a second workpiece is being heated in the final stage position to a final stage temperature.
Alternatively, the method may include the additional step of heating at least a portion of the press before the step of actuating the forming press to form the first workpiece.
Alternatively, the step of cooling the first workpiece includes blowing air over the workpiece.
In addition, a preheater apparatus is provided for preparing sheet metal workpieces for forming. The apparatus includes a lower platen having a generally planar upper surface and configured to transfer heat into a workpiece carried on the upper surface, and an upper platen disposed above the lower platen and having a generally planar lower surface disposed generally parallel to and spaced from the upper surface of the lower platen forming a gap between the platens. The upper platen is configured to transfer heat into a workpiece disposed between the upper platen and the lower platen. The preheater apparatus also includes a shim configured to space the lower surface of the upper platen from the upper surface of the lower platen by a distance greater than a thickness of a sheet metal workpiece to be heated by the platens and at least partially defining a blank path for receiving, passing, and removing workpieces from between the platens while maintaining a constant desired gap distance between the upper and lower platens. This arrangement allows a sheet metal workpiece to be received in the gap for heating and removed from the gap after heating, without first having to move the platens away from one another, and is thus better able to accommodate high volume throughput.
Alternatively, the shim has a thickness equal to a desired gap distance between the upper and lower platens and is positionable between the upper and lower platen to establish and maintain the desired gap distance for a given sheet metal workpiece thickness.
Alternatively, the preheater includes at least one additional shim, and each shim may have a thickness equal to a desired gap distance between the upper and lower platens, as well as respective inner facing surfaces positioned generally parallel to one another between the upper and lower platens at a distance from one another slightly greater than a width of sheet metal workpieces to be passed between them, defining for the workpieces a blank path.
Alternatively, the preheater includes at least one spacer having a thickness less than the desired gap distance and configured to be disposable between successive sheet metal workpieces as the workpieces are being pushed along the blank path. This spaces apart and prevents interference between adjacent workpieces.
Alternatively, the preheater includes at least one additional blank path extending generally parallel to the first blank path to increase throughput of workpieces.
Alternatively, the platens include at least two temperature zones arranged serially along the blank path and configured to raise workpieces to successively higher temperatures as the workpieces are moved along the blank path.
Alternatively, the platens include a single temperature zone configured to raise workpieces to successively higher temperatures to avoid having to move the workpieces to successive locations along the blank path.
Alternatively, the upper and lower platens are disc-shaped and may be supported for co-rotation on a common axis. The apparatus may include circumferentially-spaced workpiece receptacle positions between the platens, each such receptacle position configured to receive a workpiece at an input station, to heat the workpiece to a desired temperature, and to carry the workpiece, via platen rotation, to an output station.
Alternatively, the preheater includes an ejector adjacent each workpiece receptacle position configured to move a workpiece radially outward when the workpiece has been rotated to the output station to present the workpiece within reach of a transfer mechanism such as a robot to be engaged and moved to a forming station
Alternatively, the preheater includes an end-effector configured to be carried by a transfer mechanism and to engage and retain a sheet metal workpiece for transport. The end-effector may also be configured to transfer heat to the metal workpiece to maintain a desired workpiece forming temperature during transport to a forming station.
Alternatively, the end-effector is configured to engage and retain the metal workpiece via suction to avoid damaging the workpiece and to provide more uniform heat transfer to the workpiece by contacting the workpiece over a larger heated surface area.
Alternatively, the end-effector includes a perforated metal panel having a back side configured to provide fluid communication between perforations of the panel and a vacuum source.
These and other features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art in connection with the following detailed description and drawings of one or more embodiments of the invention, in which:
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After each workpiece 24 has been transferred to the forming press 4, the forming press 4 is actuated to form the workpiece 24 into a desired shape. As one workpiece 24 is being formed by the forming press 4, a previous workpiece 24 may be in the process of being heated in the final stage position 3 of the preheater 20 to the final stage temperature, a next previous workpiece 24 may be in the process of being heated in the second stage position 2 to a second stage temperature in the preheater 20, and a next previous workpiece 24 may be in the process of being heated in the first stage position 1 of the preheater 20 to the first stage temperature. As the process continues, the forming press 4 may be periodically actuated to form subsequent workpieces 24 provided by the multi-stage preheater 20 at the final stage temperature.
Heaters 9 disposed within the press 4 may also be actuated either in advance of each press actuation step or for continuous energizing of heating elements during a serial heating and forming process involving many workpieces 24 so as to achieve and/or maintain a desired forming temperature in the workpieces 24 during forming. Any suitable means of heating appropriate portions of the forming press 4 may be used to include those disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/346,312, which was filed 30 Dec. 2008 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
After being formed by the forming press 4, each workpiece 24 may be removed from the forming press 4 and transferred to a cooling station 10 and/or to a conveyor 11 for transport to other work stations 12 while being cooled according to any one or more of a number of different well known cooling means known in the art to include the blowing of air over the workpieces 24. After having been cooled, additional operations may be performed on the workpieces 24 such as trimming, piercing, and flanging. These operations are preferably performed on the workpieces 24 after cooling the workpieces 24 so that dimensional accuracy of the workpieces 24 may be enhanced. Dimensional accuracy may be enhanced by allowing or causing the workpieces 24 to contract to a desired size and shape before such operations are performed.
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This elevated temperature forming process and preheater apparatus allow for the high volume fabrication of complex deep drawn panels such as door inners, lift gates, deck lids, and hoods from sheet metal workpieces comprising metals, such as aluminum, magnesium, having insufficient formability at lower temperatures.
This description, rather than describing limitations of an invention, only illustrates embodiments of the invention recited in the claims. The language of this description is therefore exclusively descriptive and is non-limiting. Obviously, it's possible to modify this invention from what the description teaches. Within the scope of the claims, one may practice the invention other than as described above.
Claims
1. A method for fabricating deep drawn panels from sheet metal workpieces having insufficient formability at lower temperatures, the method including the steps of:
- providing a first sheet metal workpiece in a first stage position of a multi-stage pre-heater;
- heating the first workpiece to a first stage temperature lower than a desired pre-heat temperature;
- moving the first workpiece to a final stage position of the multi-stage preheater;
- heating the first workpiece to a desired final stage temperature;
- transferring the first workpiece to a forming press;
- actuating the forming press to form the first workpiece.
2. The method of claim 1 in which the step of transferring the first workpiece to a forming press includes transferring the first workpiece to a heated forming press.
3. The method of claim 1 including the additional steps of:
- cooling the first workpiece after forming the first workpiece; and
- performing an operation on the first workpiece selected from the group of operations consisting of trimming, piercing, and flanging.
4. The method of claim 1 in which the steps of moving the first workpiece to a final stage position of the multi-stage preheater and heating the first workpiece to the desired final stage temperature include:
- providing a second sheet metal workpiece in the first stage position of the multi-stage pre-heater; and
- heating the second workpiece in the first stage position to a first stage temperature.
5. The method of claim 1 in which the steps of moving the first workpiece to a final stage position of the multi-stage preheater and heating the first workpiece to the desired final stage temperature include:
- moving the first workpiece to a second stage position of the multi-stage preheater after the step of heating the first workpiece to a first stage temperature;
- heating the first workpiece in the second position to a second stage temperature greater that the first stage temperature and less than a final stage temperature;
- moving the second workpiece to the second stage position after the step of heating the second workpiece to a first stage temperature;
- heating the second workpiece in the second stage position to a second stage temperature;
- providing a third sheet metal workpiece in the first stage position; and
- heating the third workpiece in the first stage position to a first stage temperature
6. The method of claim 1 in which the step of transferring the first workpiece to a forming press includes transferring the first workpiece to a forming press as a second workpiece is moved to the final stage position.
7. The method of claim 1 in which the step of actuating the forming press to form the first workpiece includes actuating the forming press to form the first workpiece as a second workpiece is being heated in the final stage position of the preheater to a final stage temperature.
8. The method of claim 1 including the additional step of heating at least a portion of the press before the step of actuating the forming press to form the first workpiece.
9. The method of claim 3 in which the step of cooling the workpiece includes blowing air over the workpiece.
International Classification: B21D 22/20 (20060101); B21D 24/16 (20060101);