A mixed forming device for multiple materials with one-time opening and closing of molds

Abstract

A multi-material one-time mold opening and closing mixed forming equipment is based on a universal integrated frame. By improving the injection mold, multiple different metal injection and non-metal injection equipment are integrated into one equipment table, which reduces the equipment cost and improves the forming efficiency. It can realize the injection of non-metal (such as plastic, fiber reinforced resin, etc.), metal (such as aluminum / magnesium / aluminum-magnesium alloy) and various bulging media in one mold opening and closing process. And it can realize instantaneous heating, gas bulging mold attachment, quenching and strengthening, injection of non-metal (such as plastic, fiber reinforced resin, etc.), injection casting of metal (such as aluminum / magnesium / aluminum-magnesium alloy) of ultra-high strength metal pipes (such as aluminum alloy pipes) in one mold opening and closing process, which is suitable for the integrated manufacturing of automobile sub-assembly parts.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of vehicle tube beam component production, and specifically relates to a multi-material one-time opening and closing mold mixed forming equipment. Background Art

[0002] The design and processing technology of the tubular beam structural parts determine the safety, reliability, durability, NVH and other evaluation indicators of the entire vehicle. The steel tubular beam structure manufactured by the traditional integrated die-casting and stamping welding process has certain limitations in improving the performance and lightweight of the entire vehicle.

[0003] The integrated die-casting process is widely used in the automotive industry, but it is limited to materials such as aluminum alloys and magnesium alloys that are not strong enough (yield strength of about 300MPa) for casting, and is not suitable for the manufacture of slender tube beam structural parts and sub-assemblies of the upper body, such as the A-pillar and B-pillar sub-assembly parts of the body. The integrated die-casting of large parts such as the side panels of the whole vehicle will result in huge clamping force of the equipment, large deformation of parts, insufficient local strength of parts such as the slender A-pillar tube beam, complex manufacturing process and high cost.

[0004] The traditional one-piece injection molding process of tubular beams and connectors is limited to finished tubular beams and injection molding after water expansion molding. The main load-bearing pipe blanks are not heated, gas-expansion mold quenched, etc., making it difficult to achieve the ideal shape and strength performance of special-shaped tubular beams. In addition, there is no combination of synchronous aluminum / magnesium casting processes, but a new process is added to complete the connection.

[0005] The existing pipe filling and water expansion forming is a process in which both ends of the metal pipe are sealed in a cold state, and high-pressure liquid is injected into the tube cavity to force the original pipe material to fit the mold. Usually, a liquid filling forming machine is used, and cold filling and low yield strength materials are used. Ultra-high-strength titanium alloys with high yield strength are not suitable for water expansion forming because they cannot be applied to cold processing and have high requirements for equipment clamping force.

[0006] Hybrid forming is aimed at parts that are formed in a cold state, such as some parts that require plastic clips to be assembled on metal structural parts (such as the dashboard bracket of a car). The existing hybrid forming will combine pipe filling forming with injection molding to form the overall structure in one process. However, this method has simple temperature control and the molding temperature is only about 200 degrees, and quenching process cannot be performed.

[0007] In summary, the existing hot air bulging, injection molding, die casting, and tube liquid filling forming are all single processes and cannot form parts with composite structures; hybrid forming is for parts formed in a cold state and is not suitable for materials with high strength.

[0008] In order to ensure the rigidity, strength and lightweight requirements of the vehicle body structure, the present invention proposes a multi-material one-time opening and closing mold hybrid forming equipment, wherein the multi-material includes ultra-high strength steel tubes or aluminum alloy tubes, metal materials such as aluminum / magnesium, and non-metallic materials such as fiber reinforced resin. Instantaneous heating, gas bulging mold bonding, quenching and strengthening, injection molding (fiber reinforced resin and other non-metals) and aluminum / magnesium (metal) injection of ultra-high strength steel tubes (or aluminum alloy tubes, etc.) are realized in one-time opening and closing of the mold, which greatly simplifies the vehicle body manufacturing process, reduces subsequent welding and other processes, realizes lightweight tubular beam structural parts, and is suitable for the integrated manufacturing of ultra-high strength tubular beam structures with special-shaped cross-sections. Summary of the invention

[0009] The present invention relates to a multi-material one-step mold opening and closing mixed forming device, comprising:

[0010] A main machine, the main machine comprising a mold cavity, used to realize mold opening and mold closing of the mold cavity; the mold cavity comprises a hot air expansion forming cavity of the metal tube blank;

[0011] The ultra-high pressure medium system is used for loading, maintaining pressure and recovering ultra-high pressure bulging medium during the hot gas bulging forming process of the metal tube blank; the ultra-high pressure medium system injects a first pressure high pressure bulging medium into the metal tube blank sealed at both ends, so that the tube wall of the metal tube blank is attached to the mold;

[0012] A mold temperature control system, used to increase or decrease the temperature of the mold cavity;

[0013] The mold cavity further comprises the first material forming cavity, and the first material forming cavity is located between the inner wall of the mold cavity and the outer wall of the metal tube blank formed by hot air expansion;

[0014] A first material injection system is connected to the mold cavity and injects a liquid or semi-solid first material into the first material forming cavity to achieve integral forming of the first material on the metal tube blank after hot air expansion forming. The first material is different from the material of the metal tube blank.

[0015] During the hot gas bulging process of the metal tube blank, the ultra-high pressure medium system also loads, maintains pressure and recovers the bulging medium into the first material forming cavity, so as to control the deformation amount of the local position of the metal tube blank.

[0016] The mold cavity further includes a second material forming cavity, and the second material forming cavity is located between the inner wall of the mold cavity and the outer wall of the metal tube blank formed by hot air expansion;

[0017] The second material injection system is connected to the mold cavity and injects a liquid or semi-solid second material into the second material forming cavity to achieve one-piece molding of the second material on the expanded metal tube blank. The second material is different from the first material and the metal tube blank.

[0018] During the hot gas bulging process of the metal tube blank and the forming process of the first material, the ultra-high pressure medium system also loads, maintains pressure and recovers the bulging medium in the forming cavity of the second material to control the deformation amount of the local position of the metal tube blank;

[0019] or,

[0020] During the hot gas bulging process of the metal tube blank, the ultra-high pressure medium system loads, maintains pressure and recovers the bulging medium in the first material forming cavity and the second material forming cavity, so as to control the deformation amount of the local position of the metal tube blank.

[0021] The main machine also includes a detachably connected injection module, which is connected to different material injection systems or ultra-high pressure medium systems.

[0022] The injection mold assembly includes a mounting plate, and different mounting plates are arranged with interfaces suitable for different material injection systems, or material flow channel interfaces at different positions, or different expansion medium interfaces. Rapid replacement of injection materials or replacement of expansion media can be achieved by replacing the mounting plates.

[0023] The first material is metal, and the first material injection system includes a barrel for accommodating the first material and has heating and stirring functions, and can melt the first material into a liquid or semi-solid state for easy injection into the mold cavity.

[0024] The second material is non-metallic, and the second material injection system includes a barrel for accommodating the second material and has heating and stirring functions, and can melt the second material into a liquid or semi-solid state for easy injection into the mold cavity.

[0025] The ultra-high pressure bulging medium and the low pressure bulging medium are gas, water, oil or metal with low melting point.

[0026] The first material is aluminum, magnesium or an aluminum-magnesium alloy, and the second material is a composite material such as plastic or fiber-reinforced resin.

[0027] The equipment of the present invention is based on a universal integrated frame. By replacing the injection mold, multiple different metal injection and non-metal injection equipment are integrated into one equipment table, thereby reducing equipment costs, improving forming efficiency, and realizing the injection of non-metal (such as plastic, fiber reinforced resin, etc.), metal (such as aluminum / magnesium / aluminum-magnesium alloy) and various bulging media in one mold opening and closing process.

[0028] The equipment of the present invention can complete multiple processes such as instantaneous heating, gas bulging and die-fitting, quenching and strengthening, non-metal injection (such as plastic, fiber-reinforced resin, etc.), and metal injection (such as aluminum / magnesium / aluminum-magnesium alloy) of ultra-high strength metal tube blanks (such as aluminum alloy tubes) in only one mold opening and closing process, and is suitable for the integrated manufacturing of automobile sub-assembly parts. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the device of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the host structure of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the lower beam structure of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the injection module structure of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5 It is a process flow chart of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the metal tube blank mold insertion process of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the metal tube bulging process of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of metal injection of the present invention;

[0037] Fig. 9 This is a schematic diagram of non-metal injection of the present invention;

[0038] Fig.10 It is a schematic diagram of pressure relief and quenching of the bulging medium of the tube beam of the present invention;

[0039] Fig.11 This is a schematic diagram of demoulding the tubular beam product of the present invention.

[0040] Description of reference numerals: 1 loading conveyor line, 2 main machine, 3 unloading conveyor line, 4 release agent spraying robot, 5 ultra-high pressure medium system, 6 mold temperature control system, 7 non-metal injection system, 8 metal injection system, 9 high-power heating system, 10 release agent injection system, 11 parts handling system;

[0041] Main machine: 21 driver (usually hydraulic cylinder or motor), 22 clamping device, 23 upper beam, 24 guide rod, 25 slider, 26 lower beam, 27 injection mold;

[0042] Lower beam: 261 side thrust cylinder, 262 electrode, 263 interface;

[0043] Injection mold: mounting plate 271, metal injection runner interface 272, non-metal injection runner interface 273;

[0044] 111 metal tube blank, 13 injection of non-metallic flow channel, 14 mold, 15 injection of metal flow channel, 16 bulging medium, 17 injection of non-metallic space, 18 injection of metal space. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] The technical solution of the present invention will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0046] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0047] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0048] like Figure 1 As shown, the equipment for realizing mixed forming of multiple materials by one-time opening and closing of molds includes a loading conveyor line 1, a main machine 2, a unloading conveyor line 3, a release agent spraying robot 4, an ultra-high pressure medium system 5, a mold temperature control system 6, a non-metallic material injection system 7, a metal material injection system 8, a high-power heating system 9, a release agent injection system 10 and a parts handling system 11.

[0049] The feeding conveyor line 1 usually adopts a belt conveyor or a pneumatic slide to realize the feeding of metal tube blanks, and the metal tube blanks are ultra-high strength steel tubes or aluminum alloy tubes.

[0050] The main machine 2 includes a mold cavity to realize mold opening and mold closing. Figure 2The main machine is shown to be composed of a driver 21, a clamping device 22, an upper beam 23, a guide rod 24, a slider 25, a lower beam 26, and an injection mold 27. The upper beam 23 and the lower beam 26 are fixedly connected with four guide rods 24 on all sides to form an overall frame; the driver 21 and the clamping device 22 are installed on the upper beam 23; the driver provides the power for the movement of the slider 25 and the mold clamping force, and the driver is preferably a hydraulic cylinder or a motor; the clamping device 22 is used to lock the clamping state of the mold, and the mold cavity can be better fitted by the clamping device, and at the same time, an auxiliary clamping force is provided to reduce the output power of the driver 21; the guide rod 24 is a movement guide for the slider 25; the mold is installed on the slider 25, and the mold is driven to close by the slider; the injection mold 27 is arranged on the lower beam 26.

[0051] Figure 3 It is shown that a side thrust cylinder 261 is installed on both sides of the upper end of the above-mentioned lower beam, and the two side thrust cylinders 261 are used to seal the two ends of the metal tube blank during the forming process; an electrode 262 is installed on the lower beam, one end of the electrode is connected to the high-power heating power supply 9 through a conductor, and the other end of the electrode is connected to the electrode on the mold for heating during the part forming process; the lower beam 26 is detachably connected to the injection mold 27.

[0052] Specifically, Figure 4 The injection mold 27 shown includes a mounting plate 271, and the lower beam 26 is detachably connected to the mounting plate 271 of the injection mold 27. The mounting plate 271 is provided with a metal injection channel interface 272, a non-metal injection channel interface 273 or a bulging medium interface, and the injection material can be quickly replaced by replacing the mounting plate. The unloading conveyor line 3 conveys the formed workpiece and has a parts caching function. The unloading conveyor line usually adopts a stainless steel structure or a steel plate chain structure.

[0053] The release agent spraying robot 4 sprays the release agent on the surface of the mold cavity before each part enters the mold cavity to facilitate the demolding of the formed parts; the release agent spraying robot 4 is connected to the release agent ejection system through a pipeline; the release agent spraying robot is composed of a six-axis robot or a crossbar robot configured with a release agent spraying end picker.

[0054] The ultra-high pressure medium system 5: The ultra-high pressure medium system 5 is used for loading, maintaining pressure and recovering ultra-high pressure bulging medium during the hot gas bulging forming process of the metal tube billet, and can output low-pressure bulging medium at the same time. Preferably, the bulging medium can be any one of gas, water, oil, and low-melting-point metal. Preferably, the bulging medium is nitrogen or inert gas, and the low-melting-point metal is tin.

[0055] The mold temperature control system 6 injects a medium of a specific temperature into the mold through a pipeline to increase or decrease the temperature of the parts in the mold.

[0056] The non-metallic material injection system 7 includes a non-metallic injection channel and a non-metallic material injection barrel. The non-metallic material injection barrel is connected to the mold cavity of the main machine 2 through the non-metallic injection channel, and is used to inject non-metallic medium into the mold cavity. The non-metallic material injection barrel accommodates the non-metallic medium required for part forming, and has heating and stirring functions. It can melt the solid non-metallic medium into liquid or semi-solid non-metallic medium for easy injection into the mold cavity.

[0057] The metal material injection system 8 includes a metal injection channel and a metal material injection barrel. The metal material injection barrel is connected to the mold cavity of the main machine 2 through the metal injection channel and is used to inject metal medium into the mold cavity. The metal material injection barrel accommodates the metal medium required for part forming and has heating and stirring functions. It can melt the solid metal medium into liquid or semi-solid metal medium for easy injection into the mold cavity.

[0058] The high-power heating system 9 is connected to the electrode through a conductor and is used to heat the parts in the mold cavity.

[0059] The release agent injection system 10 is used for storing and conveying the release agent, and is connected to the release agent spraying robot through a release agent pipeline to spray the release agent into the mold cavity.

[0060] Parts handling system 11: The parts handling system consists of a loading robot arm, an unloading robot arm and a gantry frame, which can realize loading and unloading during the production process; the robot arm has a certain high temperature resistance to prevent heat erosion during the process of grabbing parts; the parts handling system can also be replaced by two six-axis robots.

[0061] Figure 2 The core steps of the multi-material one-time opening and closing mold mixed forming method are shown. More specifically, the multi-material one-time opening and closing mold mixed forming method includes the following steps:

[0062] The feeding conveyor line 1 conveys the metal tube blank to the feeding position; at the same time, the mold release agent spraying robot 4 and the mold release agent injection system 10 work to spray the mold release agent into the mold cavity in the main machine 2. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the metal tube blank types of the present invention is shown, and the metal tube blank types include steel tube blanks 21, aluminum tube blanks 21, carbon-coated tubes 22, carbon-coated tubes 23 filled with reinforcing materials, etc. The carbon-coated tubes are metal tube blanks with outer layers coated with carbon fiber materials.

[0063] The parts handling system 11 grabs the metal tube blank into the mold cavity in the main machine 2, such as Figure 4 The main machine moves to close the mold, and the side push cylinder of the main machine 2 moves to achieve sealing between the plugs on both sides and the two ends of the metal tube blank.

[0064] The high-power heating system 9 heats the metal tube blank to a specified temperature through electrodes, and the mold temperature control system 6 controls and adjusts the mold cavity to a first specified temperature.

[0065] Metal tube bulging: Figure 5 As shown, the ultra-high pressure medium system 5 injects a first pressure high pressure bulging medium (such as high pressure gas) into the metal tube blank port on one side, and the first pressure high pressure bulging medium makes the tube wall of the metal tube blank adhere to the mold through high pressure bulging; at the same time, the ultra-high pressure medium system 5 injects a first pressure bulging medium (such as low pressure gas) into the space inside the mold cavity and outside the metal tube blank to control the deformation amount of the local position of the metal tube blank. Preferably, the first pressure bulging medium is injected and withdrawn through the metal injection channel 15 and the non-metal injection channel 13.

[0066] Metal injection: Figure 6 As shown, the first pressure bulging medium is depressurized and recovered. Mold temperature control system 6 The mold cavity is adjusted to a second specified temperature, which is less than or equal to the first specified temperature; the metal injection system 8 injects liquid or semi-solid metal, such as aluminum-magnesium alloy, into the metal injection space located in the mold cavity and outside the metal tube blank through the metal injection barrel to achieve one-piece forming of the metal material and bond it to the metal tube blank after bulging. During the entire metal injection process, the ultra-high pressure medium system 5 injects a third pressure bulging medium into the metal tube blank to control the deformation of the local position of the tube blank. And during the entire metal injection process, the ultra-high pressure medium system 5 injects a second pressure bulging medium into the space other than the space to be injected metal in the mold cavity and outside the metal tube blank to control the deformation of the local position of the metal tube blank.

[0067] Non-metal injection: Figure 7 As shown, the second pressure bulging medium is depressurized and recovered. The mold temperature control system 6 adjusts the mold cavity to a third specified temperature, which is less than the first specified temperature and the second specified temperature; the non-metallic injection system 7 injects liquid or semi-solid non-metal, such as plastic, into the injection non-metal space located in the mold cavity and outside the metal tube blank through the non-metallic injection barrel to achieve one-piece molding of the non-metallic material and jointing on the metal tube blank after bulging. During the entire non-metallic injection process, the ultra-high pressure medium system injects the fourth pressure bulging medium into the metal tube blank to control the deformation amount of the local position of the tube blank.

[0068] Preferably, the metal injection and non-metal injection steps of the present invention can be performed simultaneously to improve efficiency.

[0069] Bulging medium pressure relief recovery, rapid quenching in the mold, such as Figure 8 .

[0070] After the forming process is completed, the main machine 2 opens the mold, and the part handling system 11 grabs the mixed and formed multi-material parts to the unloading conveying system 3, and the unloading conveying system conveys the formed parts to the specified position, such as Fig. 9 .

[0071] It should be understood that the size of the serial numbers of the steps in the embodiment of the present invention does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0072] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A multi-material one-time opening and closing mold mixed forming equipment, comprising: A main machine, the main machine comprising a mold cavity, and used to realize mold opening and mold closing of the mold cavity; The mold cavity includes a metal tube hot-expansion forming cavity; The ultra-high pressure medium system is used for loading, maintaining pressure and recovering ultra-high pressure bulging medium during the hot gas bulging forming process of the metal tube blank; the ultra-high pressure medium system injects a first pressure high pressure bulging medium into the metal tube blank sealed at both ends, so that the tube wall of the metal tube blank is attached to the mold; A mold temperature control system, used to increase or decrease the temperature of the mold cavity; Features: The mold cavity further comprises a first material forming cavity, wherein the first material forming cavity is located between the inner wall of the mold cavity and the outer wall of the metal tube blank formed by hot air expansion; A first material injection system is connected to the mold cavity, and injects a liquid or semi-solid first material into the first material forming cavity to achieve integral forming of the first material and bond it to the metal tube blank after hot air expansion forming, wherein the first material is a metal material different from the metal tube blank material; The mold cavity further comprises a second material forming cavity, wherein the second material forming cavity is located between the inner wall of the mold cavity and the outer wall of the metal tube blank formed by hot air expansion; The second material injection system is connected to the mold cavity and injects a liquid or semi-solid second material into the second material forming cavity to achieve one-piece molding of the second material on the expanded metal tube blank. The second material is a non-metallic material.

2. The forming device according to claim 1, characterized in that: During the hot gas bulging process of the metal tube blank, the ultra-high pressure medium system also loads, maintains pressure and recovers the bulging medium into the first material forming cavity, so as to control the deformation amount of the local position of the metal tube blank.

3. The forming device according to claim 1, characterized in that: During the hot gas bulging process of the metal tube blank and the forming process of the first material, the ultra-high pressure medium system also loads, maintains pressure and recovers the bulging medium in the forming cavity of the second material to control the deformation amount of the local position of the metal tube blank; or, During the hot gas bulging process of the metal tube blank, the ultra-high pressure medium system loads, maintains pressure and recovers the bulging medium in the first material forming cavity and the second material forming cavity, so as to control the deformation amount of the local position of the metal tube blank.

4. The forming device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The main machine also includes a detachably connected injection module, which is connected to different material injection systems or ultra-high pressure medium systems.

5. The forming device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The injection mold assembly includes a mounting plate, and different mounting plates are arranged with interfaces suitable for different material injection systems, or material flow channel interfaces at different positions, or different expansion medium interfaces. By replacing the mounting plate, the injection material or the expansion medium can be quickly replaced.

6. The forming device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The first material injection system includes a barrel containing the first material and has heating and stirring functions, and can melt the first material into a liquid or semi-solid state so as to be injected into the mold cavity.

7. The forming device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The second material injection system includes a barrel for containing the second material and has heating and stirring functions, and can melt the second material into a liquid or semi-solid state so as to be injected into the mold cavity.

8. The forming device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The first material is aluminum, magnesium or an aluminum-magnesium alloy, and the second material is plastic or a composite material.

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