Incremental forming device for improving forming quality based on induction heating

Abstract

The invention discloses an incremental forming device for improving forming quality based on induction heating. The incremental forming device comprises a tool head (7), a ceramic supporting head (14) and a roller (3). An induction coil (16) is arranged on the ceramic supporting head (14) and used for conducting induction heating on a plate machining part. The idler wheel (3) is connected with the hinge (5) through a connecting rod mechanism (4), and the connecting rod mechanism (4) is telescopic so as to ensure that the idler wheel (3) exerts certain pressure on the plate, and therefore unfavorable deformation is restrained. The deformation such as bumps generated by heating of the plate can be effectively restrained, it is guaranteed that the actual movement path of the tool head is unified with the preset path in the subsequent incremental forming machining process, and damage caused by uncontrollable deformation of the plate in the machining process is greatly reduced. In practical application and production, the rejection rate of products can be effectively reduced, the yield is ensured, and the cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of metal material forming and processing technology, and in particular to a progressive forming device based on induction heating to improve forming quality. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of the manufacturing industry, higher demands are being placed on metal forming technology, such as higher forming accuracy, lower forming force, more complex geometries, and adaptability to difficult-to-form materials. Incremental forming, utilizing the concept of "layered manufacturing," reduces reliance on molds, offering significant flexibility and economy, thus demonstrating unique advantages in sheet metal manufacturing. Furthermore, two-point incremental forming, by introducing another tooling head to achieve simultaneous forming on both sides, overcomes the main limitations of single-point forming in terms of accuracy (especially springback), ability to form complex geometries, and moldless flexibility. This represents a key technological direction for the development of incremental forming technology towards higher precision and more complex applications.

[0003] Titanium alloys have wide applications in aerospace and many other fields. When processing titanium alloy sheets using incremental forming, their unique physical and mechanical properties make room-temperature forming extremely difficult, typically requiring heating assistance. Furthermore, because induction heating relies on eddy currents to generate Joule heat, its heat distribution exhibits strong localization and gradient characteristics. Uneven temperature distribution leads to thermal stress and changes in material mechanical properties, causing thermal deformation (such as bulging) in the sheet during induction heating. Bulging and other deformations cause the actual contact point of the forming tool to deviate from the preset path, resulting in localized overpressure (bulge apex) or underpressure (bulge edge), leading to undesigned surface distortion, deteriorated wall thickness distribution, and stress concentration, significantly increasing the risk of cracking and tearing. Therefore, controlling the thermal deformation of the sheet during preheating is extremely important.

[0004] In the incremental forming process, springback due to sidewall bulging often occurs, becoming one of the main reasons affecting the dimensional accuracy of the final product. Another common defect in incremental forming is uneven wall thickness distribution, which reduces the mechanical properties of the product, and excessively thin areas may even crack during processing. How to control these defects is an important research direction. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a progressive forming device based on induction heating to improve forming quality, which addresses the shortcomings of the prior art.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows: A progressive forming device for improving forming quality based on induction heating includes: a tool head 7, a ceramic support head 14, and a roller 3; an induction coil 16 is provided on the ceramic support head 14 for induction heating of the sheet metal processing area. The roller 3 is connected to the hinge 5 via a linkage mechanism 4, which is telescopic to ensure that the roller 3 applies a certain pressure to the sheet metal, thereby suppressing undesirable deformation; the tool head 7 is located on one side of the sheet metal 12, and a ceramic support head 14 is located at a corresponding position on the other side of the sheet metal 12, and the ceramic support head 14 is connected to the tool head 7 via a parallel device 11, which enables the ceramic support head 14 to move synchronously with the tool head 7, and the tool head 7 and the ceramic support head 14 always act simultaneously on the same position of the sheet metal; In the initial stage of processing, the rollers act on the area of ​​the sheet metal to be processed. Because the processing area is pressurized by the tool head, it will not bulge due to heat. However, the surrounding areas to be processed are prone to bulging after reaching a certain temperature. At this time, the device rotates rapidly with the machine spindle to ensure that bulging is suppressed around the heated area of ​​the sheet metal. After processing to a certain depth, the rollers 3 act on the sidewalls of the formed part, applying pressure to the sidewalls. This can reduce the wall thickness reduction rate during processing and suppress sidewall bulging and springback during processing.

[0007] The linkage mechanism 4 is connected to the machine tool spindle via the hinge 5, so the entire roller device can rotate synchronously with the machine tool spindle, which facilitates applying pressure to various positions of the sheet metal.

[0008] The above solution effectively suppresses deformation such as bulging caused by heat in the sheet metal, ensuring the consistency between the actual movement path of the tool head and the preset path in the subsequent progressive forming process. This significantly reduces damage to the sheet metal caused by uncontrollable deformation during processing. In practical production applications, it effectively reduces product scrap rates, ensures productivity, and lowers costs. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the device of the present invention at the beginning of the processing stage; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the device of the present invention during the sidewall processing stage; 1-Power supply, 2-Wire, 3-Roller, 4-Connecting rod, 5-Hinge, 6-Machine tool spindle, 7-Tool head, 8-Clamping fixture, 9-Parallel device, 10-Guide column, 11-Support, 12-Sheet metal, 13-Clamping device, 14-Ceramic support head, 15-Worktable, 16-Induction coil; Detailed Implementation

[0010] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0011] refer to Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of a progressive forming system based on induction heating, including: a tool head 7, a ceramic support head 14, and rollers 3; an induction coil 16 is installed on the ceramic support head 14 for induction heating of the sheet metal processing area. Rollers 3 are connected to hinges 5 via a linkage mechanism 4, which is extendable to ensure that rollers 3 apply a certain pressure to the sheet metal, thereby suppressing undesirable deformation. Linkage mechanism 4 is connected to the machine tool spindle via hinges 5, so the entire roller assembly can rotate synchronously with the machine tool spindle, facilitating pressure application to various positions on the sheet metal.

[0012] like Figure 1 As shown, in the initial stage of processing, the roller acts on the part of the sheet metal away from the tool head, i.e. the part of the sheet metal to be processed. At this time, the spindle speed is relatively fast, and the roller 3 applies pressure to the sheet metal to suppress the deformation caused by uneven heating, such as bulging, and ensure that the actual processing path in the subsequent process is consistent with the preset path. At the same time, the roller's rolling of the sheet metal can prevent scratches on the sheet metal and ensure the surface quality of the formed part.

[0013] like Figure 2 As shown, after machining to a certain depth, the heat distribution on the sheet metal is relatively uniform. At this point, the spindle speed is reduced to match the tool head feed rate, and the hinge angle is adjusted so that the connecting rod and roller 3 are perpendicular to the side wall of the formed part. The roller device applies pressure to the side wall of the formed part, which reduces the wall thickness reduction rate during machining and suppresses side wall bulging and springback. In the progressive forming process, there is significant internal stress in the sheet metal, resulting in severe springback. In this stage, the rollers act on the side wall of the machined sheet metal, applying pressure to suppress springback and thus improve the accuracy of the final formed part.

[0014] The tool head 7 is set on one side of the sheet 12, and a ceramic support head 14 is set at the corresponding position on the other side of the sheet 12. The ceramic support head 14 is connected to the tool head 7 through a parallel device 11. Through this parallel device, the ceramic support head 14 moves synchronously with the tool head 7, and the tool head 7 and the ceramic support head 14 always act on the same position of the sheet at the same time.

[0015] By adopting the above solution, the sidewall bulging and springback that occur during processing can be effectively suppressed, thereby ensuring the final dimensional accuracy of the product, optimizing the wall thickness distribution of the progressively formed product, making the wall thickness distribution more uniform, controlling the wall thickness reduction rate, improving the mechanical properties of the product, and reducing the risk of cracking during processing.

[0016] It should be understood that those skilled in the art can make improvements or modifications based on the above description, and all such improvements and modifications should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A progressive forming apparatus for improving forming quality based on induction heating, characterized in that, include: Tool head (7), ceramic support head (14) and roller (3); the ceramic support head (14) is equipped with an induction coil (16) for induction heating of the plate processing part; the roller (3) is connected to the hinge (5) through a linkage mechanism (4), which can extend and retract to ensure that the roller (3) applies a certain pressure to the plate, thereby suppressing unfavorable deformation.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tool head (7) is set on one side of the plate (12), and a ceramic support head (14) is set at the corresponding position on the other side of the plate (12). The ceramic support head (14) is connected to the tool head (7) through a parallel device (11). Through this parallel device, the ceramic support head (14) moves synchronously with the tool head (7), and the tool head (7) and the ceramic support head (14) always act on the same position of the plate at the same time.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the initial stage of processing, the roller acts on the part of the sheet to be processed; after processing to a certain depth, the roller (3) acts on the side wall of the formed part, applying pressure to the side wall of the formed part, which can reduce the wall thickness reduction rate during processing and suppress the side wall bulging and springback during processing.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The linkage mechanism (4) is connected to the machine tool spindle via the hinge (5). The entire roller device can rotate synchronously with the machine tool spindle, which facilitates applying pressure to various positions of the sheet metal.

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