Incremental forming tool capable of supplementing lubricating liquid in real time and working method of incremental forming tool
By using an incremental forming tool with real-time lubrication replenishment, and employing a ball joint support structure and a directional lubrication system, the problems of tool head wear and insufficient forming accuracy in existing technologies have been solved, enabling high-precision forming of high-strength materials and meeting the manufacturing requirements of aerospace components.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-20
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-14
AI Technical Summary
Existing robotic tool head devices suffer from insufficient forming accuracy and stability, poor tool head reliability and short lifespan when forming complex components made of high-strength materials. In particular, under high temperature, high pressure and repeated friction conditions, it is difficult to achieve effective lubrication and cooling, which leads to frictional heat accumulation, wear and microcracks, affecting forming accuracy and microstructure properties.
A progressive forming tool with real-time lubricant replenishment was designed. The tool head adopts a ball joint support structure, combined with a tapered conductive inner sleeve and a detachable fixed sleeve to achieve uniform coating and cooling of lubricant. It is precisely controlled by a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm and a mirror forming system, and an integrated temperature measuring device is used for real-time temperature monitoring and directional supply of lubricant.
It significantly improves the forming accuracy and geometric consistency of complex curved surface components, extends tool head life, reduces frictional heat accumulation, ensures material flow within the optimal plasticity window, and enables high-precision forming of materials such as high-strength aluminum alloys and titanium alloys, meeting the high-performance manufacturing needs of the aerospace field.
Smart Images
Figure CN121848435A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of metal component forming and manufacturing technology, specifically to a progressive forming tool with real-time lubrication replenishment and its working method. Background Technology
[0002] In the field of metal component forming and manufacturing, especially in the manufacturing of high-end aerospace equipment, the demand for high-performance, lightweight, and structurally complex metal components (such as thin-walled parts made of high-strength aluminum alloys and titanium alloys) is becoming increasingly urgent. Taking key components such as bomb bay doors of advanced fighter jets, blades of aero engines, and casings as examples, their structures are increasingly trending towards integration, thinning, and lightweighting, and generally feature complex curved surfaces, small feature dimensions, and high-ribbed thin webs. These components must withstand extreme aerodynamic loads, thermal loads, and vibration loads during service, therefore requiring not only high strength and high toughness of materials, but also excellent dimensional accuracy, surface quality, microstructure, and structural integrity after forming.
[0003] Currently, the mainstream technical approaches for forming and manufacturing such complex metal components include superplastic forming / diffusion bonding (SPF / DB), hot stamping, and incremental forming technology based on CNC machine tools or robots. Among these, robotic incremental forming has become a research and application hotspot due to its advantages such as high equipment flexibility, no need for dedicated molds, and suitability for small-batch, multi-variety, and complex curved surface manufacturing. This technology uses a robotic tool head controlled by an industrial robot, which can move freely and controllably in three-dimensional space, to continuously and locally load a fixed sheet metal along a predetermined three-dimensional trajectory, accumulating deformation point by point, and finally forming the target component.
[0004] However, existing robotic incremental forming technologies, especially their core execution unit—the tool head—exhibit significant limitations when facing the extremely stringent forming requirements of the aerospace industry. The designs adopted by mainstream commercial robot tool heads (such as the simple ball-end tools integrated into the sheet metal processing systems of Mills CNC in the US and Trumpf in Germany), or by most research institutions (such as the designs used by the Polytechnic University of Turin in Italy and RWTH Aachen University in Germany), mostly employ simple ball heads with rigid clamping. When forming high-strength materials, small fillet radius (r / t≤5), and high rib density (H / t≥5), the tool head struggles to adapt to changes in the normal vector under complex paths, easily leading to local underforming or overforming, and making it difficult to guarantee dimensional accuracy. Meanwhile, the dry friction or simple lubrication between the tool head and the sheet metal leads to severe frictional heat accumulation, exacerbating ball head wear and surface scratches, and even causing micro-cracks, ultimately resulting in insufficient forming accuracy and stability. Under harsh working conditions of high temperature, high pressure, and repeated friction, the tool head has poor reliability and short lifespan; the ball head of traditional tool heads (even those made of cemented carbide) is prone to wear failure or breakage. Furthermore, the lack of effective restraint on axial impact and radial oscillation during the forming process easily causes the ball head to move or shift within the clamping sleeve, accelerating its own failure and potentially damaging the workpiece due to direct impact from the clamping sleeve. Due to weak process controllability, the microstructure and properties are difficult to guarantee. Existing technologies lack precise control over the thermo-mechanical coupling field during the forming process. On one hand, the temperature field of the heating system (such as induction heating or external hot air guns) is uneven, and it is difficult to provide real-time and precise "heat compensation" to locally cooled areas, leading to unstable plastic flow of the material and making it prone to springback, wrinkling, or cracking. On the other hand, the lack of an efficient, directional, and continuous lubrication and cooling mechanism makes it impossible to effectively reduce the coefficient of friction and control the forming temperature rise, thus making it difficult to actively control the microstructure of the forming area (such as the degree of recrystallization and grain size), and key indicators such as component fatigue performance are uncertain.
[0005] In summary, existing robot tool head devices and their forming methods suffer from insufficient forming accuracy and stability, poor tool head reliability, and short lifespan, making them unable to meet the high-precision, high-reliability, and high-performance consistent forming requirements of complex components made of high-strength materials in the aerospace field. Summary of the Invention
[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a progressive forming tool with real-time lubricant replenishment and its working method.
[0007] The specific technical solution is as follows: A progressive forming tool with real-time lubricant replenishment for forming metal sheet blanks includes a mirror forming system, a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, a forming loading tool head, and a flange rotating chuck. The metal sheet blank is fixed by a blank fixing fixture. A six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm is mounted on a mirror forming processing system. The six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm provides feed in the X, Y and Z axis directions to the corresponding forming loading tool head. The forming loading tool head contacts the metal sheet blank by rotating. The forming loading tool head includes a spherical ball-end cutter, a clamping outer sleeve, a conductive inner sleeve, and a detachable fixing sleeve. The clamping outer sleeve is held by a flange rotating chuck, has a tapered outer wall, and its end is a ball joint constraint structure that folds inward. The conductive inner sleeve has a tapered outer wall and is located inside the clamping outer sleeve. Its starting end is connected to the oil supply pipe inside the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm through the central cavity of the flange rotating chuck, forming the inlet of the lubrication oil circuit. The detachable fixing sleeve is installed at the end of the conductive inner sleeve. The lower end of the detachable retaining sleeve has an inner hole surrounding the spherical ball end cutter and retains a precise annular gap. The gap serves as the outlet for the lubricating oil passage, and the lubricating oil evenly coats the entire working spherical surface of the spherical ball end cutter, forming a continuous lubricating oil film. The lower end face of the detachable retaining sleeve applies a positive Z-axis constraint to the top of the spherical ball end cutter, which, together with the ball joint constraint structure of the clamping outer sleeve, forms a ball joint support, allowing the spherical ball end cutter to float radially in the X, Y, and Z axes when under force, while strictly restricting axial movement.
[0008] The clamping outer sleeve is clamped by a flange rotating chuck that applies stress in four vertical directions.
[0009] The outer wall of the clamping outer sleeve is tapered, with the starting port diameter being larger than the ending port diameter.
[0010] The end of the ball joint constraint structure of the clamping sleeve is rounded to receive and constrain the lower part of the ball of the spherical ball end cutter, providing a limit in the negative Z-axis direction.
[0011] The detachable fixing sleeve has an internal thread, and the end of the conductive inner sleeve has an external thread. The detachable fixing sleeve and the end of the conductive inner sleeve are threaded together for detachable connection.
[0012] It also includes a camera, which is attached to one side of the corresponding six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm near the forming loading tool head, for real-time monitoring of the processing status.
[0013] The punch of the mirror forming system is equipped with a temperature measuring thermocouple to monitor the temperature change of the workpiece in real time.
[0014] The blank fixing fixture includes two sets of fixing mechanisms. Each set of fixing mechanisms includes a base and a constraint block clamp. The base provides support for the entire blank fixing fixture. The constraint block clamp is connected to the base to fix the metal sheet blank. The clamping surface width of the constraint block clamp is 4-15cm.
[0015] A method for operating a progressive forming tool with real-time lubricant replenishment includes the following steps: S1. Place the metal sheet blank in a heating furnace for solution treatment and keep it at a temperature of 400-500℃ and a solution treatment time of not less than 45 minutes to achieve microstructure homogenization and plasticity improvement. Then transfer it to room temperature water for quenching until it cools to room temperature. S2. Fix the cooled metal sheet blank onto the blank fixing fixture, and press the metal sheet blank with the constraint block clamps on both sides of the sheet. S3. Start the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm to drive the forming loading tool head to move. According to the preset three-dimensional trajectory, control the spherical ball head cutter to perform local incremental loading on the metal sheet blank at a feed rate of 1000-2000 mm / min. At the same time, the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm motor controls the spherical ball head cutter to rotate around its own axis at a speed of 0-1000 rpm to optimize the surface quality. S4. While continuously applying a forming force of 0-5000N to the spherical ball end cutter and performing multiple local forming operations along a predetermined path, the temperature change of the sheet metal deformation zone is monitored in real time. During the forming process, through the synergistic action of the conductive inner sleeve and the detachable fixed sleeve, lubricating oil flows through the lubrication circuit at a flow rate of 0.03-0.05m³ / s. After rectification by the conductive inner sleeve and guidance by the detachable fixed sleeve, the lubricating oil continuously and evenly coats the contact area of the spherical ball end cutter, forming effective lubrication and cooling, ensuring that the spherical surface of the spherical ball end cutter is always in a fully lubricated state. In addition, the temperature measuring thermocouple integrated into the punch of the mirror forming processing system monitors the temperature of the sheet metal deformation zone in real time. After each local forming operation is completed, the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm pauses its movement for 0.5-2 seconds. This short pause allows the lubricating oil to fully penetrate and cover the newly formed contact surface, while providing time for material stress relaxation and temperature equalization, and then continues to the next processing operation. This cycle continues until the precise forming of the entire complex component is completed.
[0016] The lubricating oil mentioned in step S4 is a high-temperature synthetic grease.
[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial technical effects: This invention solves the problems of low precision, easy damage to the cutting head, easy collapse and cracking, and uncontrollable microstructure and properties in the forming of complex local small features of thin-walled metal sheets in the prior art. Specifically, it includes the following beneficial technical effects: (1) Through innovative mechanical structure design, this invention constructs a ball joint support structure with axial limiting and radial floating capabilities by combining a ball-shaped ball-end tool, a clamping outer sleeve, and a detachable fixing sleeve. This structure enables the tool head to adapt to changes in path curvature when moving along a complex three-dimensional trajectory, and always maintains precise normal contact and stable load transmission with the sheet metal. It fundamentally solves the problem of local underforming and overforming that traditional rigid clamping tool heads are prone to when forming features such as small fillets (r / t≤5) and high ribs (H / t≥15), and significantly improves the overall forming accuracy and geometric consistency of complex curved surface components. (2) This invention designs an integrated built-in directional lubrication and synergistic constraint system. Through the conical conductive inner sleeve and the detachable fixed sleeve with gaps, the lubricating oil is able to continuously and uniformly coat the spherical end mill with lubricating oil at a specific angle and flow rate. This not only greatly reduces the friction coefficient and frictional heat accumulation between the tool and the plate, effectively avoiding scratches and microcracks on the plate surface, but also, through the bearing effect of the lubricating film and the mechanical constraint of the sleeve, provides dual protection for the dynamic stability of the end mill under high pressure and high speed conditions, greatly reducing the risk of abnormal wear, breakage and axial movement of the tool, significantly extending the tool head service life and improving the reliability of the machining process; (3) This invention achieves coordinated control of the "force-lubrication" multi-physics field during the forming process. It realizes dynamic, local, and precise temperature management of the deformation zone of the sheet metal, ensuring that the material is always in the optimal plasticity window and effectively suppressing springback and cracking. Combined with the brief pause after each loading, it allows the lubricating oil to fully penetrate, further optimizing the interface conditions. This closed-loop coordinated control capability of process parameters makes it possible to actively design and control the flow behavior and final microstructure of difficult-to-form materials such as high-strength aluminum alloys and titanium alloys, thereby simultaneously ensuring the macroscopic shape accuracy and microstructure performance of the components; (4) The device and method provided by this invention integrate multiple advantages such as highly flexible robot motion, moldless incremental forming, local thermal control, and active lubrication. It not only eliminates the need for expensive and bulky special molds, but also enables the economical and efficient manufacture of small batches of highly complex aerospace components such as free-form surfaces, thin-walled blades, and irregularly shaped casing channels; its modular design also facilitates maintenance and tool replacement. The overall solution improves manufacturing accuracy and component performance while conforming to the principle of sustainable development, effectively reducing production costs and production cycles, and providing high processing flexibility. Attached Figure Description
[0018] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the progressive forming tool for real-time lubrication replenishment according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the forming loading tool head of the present invention; Figure 3 forFigure 2 A magnified view of a portion of point I; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the flange rotating chuck of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the flange rotating chuck of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a front view of the flange rotating chuck of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a top view of the flange rotating chuck of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the forming process of the progressive forming tool with real-time lubrication replenishment according to the present invention. Figure 9 for Figure 8 A magnified view of a portion of section II; Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the forming part of the progressive forming tool for real-time lubrication replenishment according to the present invention; In the diagram, 1. Mirror forming processing system; 2. Six-DOF robotic arm; 3. Forming loading tool head; 4. Flange rotating chuck; 5. Camera; 6. Base; 7. Constraint block fixture; 8. Metal sheet blank; 9. Spherical ball end cutter; 10. Clamping outer sleeve; 11. Conductive inner sleeve; 12. Lubricating oil passage; 13. Removable fixing sleeve; 14. Lubricating oil film. Detailed Implementation
[0019] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.
[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the progressive forming tool with real-time lubrication replenishment according to the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the forming loading tool head of the present invention. Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of a portion of point I. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the flange rotating chuck of the present invention. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the flange rotating chuck of the present invention. Figure 6 This is a front view of the flange rotating chuck of the present invention. Figure 7 The figure shows a top view of the flange rotating chuck of the present invention: The present invention provides a progressive forming tool with real-time lubrication replenishment for forming metal sheet blanks 8, including a mirror forming processing system 1, a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 2, a forming loading tool head 3, and a flange rotating chuck 4; The metal sheet blank 8 is fixed by a blank fixing fixture. A six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 2 is mounted on the mirror forming processing system 1. The six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 2 provides feed in the X, Y, and Z axes to the corresponding forming loading tool head 3. The forming loading tool head 3 contacts the metal sheet blank 8 by rotation. The blank fixing fixture includes two sets of fixing mechanisms. Each set of fixing mechanisms includes a base 6 and a constraint block clamp 7. The base 6 provides support for the entire blank fixing fixture, ensuring the overall stability of the device. The constraint block clamp 7 is connected to the base 6 to fix the metal sheet blank 8, ensuring that the metal sheet blank 8 maintains a stable position and posture during processing. The clamping surface width of the constraint block clamp 7 is 4-15cm to accommodate metal sheet blanks 8 of different sizes.
[0021] The forming loading tool head 3 includes a carbide spherical end cutter 9, a clamping outer sleeve 10, a conductive inner sleeve 11, and a detachable fixing sleeve 13. The clamping outer sleeve 10 is held by a flange rotating chuck 4, with a tapered outer wall and an inwardly folded ball joint constraint structure at the end. The conductive inner sleeve 11 has a tapered outer wall and is used to directionally regulate the lubricating oil in the flow path, reducing its flow velocity and stabilizing its pressure at the end, thus creating conditions for subsequent uniform oil distribution. The conductive inner sleeve 11 is located inside the clamping outer sleeve 10, and its starting end is connected to the oil supply pipe inside the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 2 through the central cavity of the flange rotating chuck 4, forming the inlet of the lubricating oil passage 12. The detachable fixing sleeve 13 is connected to the end of the conductive inner sleeve 11 through an internal thread. The external threaded connection at the end, the inner hole of the lower end of the detachable fixing sleeve 13 surrounds the transition area between the ball and the shank of the spherical ball head cutter 9 and retains a precision annular gap. The gap serves as the outlet of the lubricating oil passage 12, which can guide the lubricating oil to be sprayed obliquely downward at a certain angle, ensuring that the lubricating oil evenly covers the entire working spherical surface of the spherical ball head cutter 9 and forms a continuous lubricating oil film 14. The lower end face of the detachable fixing sleeve 13 applies a slight positive Z-axis constraint to the top of the spherical ball head cutter 9, which together with the ball joint constraint structure of the clamping outer sleeve 10 forms a ball joint support, so that the spherical ball head cutter 9 can float radially in the X, Y, and Z axes when subjected to force, and is strictly restricted from axial movement, thereby ensuring that the forming force is accurately and stably transmitted to the metal sheet blank 5.
[0022] The clamping outer sleeve 10 is clamped by a flange rotating chuck 4, which applies stress in four vertical directions to adjust and lock the clamping outer sleeve. Constraints are applied to limit its axial and radial offset, and a two-dimensional plane rotation is achieved via a robotic arm connected to a motor, enabling the shaping and loading of the robot tool head. The outer wall of the clamping outer sleeve 10 is tapered, with the initial port diameter larger than the final port diameter. This accommodates the maximum clamping area of the chuck and enhances overall rigidity. The end of the ball joint constraint structure of the clamping outer sleeve 10 is rounded to receive and constrain the lower part of the spherical ball end cutter 9, providing a negative Z-axis limit and reducing contact wear. The removable retaining sleeve 13 has internal threads, and the end of the conductive inner sleeve 11 has external threads. The removable retaining sleeve 13 and the end of the conductive inner sleeve 11 are detachably connected by threaded engagement.
[0023] It also includes a camera 5, connected to one side of the corresponding six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 2 near the forming loading tool head 3, for real-time monitoring of the processing status. A temperature-measuring thermocouple is installed on the punch of the mirror forming processing system 1 to monitor workpiece temperature changes in real time.
[0024] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the forming process of the progressive forming tool with real-time lubricant replenishment according to the present invention. Figure 9 for Figure 8 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of section II is shown in the figure: The working method of the progressive forming tool with real-time lubrication replenishment according to the present invention specifically includes the following steps: S1. Place the metal sheet blank 8 in a heating furnace for solution treatment and keep it at a temperature of 400-500℃ and a solution treatment time of not less than 45 minutes to achieve microstructure uniformity and plasticity improvement. Then transfer it to room temperature water for quenching until it cools to room temperature. S2. Fix the cooled metal sheet blank 8 onto the blank fixing fixture, and press the metal sheet blank 8 with the constraint block clamps on both sides of the sheet. S3. Start the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 2 to drive the forming loading tool head 3 to move. According to the preset three-dimensional trajectory, control the spherical ball head tool 9 to perform local incremental loading on the metal sheet blank 8 at a feed rate of 1000-2000 mm / min. At the same time, the motor of the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 2 controls the spherical ball head tool 9 to rotate around its own axis at a speed of 0-1000 rpm to optimize the surface quality. S4. While continuously applying a forming force of 0-5000N to the spherical ball end cutter 9 and performing multiple local forming operations along a predetermined path, the temperature change of the plate deformation zone is monitored in real time. During the forming process, the conductive inner sleeve 11 and the detachable fixed sleeve 13 work together to lubricate the contact area of the spherical ball end cutter 9 with high-temperature synthetic grease at a flow rate of 0.03-0.05m³ / s through the lubrication oil passage 12. After rectification by the conductive inner sleeve 11 and guidance by the detachable fixed sleeve 13, the lubricating oil continuously and evenly coats the contact area of the spherical ball end cutter 9, forming effective lubrication and cooling, ensuring that the spherical surface of the spherical ball end cutter 9 is always fully lubricated. The temperature measuring thermocouple integrated on the punch of the mirror forming processing system 1 monitors the temperature of the plate deformation zone in real time. After each local forming operation is completed, the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 2 pauses its movement for 0.5-2 seconds. This short pause allows the lubricating oil to fully penetrate and cover the newly formed contact surface, while providing time for material stress relaxation and temperature equalization, and then continues to the next processing operation. This cycle continues until the precise forming of the entire complex component is completed. Example 1
[0025] This embodiment takes 7xxx series high-strength aluminum alloy sheet blank as an example to illustrate the working method of a progressive forming tool with real-time lubrication replenishment, which specifically includes the following steps: S1. Place the metal sheet blank 8 in a heating furnace for solution treatment and keep it at a temperature of 400℃ for 40 minutes to achieve microstructure homogenization and plasticity improvement. Then transfer it to room temperature water for quenching until it cools to room temperature. S2. Fix the cooled metal sheet blank 8 onto the blank fixing fixture, and press the metal sheet blank 8 with the constraint block clamps on both sides of the sheet. S3. Start the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 2 to drive the forming loading tool head 3 to move. According to the preset three-dimensional trajectory, control the spherical ball head tool 9 to perform local incremental loading on the metal sheet blank 8 at a feed rate of 1000 mm / min. At the same time, the motor of the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 2 controls the spherical ball head tool 9 to rotate around its own axis at a speed of 500 rpm to optimize the surface quality. S4. While continuously applying a forming force of 2500N to the spherical ball end cutter 9 and performing multiple local forming operations along a predetermined path, the temperature change in the deformation zone of the sheet metal is monitored in real time. During the forming process, the conductive inner sleeve 11 and the detachable fixed sleeve 13 work together to lubricate the sheet metal at a rate of 0.03m... 3A flow rate of / s passes through the lubrication oil passage 12, is rectified by the conductive inner sleeve 11 and guided by the detachable fixed sleeve 13, continuously and evenly wrapping the contact area of the spherical ball end cutter 9, forming effective lubrication and cooling, ensuring that the spherical surface of the spherical ball end cutter 9 is always fully lubricated; and the temperature measuring thermocouple integrated on the punch of the mirror forming processing system 1 monitors the temperature of the plate deformation area in real time. After each local forming is completed, the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 2 pauses its movement for 0.5 seconds. This short pause allows the lubricating oil to fully penetrate and cover the newly formed contact surface, while providing time for material stress relaxation and temperature equalization, and then continues to the next processing; this cycle continues until the precise forming of the entire complex component is completed. Example 2
[0026] The difference from Example 1 is that this example uses a high-strength aluminum alloy 7075 with a wall thickness of 2mm as an example; in step S1, the solution treatment temperature is 457℃ and the solution treatment time is 30min. After the solution treatment, the furnace is kept warm for 30min to ensure that the alloying elements are evenly distributed in the aluminum matrix; after the heat treatment, the billet is quickly transferred to clean water for cooling within 5s using a transfer tool, and the cooling time is not less than 5min; in step S3, the spherical ball end cutter 9 performs local incremental loading on the metal sheet billet 8 at a feed rate of 890mm / min, while the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 2 controls the spherical ball end cutter 9 to rotate around its own axis at a speed of 500rpm; in step S4, a forming force of 4000N is continuously applied to the spherical ball end cutter 9 and multiple local formings are performed along a predetermined path, and lubricating oil passes through the lubrication oil passage 12 at a flow rate of 0.046m³ / s; the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 2 pauses its movement for 1 second. Example 3
[0027] The difference from Example 1 is that the solution treatment temperature in step S1 is 500℃ and the solution treatment time is 30min; in step S3, the spherical ball end cutter 9 performs local incremental loading on the metal sheet blank 8 at a feed rate of 2000mm / min, while the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 2 controls the spherical ball end cutter 9 to rotate around its own axis at a speed of 800rpm; in step S4, a forming force of 3000N is continuously applied to the spherical ball end cutter 9 and multiple local formings are performed along a predetermined path, and lubricating oil passes through the lubrication oil passage 12 at a flow rate of 0.05m³ / s; the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 2 pauses its movement for 2 seconds.
[0028] Figure 10The figure shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the forming parts of the progressive forming tool with real-time lubrication replenishment according to the present invention. The four parts formed by the above method and device have similar frame contour shapes at the finishing positions. The progressive forming tool with real-time lubrication replenishment proposed in this invention can process such components with complex shapes, which shows that the device has the ability to process a variety of shapes in the forming of thin-walled metal sheets, and demonstrates its feasibility and versatility in manufacturing parts with similar structural features in actual production.
Claims
1. A progressive forming tool with real-time lubricant replenishment, used for forming metal sheet blanks, characterized in that: This includes a mirror forming processing system, a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, a forming loading tool head, and a flange rotating chuck; The metal sheet blank is fixed by a blank fixing fixture. A six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm is mounted on a mirror forming processing system. The six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm provides feed in the X, Y and Z axis directions to the corresponding forming loading tool head. The forming loading tool head contacts the metal sheet blank by rotating. The forming loading tool head includes a spherical ball-end cutter, a clamping outer sleeve, a conductive inner sleeve, and a detachable fixing sleeve. The clamping outer sleeve is held by a flange rotating chuck, has a tapered outer wall, and its end is a ball joint constraint structure that folds inward. The conductive inner sleeve has a tapered outer wall and is located inside the clamping outer sleeve. Its starting end is connected to the oil supply pipe inside the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm through the central cavity of the flange rotating chuck, forming the inlet of the lubrication oil circuit. The detachable fixing sleeve is installed at the end of the conductive inner sleeve. The lower end of the detachable retaining sleeve has an inner hole surrounding the spherical ball end cutter and retains a precise annular gap. The gap serves as the outlet for the lubricating oil passage, and the lubricating oil evenly coats the entire working spherical surface of the spherical ball end cutter, forming a continuous lubricating oil film. The lower end face of the detachable retaining sleeve applies a positive Z-axis constraint to the top of the spherical ball end cutter, which, together with the ball joint constraint structure of the clamping outer sleeve, forms a ball joint support, allowing the spherical ball end cutter to float radially in the X, Y, and Z axes when under force, while strictly restricting axial movement.
2. The progressive forming tool with real-time replenished lubricant according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamping outer sleeve is clamped by a flange rotating chuck that applies stress in four vertical directions.
3. The progressive forming tool with real-time replenished lubricant according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer wall of the clamping outer sleeve is tapered, with the starting port diameter being larger than the ending port diameter.
4. The progressive forming tool with real-time replenished lubricant according to claim 1, characterized in that: The end of the ball joint constraint structure of the clamping sleeve is rounded to receive and constrain the lower part of the ball of the spherical ball end cutter, providing a limit in the negative Z-axis direction.
5. The progressive forming tool with real-time replenished lubricant according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detachable fixing sleeve has an internal thread, and the end of the conductive inner sleeve has an external thread. The detachable fixing sleeve and the end of the conductive inner sleeve are threaded together for detachable connection.
6. The progressive forming tool with real-time replenished lubricant according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a camera, which is attached to one side of the corresponding six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm near the forming loading tool head, for real-time monitoring of the processing status.
7. The progressive forming tool with real-time replenished lubricant according to claim 1, characterized in that: The punch of the mirror forming system is equipped with a temperature measuring thermocouple to monitor the temperature change of the workpiece in real time.
8. The progressive forming tool with real-time replenished lubricant according to claim 1, characterized in that: The blank fixing fixture includes two sets of fixing mechanisms. Each set of fixing mechanisms includes a base and a constraint block clamp. The base provides support for the entire blank fixing fixture. The constraint block clamp is connected to the base to fix the metal sheet blank. The clamping surface width of the constraint block clamp is 4-15cm.
9. A method for operating a progressive forming tool with real-time lubricant replenishment, characterized in that, Specifically, the steps include the following: S1. Place the metal sheet blank in a heating furnace for solution treatment and keep it at a temperature of 400-500℃ for a time of not less than 45 minutes. Then transfer it to room temperature water for quenching until it cools to room temperature. S2. Fix the cooled metal sheet blank onto the blank fixing fixture, and press the metal sheet blank with the constraint block clamps on both sides of the sheet. S3. Start the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm to drive the forming loading tool head to move. According to the preset three-dimensional trajectory, control the spherical ball head cutter to perform local incremental loading on the metal sheet blank at a feed rate of 1000-2000 mm / min. At the same time, the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm motor controls the spherical ball head cutter to rotate around its own axis at a speed of 0-1000 rpm to optimize the surface quality. S4. While continuously applying a forming force of 0-5000N to the spherical ball end cutter and performing multiple local forming operations along a predetermined path, the temperature change in the deformation zone of the sheet metal is monitored in real time. During the forming process, the conductive inner sleeve and the detachable fixed sleeve work together, and the lubricating oil is supplied at a rate of 0.03-0.05mg / L. 3 A flow rate of / s passes through the lubrication circuit, is rectified by the conductive inner sleeve and guided by the detachable fixed sleeve, continuously and evenly wrapping the contact area of the spherical ball end cutter, forming effective lubrication and cooling, ensuring that the spherical surface of the ball end cutter is always fully lubricated; and the temperature measuring thermocouple integrated into the punch of the mirror forming processing system monitors the temperature of the plate deformation area in real time. After each local forming is completed, the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm pauses its movement for 0.5-2 seconds, and then continues to the next processing; this cycle continues until the precise forming of the entire complex component is completed.
10. The working method of the progressive forming tool with real-time lubricant replenishment according to claim 9, characterized in that: The lubricating oil mentioned in step S4 is a high-temperature synthetic grease.