Movable assembly type high-degree-of-freedom dieless double-sided incremental forming equipment and method

Abstract

The invention discloses movable assembly type high-degree-of-freedom dieless double-sided incremental forming equipment and method. The equipment comprises two groups of forming units, namely a first forming unit A and a second forming unit B, the first forming unit A and the second forming unit B can be assembled together during use and can be detached after use, and the first forming unit A and the second forming unit B are both of a foldable storage structure; the foldable industrial mechanical arm forming units capable of cooperatively working are arranged on the two sides of the vertically-fixed to-be-machined plate, synchronous or cooperative incremental forming of the front face and the back face of the plate is achieved, the forming precision is improved, springback is reduced, the thickness distribution of the plate is improved, and therefore the forming requirements of complex curved surfaces and high-performance plates are met. The double-sided forming equipment is designed to be of a detachable and assemblable modular structure, so that the equipment can be packaged in a storage state in the transportation and deployment process and can be quickly unfolded and spliced on the use site, and the maneuverability and the application flexibility of the equipment are remarkably improved.

Description

A movable, assembleable, high-degree-of-freedom moldless double-sided progressive forming equipment and method Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of metal sheet forming equipment technology, specifically relating to a movable, modular, high-degree-of-freedom moldless double-sided progressive forming equipment and method. Background Technology

[0002] Sheet metal forming is a key manufacturing process in aerospace, automotive, and rail transportation industries. Traditional sheet metal forming methods mainly include stamping and deep drawing, which typically rely on specialized dies to achieve plastic deformation of the sheet metal. While these methods are highly efficient for mass production, they suffer from drawbacks such as long die development cycles, high manufacturing costs, and poor process flexibility in small-batch, multi-variety, or complex curved surface parts manufacturing scenarios. Consequently, they struggle to meet the demands of today's high-end manufacturing sectors for rapid response and customized production.

[0003] To overcome the problem of mold dependence, moldless incremental forming technology has emerged. This technology uses a forming tool to gradually apply local deformation along a predetermined trajectory to form complex curved surface parts, offering advantages such as no need for dedicated molds, high process flexibility, and suitability for small-batch production. However, existing moldless incremental forming technologies mostly employ a single-sided forming method, meaning the forming force is applied only to one side of the sheet metal. This can easily lead to insufficient support on the back of the sheet, significant elastic rebound and uneven thickness during forming, making it difficult to guarantee the forming accuracy and surface quality of the parts, especially when processing high-strength materials or complex curved surfaces.

[0004] Meanwhile, existing sheet metal forming equipment is mostly fixed in structure, with large equipment size, complex installation and debugging, making it difficult to achieve rapid deployment and flexible transportation; forming equipment relies on fixed production lines, making it difficult to meet the needs of multi-site deployment or on-site forming; the coordination capabilities between equipment are limited, making it difficult to flexibly expand or reconfigure according to processing needs.

[0005] Therefore, existing technologies have shortcomings and need to be improved. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings in existing metal sheet forming technology, the purpose of this invention is to provide a movable, assemblable, high-degree-of-freedom moldless double-sided progressive forming equipment and method.

[0007] A movable, assembleable, high-degree-of-freedom moldless double-sided progressive forming equipment, comprising two forming units: a first forming unit A and a second forming unit B; the first forming unit A and the second forming unit B can be assembled together during use and disassembled after use, both the first forming unit A and the second forming unit B being foldable and retractable; both the first forming unit A and the second forming unit B include a foldable industrial robotic arm, a robotic arm base moving assembly, a robotic arm control cabinet, a movable connection drive mechanism, and a storage frame; the robotic arm base moving assembly includes a robotic arm slide rail base (11), the foldable industrial... The robotic arm and robotic arm control cabinet are movably mounted on the robotic arm slide rail base (11), and the robotic arm slide rail base (11) is movably mounted inside the storage frame; the movable connection drive mechanism is installed on the side of the storage frame, and the movable connection drive mechanism is used to realize the folding and unfolding of the storage frame, the foldable industrial robotic arm, the robotic arm slide rail base (11), and the robotic arm control cabinet; the first forming unit A also includes an automatic sheet clamping device, which is set on one side of the first forming unit A to realize the vertical clamping of the sheet between the first forming unit A and the second forming unit B.

[0008] The movable assembly high degree of freedom moldless double-sided progressive forming equipment includes an electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3), a first limit bearing 23, a second limit bearing 25, a movable support rod (24), and a fixed base plate (5). The electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) is connected to the hinge structure (4) at the upper left corner of the storage frame. The other end of the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) is connected to one end of the movable support rod (24) through the first limit bearing 23. The other end of the movable support rod (24) is connected to the fixed base plate (5) through the second limit bearing 25. The fixed base plate is connected to the slide rail base (11) of the robotic arm. The storage frame can be rotated, unfolded, or retracted by the extension and retraction drive of the electric hydraulic push-pull rod.

[0009] The movable, modular, high-degree-of-freedom, moldless, double-sided progressive forming equipment has a robotic arm collaborative electrical interface (6) on the front of the left and right columns of the storage frame, and an equipment power interface (7) on the side of the columns; corner pieces (8) are set at each top corner of the storage frame; a hollow protective plate (9) is set at the back of the storage frame; and an anti-slip foot pedal (29) is set at the bottom of the frame. The inner cavity size of the storage frame is larger than the outer contour size of the industrial robotic arm in the folded state, which is used to completely cover and protect the robotic arm in the transportation state.

[0010] The movable assembly high degree of freedom moldless double-sided progressive forming equipment, the robotic arm base moving assembly further includes a linear guide rail structure (12) set on the robotic arm slide rail base, a sliding bracket (13) cooperating with the linear guide rail structure 12, and a driving mechanism (14) for driving the sliding bracket to move along the linear guide structure; the robotic arm slide rail base (11) is set at the bottom of the storage frame, and the two ends of the robotic arm slide rail base are movably connected to the bottom crossbeams (10) on both sides of the storage frame through a fixed base plate (5).

[0011] The movable, modular, high-degree-of-freedom, moldless, double-sided progressive forming equipment includes a sheet metal automatic clamping device comprising a lifting structure, a clamping bracket (15), and a pressure plate type automatic clamping structure (16). The lifting structure includes a lifting guide rail (17) and a drive motor (18). The lifting guide rail is installed on the inner side of the left and right columns of the outer frame assembly where the clamping device is located. The clamping bracket is installed on both sides of the guide rail. When the robotic arm unfolds and reaches the working area, the lifting structure will automatically adjust the position of the clamping frame according to the movement of the robotic arm to keep it consistent with the working area of ​​the robotic arm.

[0012] The aforementioned mobile, modular, high-degree-of-freedom, moldless, double-sided progressive forming equipment integrates a control system within its robotic arm control cabinet. This control system enables automatic switching and coordinated control of the equipment across transport, deployment, and working states. The control system includes a central control unit, a drive control module, a status detection module, and a human-machine interface module. The central control unit receives operation commands and schedules each actuator according to preset control logic. The drive control module is electrically connected to the detachable corner connection mechanism, the movable connection drive mechanism, the robotic arm base moving assembly, and the lifting structure of the automatic sheet metal clamping device, executing corresponding action commands. The status detection module monitors the frame deployment state, robotic arm position, slide rail travel position, and sheet metal clamping state in real time. The human-machine interface module enables mode selection, status display, and safety confirmation for the equipment.

[0013] The movable assembly high degree of freedom moldless double-sided progressive forming equipment, the movable connection drive mechanism performs the unfolding action according to the preset first transmission path, moves the robot arm base from the transport position to the unfolded working area according to the preset second transmission path, and performs the action according to the preset third transmission path, so that the movable support rod (24) is embedded in the fixed base plate (5) and the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) is embedded in the movable support rod (24), thereby forming a compact and stable support structure.

[0014] The first transmission path of the movable assembly high degree of freedom moldless double-sided progressive forming equipment is as follows: the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) first gradually extends along the positive direction of the Z-axis. Under the continuous extension of the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3), the rear part of the frame rotates around the rotating hinge structure (2) set at the bottom of the frame, so that the rear part of the frame slowly flips outward from the vertical transport state and gradually unfolds. During the frame flipping and unfolding process, the movable support rod (24) and the limit bearing (25) maintain the initial limit state and do not move. The electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) rotates relative to the limit bearing (23) under the action of thrust, and rotates along with the rear part of the storage frame in the negative direction of the Z-axis, thereby forming a stable unfolding motion trajectory. As the push-pull rod continues to extend, the rear part of the storage frame gradually descends and finally forms a horizontal flat state with the ground or equipment base, thereby constituting the unfolding working platform of the progressive forming equipment.

[0015] The movable assembly high degree of freedom moldless double-sided progressive forming equipment has the following second transmission path: with the first limiting bearing (23), movable support rod (24) and second limiting bearing (25) remaining in their original positions, the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) begins to retract, and during the retraction of the push-pull rod, it drives the fixed base plate (5) connected to it to move towards the flattening frame; while the fixed base plate (5) moves, the robotic arm slide rail base (11) moves synchronously from the initial transport position to the rear area of ​​the frame along the direction of the flattening beam of the storage frame under the guidance of the guide structure, thereby realizing the overall position transfer of the robotic arm base.

[0016] The movable assembly high degree of freedom moldless double-sided progressive forming equipment has the following third transmission path: First, the limiting state of the first limiting bearing (23) and the second limiting bearing (25) is released to give it rotational freedom. Then, the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) extends again. During the extension process, the movable support rod (24) rotates forward around the second limiting bearing (25). At the same time, the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) rotates in conjunction around the hinge structure (4). As the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) continues to extend, the movable support rod (24) gradually moves forward and is finally embedded in the fixed base plate (5). The electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) is embedded in the movable support rod (24), thus forming a compact and stable support structure to provide stable support for the robot arm base.

[0017] The deployment and unfolding method of any of the progressive forming equipment includes the following steps: Step 1: After the equipment is transported to the deployment site, the first forming unit A and the second forming unit B are arranged relative to each other in the predetermined installation position before the frame is unfolded. The adjacent frames of the two equipments are adjusted in position and mechanically docked and fixed. At the same time as the mechanical docking is completed, the electrical interfaces (6) on the front of the automatic plate clamping device or the matching frame structure of the two equipments are automatically aligned and plugged in, so that the power connection, signal interconnection and control communication connection between the two equipments are realized while the frame is still in the retracted state. Step 2: After the mechanical splicing and electrical interface connection of the two equipments are completed, the control system enters the dual equipment collaborative control mode; the central control unit of the two equipments establishes a communication connection through the electrical interface, and the first forming unit A acts as the main control unit, and performs unified scheduling and collaborative control of the two equipments through the control cabinet (20) of the first forming unit A; the control system first performs initialization detection on each functional module of the two equipments, and when the detection signal meets the preset conditions, the system enters the deployment execution state; Step 3: After completing the initial preset condition detection of the two equipments, the control system connects to the corner detachable connection mechanism of the two equipments. (1) Send an unlocking command to make the electric actuator in the corner detachable connection mechanism (1) move synchronously, and the internal electric control pin retracts, thereby releasing the locking state of the locking parts at both ends of the upper right corner crossbeam of the frame, so that the frame structure, which was originally in the overall closed transportation state, is transformed into an unfoldable state; after the corner locking mechanism is released, the control system starts the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) of the movable connection drive mechanism in the two equipments, so that it performs the unfolding action according to the preset first transmission path, and the rear of the storage frame gradually descends and finally forms a horizontal flat state with the ground or equipment base, thereby constituting the unfolding of the progressive forming equipment. Step 4: After the frames of the two pieces of equipment are fully deployed and locked, the control system enters the robotic arm deployment stage; the central control unit controls the movable connection drive mechanism to continue to execute the second transmission path, so that the robotic arm base moves from the transport position to the deployed work area; Step 5: When the robotic arm slide rail base (11) moves to the predetermined position, the central control unit continues to control the movable connection drive mechanism to execute the third transmission path, so that the movable support rod (24) gradually moves forward and finally embeds into the fixed base plate (5), while the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) is embedded into the movable support rod (24).

[0018] By setting up foldable industrial robotic arm forming units that can work together on both sides of a vertically fixed sheet material to be processed, synchronous or collaborative progressive forming of the front and back sides of the sheet material can be achieved, thereby improving forming accuracy, reducing springback and improving the thickness distribution of the sheet material, thus meeting the forming requirements of complex curved surfaces and high-performance sheet materials.

[0019] By designing the double-sided forming equipment as a modular structure that can be disassembled and assembled, the equipment can be packaged in a stowed state during transportation and deployment, and quickly unfolded and assembled on-site, thereby significantly improving the equipment's mobility and application flexibility, and reducing transportation and installation costs. Beneficial effects

[0020] 1. This invention constructs a double-sided moldless progressive forming equipment by setting up forming robotic arms that can work together on both sides of the sheet material. This makes the force on both sides of the sheet material more balanced during the forming process, effectively reducing the elastic rebound and uneven thickness caused by single-sided forming, and significantly improving the forming accuracy and surface quality of complex curved sheet materials. It is especially suitable for forming and processing high-strength metal sheets and complex structural parts.

[0021] 2. The present invention designs the forming equipment as a movable, detachable and assembleable frame structure. The robotic arm, automatic sheet clamping device and related drive mechanism can be folded and packaged in the transportation state and quickly unfolded and spliced ​​on the site, thereby significantly improving the mobility and deployment efficiency of the equipment, reducing transportation, installation and debugging costs, and is suitable for flexible application needs of multiple workstations and multiple scenarios.

[0022] 3. By setting electrical interfaces on the frame structure and completing interface docking during the equipment assembly stage, this invention enables unified control and collaborative operation between the two pieces of equipment. Combined with a high-degree-of-freedom robotic arm and an automatic clamping mechanism, it achieves intelligent scheduling and collaborative control of the forming process, improves the automation level of the processing process and the stability of system operation, and is conducive to building an intelligent and modular progressive forming manufacturing unit. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the undeployed structure of the equipment of this invention; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the assembled and deployed structure of the equipment of this invention; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the deployment process of the equipment of this invention; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the deployment process of the equipment of this invention; Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the deployment process of the equipment of this invention; Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the spatial position relationship of the forming tool head of the equipment of this invention; Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the detachable connection mechanism of this invention; 1. Detachable corner connection mechanism, 2. Rotating hinge structure, 3. Electro-hydraulic push-pull rod, 4. Hinge structure, 5. Fixed base plate, 6. Mechanical arm collaborative electrical interface, 7. Equipment power interface, 8. Corner piece, 9. Hollowed-out protective plate, 10. Bottom crossbeam, 11. Mechanical arm slide rail base, 12. Linear guide rail structure, 13. Sliding bracket, 14. Drive mechanism, 15. Clamping bracket, 16. Pressure plate type automatic clamping structure, 17. Lifting guide rail, 18. Drive motor, 19. Cable chain, 20, 21. Mechanical arm control cabinet, 22. Second forming unit B frame structure, 23, 25. Limit bearings. 24 Movable support rod; 26 & 27 Ball head forming tool; 28 Sheet metal; 29 Anti-slip foot pedal; 30 Sheet metal placement position. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. Embodiment 1

[0025] A movable, assemblable, high-degree-of-freedom moldless double-sided progressive forming equipment and method are disclosed. The equipment comprises two forming units, namely a first forming unit A and a second forming unit B (Figure 2). The following description of the equipment structure will be based on the first forming unit A as an example. As shown in Figure 1, the progressive forming equipment initially presents a cuboid shape. A storage frame is set to enclose the robotic arm. A detachable corner connection mechanism (1) is set at the connection between the short and long crossbeams of the storage frame. Rotating hinge structures (2) are set at both ends of the crossbeam at the lower left corner of the storage frame. A movable connection drive mechanism (Figure 4) is set on the side of the storage frame. The movable connection drive mechanism includes an electro-hydraulic push-pull rod (3), limit bearings (23, 25), a movable support rod (24), and a fixed base plate (5). One end of the movable connection drive mechanism is fixedly set at the hinge structure (4) at the upper left corner of the frame, and the other end is connected to the robotic arm slide rail base (11) through the fixed base plate. After the detachable corner connection mechanism is separated, the outer frame lateral components can rotate, unfold, or retract relative to the bottom crossbeam through the telescopic drive of the electro-hydraulic push-pull rod. Electrical interfaces (6) for robotic arm coordination are provided on the front of the left and right columns of the storage frame, and power interfaces (7) for the equipment are provided on the sides of the columns. Corner fittings (8) are provided at each top corner of the storage frame to facilitate fixation during transport and stability during use. A perforated protective plate (9) is provided at the rear of the storage frame. Anti-slip foot pedals (29) are provided at the bottom of the frame to prevent operators from tripping or slipping when loading and unloading materials. The inner cavity size of the storage frame is larger than the outer dimensions of the industrial robotic arm in its folded state, used to completely cover and protect the robotic arm during transport.

[0026] The progressive forming equipment, wherein the foldable industrial robotic arm is mounted on a robotic arm slide rail base (11), as shown in Figure 2, is positioned above the bottom of the frame and is movably connected to the bottom crossbeams (10) on both sides via fixed base plates (5) at both ends. The progressive forming equipment includes a robotic arm base moving assembly, which includes a robotic arm slide rail base (11), a linear guide rail structure (12) mounted on the robotic arm slide rail base, a sliding bracket (13) cooperating with the linear guide rail structure, and a drive mechanism (14) for driving the sliding bracket to move along the linear guide structure. A drag chain (19) is provided behind the robotic arm to integrate and protect cables. The progressive forming equipment includes a robotic arm control cabinet (20, 21), which is placed behind the robotic arm when the equipment is not unfolded, i.e., also placed on the robotic arm slide rail base (11). As shown in Figure 7, the ball-forming tools (26, 27) are installed at the front end of the robotic arm. The ball-forming tools (26, 27) are distributed at a 45° angle on both sides of the sheet metal (28). During the forming process, the ball-forming tools (26, 27) will move along the forming trajectory until the workpiece is formed.

[0027] The progressive forming equipment also includes an automatic sheet metal clamping device (Figure 2). The automatic sheet metal clamping device is located on the side of the outer frame assembly and is used to automatically clamp, position, and stably support the sheet metal to be processed, so as to cooperate with the industrial robotic arm to complete the progressive forming process. The automatic sheet metal clamping device includes a lifting structure, a clamping bracket (15), and a pressure plate type automatic clamping structure (16). The lifting structure includes a lifting guide rail (17) and a drive motor (18). The lifting guide rail is installed on the inner side of the left and right columns of the outer frame assembly where the clamping device is located. The clamping bracket is installed on both sides of the guide rail. When the robotic arm unfolds and reaches the working area, the lifting structure will automatically adjust the position of the clamping frame according to the movement of the robotic arm so that it is consistent with the working area of ​​the robotic arm. The above-mentioned automatic sheet metal clamping device is only set in the first forming unit A and is used to position and clamp the sheet metal to be formed. As shown in Figure 5, the sheet metal clamping position (30) is located inside the clamping bracket (15).

[0028] The aforementioned progressive forming equipment includes a control system that works in conjunction with the deployable frame structure, robotic arm system, movable connection drive mechanism, and automatic sheet metal clamping device. The control system is integrated within the robotic arm control cabinet and is used to automatically switch and coordinate the control of the equipment between transport, deployment, and working states. The control system includes a central control unit, a drive control module, a status detection module, and a human-machine interface module. The central control unit receives operation commands and uniformly schedules each actuator according to preset control logic. The drive control module is electrically connected to the corner detachable connection mechanism, the movable connection drive mechanism, the robotic arm base moving assembly, and the lifting structure of the automatic sheet metal clamping device, and is used to execute corresponding action commands. The status detection module monitors the frame deployment state, robotic arm position state, slide rail travel position, and sheet metal clamping state in real time. The human-machine interface module enables mode selection, status display, and safety confirmation of the equipment.

[0029] The second forming unit B of the progressive forming equipment is identical or corresponding to the first forming unit A in terms of overall frame structure, movable connection drive mechanism, robotic arm arrangement, and robotic arm base moving assembly. The difference is that the second forming unit B does not include an automatic sheet metal clamping device. In the second forming unit B, the position of the original automatic sheet metal clamping device is set as a matching frame structure (22). The matching frame structure is used to form a corresponding fit with the automatic sheet metal clamping device of the first forming unit A in terms of spatial position and structural dimensions after the first forming unit A and the second forming unit B are spliced ​​together, so as to achieve stable alignment of the sheet metal and double-sided forming support. Example 2

[0030] This embodiment provides a method for deploying, unfolding, and manufacturing workpieces using a movable, modular, moldless, double-sided progressive forming system. The double-sided progressive forming system includes two movable, modular progressive forming machines: a first forming unit A and a second forming unit B. The two machines are structurally matched and are used as the first forming unit A and the second forming unit B, respectively. The first forming unit A includes an automatic sheet metal clamping device, while the second forming unit B does not include an automatic sheet metal clamping device.

[0031] Step 1: In the transport state, both progressive forming equipment are closed cuboid structures. Their outer frames are locked by a corner detachable connection mechanism (1), that is, the internal electrical control pins are locked to the long crossbeam of the frame. The robotic arm is in a folded posture and fixed on the robotic arm base. The robotic arm base is located in the initial transport position inside the frame, and all functional components are stored inside the frame.

[0032] After the equipment is transported to the deployment site, the two pieces of equipment are positioned opposite each other in their predetermined installation locations before the frames are unfolded. Specifically, the side of the frame containing the automatic sheet metal clamping device in the first forming unit A is positioned opposite the side of the matching frame structure in the second forming unit B, facing each other. Operators use forklifts or handling equipment to adjust the positions of the adjacent frames of the two pieces of equipment and complete the mechanical docking and fixing.

[0033] While completing the mechanical docking, the electrical interfaces (6) on the front of the left and right columns of the two equipment plates automatic clamping devices or matching frame structures are automatically aligned and plugged in, so that the power connection, signal interconnection and control communication between the two equipment are realized while the frame is still in the retracted state. By completing the electrical interface docking before the equipment is deployed, the operational complexity and safety hazards caused by wiring after deployment are avoided.

[0034] Step 2: After the mechanical splicing and electrical interface connection of the two pieces of equipment are completed, the control system enters the dual-equipment collaborative control mode. The central control unit of the two pieces of equipment establishes a communication connection through the electrical interface, and the first forming unit A acts as the main control unit, and performs unified scheduling and collaborative control of the two pieces of equipment through the control cabinet (20) of the first forming unit A.

[0035] The control system first performs initialization tests on each functional module of the two pieces of equipment. When the test signals meet the preset conditions, the system enters the deployment execution state. The preset conditions include: the corner detachable connection mechanism remains locked, the electro-hydraulic push-pull rod of the movable connection drive mechanism is in the folding state of the first transmission path, the robotic arm and base are in the retracted folding state (as shown in Figure 1), the automatic plate clamping device is in the bottom initial state, and the pressure plate automatic clamping structure is in the closed state.

[0036] Step 3: After completing the initial preset condition test of the two equipment, the control system sends an unlocking command to the corner detachable connection mechanism (1) of the two equipment, so that the electric actuator in the corner detachable connection mechanism (1) moves synchronously and the internal electric control pin retracts, thereby releasing the locking state of the locking parts at both ends of the upper right corner crossbeam of the frame, so that the frame structure, which was originally in the overall closed transportation state, is transformed into an unfoldable state.

[0037] After the corner locking mechanism is released, the control system activates the electro-hydraulic push-pull rods (3) of the movable drive mechanism in both pieces of equipment, causing them to perform an unfolding action according to the preset first transmission path. The first transmission path is as follows: the electro-hydraulic push-pull rod (3) first gradually extends along the positive Z-axis. During the extension of the push-pull rod, one end is connected to the rear of the frame through a hinge structure, and the other end is connected to the movable support rod (24) through a limit bearing (23). Under the continuous extension of the electro-hydraulic push-pull rod (3), the rear of the frame gradually rotates around the rotating hinge structure (2) set at the bottom of the frame, causing the rear of the frame to slowly flip outward from the vertical transport state and gradually unfold, as shown in Figure 3.

[0038] During the frame flipping and unfolding process, the movable support rod (24) and the limiting bearing (25) remain in their initial limited positions and do not move. The electro-hydraulic push-pull rod (3) rotates relative to the limiting bearing (23) under the action of thrust, and rotates along with the rear part of the storage frame in the negative Z-axis direction, thus forming a stable unfolding motion trajectory. As the push-pull rod continues to extend, the rear part of the storage frame gradually descends and eventually forms a horizontal flat state with the ground or equipment base, thus constituting the unfolding working platform of the progressive forming equipment.

[0039] Throughout the entire frame deployment process, the control system monitors the extension and retraction stroke of the electro-hydraulic push-pull rod (3) and the frame deployment angle in real time through displacement and angle sensors installed on the equipment structure. When the rear of the frame is detected to have reached the preset deployment angle or the predetermined flattening position, the control system automatically stops the extension of the push-pull rod and locks the flattened frame by using the rotating hinge structure (2) at the lower left corner of the frame, thereby ensuring that the deployed frame has good structural stability and completing the coordinated deployment of the two equipment frame structures.

[0040] Step 4: After the frames of the two pieces of equipment are fully deployed and locked, the control system enters the robotic arm deployment stage. The central control unit controls the movable connection drive mechanism to continue executing the second transmission path, so that the robotic arm base moves from the transport position to the deployed working area. The second transmission path is as follows: with the limit bearing (23), movable support rod (24) and limit bearing (25) remaining in their original positions, the electro-hydraulic push-pull rod (3) begins to retract, and during the retraction of the push-pull rod, it drives the fixed base plate (5) connected to it to move towards the flattening frame. Since the fixed base plate (5) is connected to the robotic arm slide rail base (11), while the fixed base plate (5) moves, the robotic arm slide rail base (11) moves synchronously from the initial transport position to the rear area of ​​the frame along the flattening beam direction of the frame under the guidance of the guide structure, thereby realizing the overall position transfer of the robotic arm base. When the robotic arm slide rail base (11) moves to the working position shown in Figure 2, the robotic arm control cabinet (20) is protruded outside the frame, reserving working space for the robotic arm.

[0041] After the robotic arm slide rail base (11) moves to the predetermined position, the central control unit continues to control the movable connection drive mechanism to execute the third transmission path. The third transmission path is as follows: first, the limiting bearings (23, 25) are released from their limiting state, giving them rotational freedom. Then, the electro-hydraulic push-pull rod (3) extends again. During the extension process, the movable support rod (24) rotates forward around the limiting bearing (25), and at the same time, the body of the electro-hydraulic push-pull rod (3) rotates in conjunction around the hinge structure (4). As the push-pull rod continues to extend, the movable support rod (24) gradually moves forward and eventually embeds itself into the fixed base plate (5), while the electro-hydraulic push-pull rod (3) is embedded inside the movable support rod (24), thus forming a compact and stable support structure to provide stable support for the robotic arm base.

[0042] Once the robotic arm base has moved and been fixed in place, the control system sends deployment commands to the robotic arms in both units, causing each joint of the robotic arm to unlock sequentially and gradually unfold from the folded transport posture to the preset working posture according to the preset deployment sequence.

[0043] Subsequently, the control system further controls the motor drive unit in the robotic arm base moving assembly, causing the two robotic arms to move laterally along their respective slide rails, thereby adjusting the two robotic arms to the corresponding progressive forming working areas on both sides of the sheet metal. Through position sensor and encoder feedback signals, the control system monitors the position status of the robotic arm end effectors in real time to ensure that the two robotic arms are within a safe operating range and meet the spatial layout requirements for subsequent double-sided progressive forming.

[0044] Step 5: After the two robotic arms have been deployed and entered standby mode, the control system starts the deployment process of the automatic sheet metal clamping device in the first forming unit A.

[0045] The control system first calculates the target height of the sheet metal clamping device based on the current working height of the two robotic arms and the spatial position parameters of the progressive forming area, and sends a control command to the lifting structure to make the automatic sheet metal clamping device move up and down along the vertical direction of the lifting guide rail (17). Driven by the lifting structure, the sheet metal clamping frame gradually moves to a spatial position that matches the double-sided progressive forming working area. When the clamping frame reaches the preset height position, the control system controls the pressure plate automatic clamping structure (16) to perform a release action, so that the clamping mechanism is in the loading state. Then the operator or the automatic feeding device places the sheet metal to be processed in the sheet metal placement position (30) inside the clamping frame.

[0046] After the sheet metal is positioned, the control system controls the automatic clamping structure (16) to perform clamping action again, so that the clamping mechanism presses and fixes the edge of the sheet metal, thereby keeping the sheet metal in a stable constrained state during the forming process. Through the above clamping process, the automatic clamping and positioning of the sheet metal is completed, providing stable workpiece fixing conditions for subsequent double-sided progressive forming processing.

[0047] Step Six: The operator then inputs the required workpiece forming path into the robotic arm control cabinet. The robotic arm of the first forming unit serves as the main forming robotic arm, while the robotic arm of the second forming unit serves as an auxiliary support robotic arm, located on the opposite side of the sheet metal. Both the first and second forming unit robotic arms, located on opposite sides of the sheet metal, are equipped with ball-head forming tools. The ball-head forming tools of the two robotic arms move along the preset forming path in a relative spatial relationship as shown in Figure 6. During the forming process, the two robotic arms move synchronously along the preset forming trajectory. Specifically, the ball-head forming tool carried by the first forming unit robotic arm serves as the main forming tool, applying a gradually loaded forming force to one side of the sheet metal according to the preset forming tool head trajectory path, progressively forming the sheet metal and causing local plastic deformation under the action of the tool. The second forming unit robotic arm, located on the other side of the sheet metal, serves as a support tool, maintaining synchronization with the movement trajectory of the first forming unit robotic arm, providing corresponding support force on the back of the sheet metal to limit excessive deformation of the sheet metal during the forming process and improve forming stability.

[0048] As the two robotic arms move gradually along the forming trajectory, the sheet metal undergoes continuous plastic deformation in local areas, gradually forming the target curved surface structure. After completing one rotation of the trajectory, the first forming unit robotic arm moves along the positive Y-axis according to the preset layer feed amount, while the second forming unit robotic arm moves along the negative Y-axis according to the preset layer feed amount. After completing the layer feed, the two robotic arms continue to move along the new contour trajectory, thereby achieving progressive layer forming until the preset forming depth is reached, ultimately obtaining a sheet metal component of the target shape.

[0049] Step 7: Once the sheet metal workpiece is formed, i.e., after the forming unit robotic arm has completed its forming trajectory, the control system first outputs a forming motion termination command for the first and second forming units, causing the ball-end forming tools of both robotic arms to stop moving. Then, the control system moves the first and second forming unit robotic arms along preset retraction paths, gradually detaching the two ball-end forming tools from the sheet metal surface and maintaining a safe distance from the formed workpiece to avoid interference or collision between the tools and the workpiece.

[0050] After the ball-head forming tools of the two robotic arms are completely detached from the sheet metal, the first forming unit robotic arm and the second forming unit robotic arm are controlled to return to the preset safe standby position, and the relevant control programs in the forming process are turned off. Then the control system controls the pressure plate automatic clamping structure (16) to perform the release action, and removes the formed sheet metal workpiece from the forming area of ​​the sheet metal automatic clamping device.

[0051] After the workpiece is removed, the equipment is stored. First, the control system sends folding and retracting commands to the robotic arms of the two forming units. The first and second forming unit robotic arms then execute a preset storage motion program sequentially, causing each joint of the robotic arm to rotate and fold gradually in a preset order. This transforms the overall posture of the robotic arm from a working posture to a stored posture, reducing the space occupied by the robotic arm. Simultaneously, the control system controls the motor drive unit in the moving assembly of the robotic arm base of the two forming units, causing the robotic arms to move laterally along the slide rail, moving the two forming units from the working position to the preset storage position. Once the two forming units have moved to the preset storage position, they are positioned and fixed by a limiting mechanism, ensuring that the two forming units remain stably in the storage position, as shown in Figure 5.

[0052] After the two forming unit robotic arms have completed their position reset, the central control unit controls the movable connection drive mechanism to sequentially reverse the third, second, and first transmission paths (during the reverse execution of each transmission path, the electro-hydraulic push-pull rod changes from extension during the deployment phase to retraction, and from retraction during the deployment phase to extension), returning the forming unit robotic arms to their positions and resetting the overall frame structure of the device. After the two forming unit frames are reset, the control system controls the electric actuators in the corner detachable connection mechanism (1) of the two devices to move synchronously, causing the internal pins to switch to the locked state, and the forming unit storage process is completed. After disconnecting the communication connection between the two devices, the two devices can be separated using a forklift.

[0053] Through the above-mentioned storage process, after completing the double-sided progressive forming operation of the sheet metal, this equipment can quickly switch from the working state to the storage state without disassembling the main structure. This achieves compact storage of the overall structure of the equipment, thereby improving the ease of use, space utilization, and efficiency of equipment movement and deployment.

[0054] 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 movable, assembleable, high-degree-of-freedom, moldless, double-sided progressive forming equipment, characterized in that, The equipment includes two forming units: a first forming unit A and a second forming unit B. The first forming unit A and the second forming unit B can be assembled together during use and can be disassembled after use. Both the first forming unit A and the second forming unit B are foldable and retractable structures. The first forming unit A and the second forming unit B each include a foldable industrial robotic arm, a robotic arm base moving assembly, a robotic arm control cabinet, a movable connection drive mechanism, and a storage frame. The robotic arm base moving assembly includes a robotic arm slide rail base (11). The foldable industrial robotic arm and the robotic arm control cabinet are movably mounted on the robotic arm slide rail base (11), and the robotic arm slide rail base (11) is movably mounted inside the storage frame. The movable connection drive mechanism is installed on the side of the storage frame and is used to realize the folding and unfolding of the storage frame, the foldable industrial robotic arm, the robotic arm slide rail base (11), and the robotic arm control cabinet. The first forming unit A also includes an automatic sheet metal clamping device. The automatic sheet metal clamping device is set on one side of the first forming unit A to realize the vertical clamping of the sheet metal between the first forming unit A and the second forming unit B.

2. The movable, assembleable, high-degree-of-freedom, moldless, double-sided progressive forming equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The movable connection drive mechanism includes an electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3), a first limit bearing 23, a second limit bearing 25, a movable support rod (24), and a fixed base plate (5); the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) is connected to the hinge structure (4) at the upper left corner of the storage frame, and the other end of the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) is connected to one end of the movable support rod (24) through the first limit bearing 23. The other end of the movable support rod (24) is connected to the fixed base plate (5) through the second limit bearing 25. The fixed base plate is connected to the slide rail base (11) of the robotic arm; the storage frame can be rotated, unfolded, or retracted by the extension and retraction drive of the electric hydraulic push-pull rod.

3. The movable, assembleable, high-degree-of-freedom, moldless, double-sided progressive forming equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robotic arm base moving assembly also includes a linear guide rail structure (12) disposed on the robotic arm slide rail base, a sliding bracket (13) cooperating with the linear guide rail structure 12, and a driving mechanism (14) for driving the sliding bracket to move along the linear guide structure; the robotic arm slide rail base (11) is disposed at the bottom of the storage frame, and the two ends of the robotic arm slide rail base are movably connected to the bottom crossbeams (10) on both sides of the storage frame through a fixed base plate (5).

4. The movable, assembleable, high-degree-of-freedom, moldless, double-sided progressive forming equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The automatic clamping device for sheet metal includes a lifting structure, a clamping bracket (15), and a pressure plate type automatic clamping structure (16). The lifting structure includes a lifting guide rail (17) and a drive motor (18). The lifting guide rail is installed on the inner side of the left and right columns of the outer frame assembly where the clamping device is located. The clamping bracket is installed on both sides of the guide rail. When the robotic arm unfolds and reaches the working area, the lifting structure will automatically adjust the position of the clamping frame according to the movement of the robotic arm so that it is consistent with the working area of ​​the robotic arm.

5. The movable, assembleable, high-degree-of-freedom, moldless, double-sided progressive forming equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robotic arm control cabinet integrates a control system for automatically switching and coordinating the equipment between transport, deployment, and working states. The control system includes a central control unit, a drive control module, a status detection module, and a human-machine interface module. The central control unit receives operation commands and schedules each actuator according to preset control logic. The drive control module is electrically connected to the corner detachable connection mechanism, the movable connection drive mechanism, the robotic arm base moving assembly, and the lifting structure of the automatic sheet metal clamping device, executing corresponding action commands. The status detection module monitors the frame deployment state, robotic arm position, slide rail travel position, and sheet metal clamping state in real time. The human-machine interface module enables mode selection, status display, and safety confirmation.

6. The movable, assembleable, high-degree-of-freedom, moldless, double-sided progressive forming equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The movable connection drive mechanism performs the unfolding action according to the preset first transmission path, moves the robot arm base from the transport position to the unfolded working area according to the preset second transmission path, and performs the action according to the preset third transmission path, so that the movable support rod (24) is embedded inside the fixed base plate (5) and the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) is embedded inside the movable support rod (24), thereby forming a compact and stable support structure.

7. The movable, assembleable, high-degree-of-freedom, moldless, double-sided progressive forming equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first transmission path is as follows: the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) first gradually extends along the positive direction of the Z-axis. Under the continuous extension of the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3), the rear part of the frame rotates around the rotating hinge structure (2) set at the bottom of the frame, so that the rear part of the frame slowly flips outward from the vertical transport state and gradually unfolds. During the frame flipping and unfolding process, the movable support rod (24) and the limit bearing (25) remain in the initial limit state and do not move. Under the action of the thrust, the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) rotates relative to the limit bearing (23) and rotates along with the rear part of the storage frame in the negative direction of the Z-axis, thereby forming a stable unfolding motion trajectory. As the push-pull rod continues to extend, the rear part of the storage frame gradually descends and finally forms a horizontal flat state with the ground or equipment base, thereby constituting the unfolding working platform of the progressive forming equipment.

8. The movable, assembleable, high-degree-of-freedom, moldless, double-sided progressive forming equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The second transmission path is as follows: with the first limiting bearing (23), the movable support rod (24) and the second limiting bearing (25) remaining in their original positions, the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) begins to retract. During the retraction of the push-pull rod, it drives the fixed base plate (5) connected to it to move towards the flattening frame. While the fixed base plate (5) moves, the robotic arm slide rail base (11) moves synchronously from the initial transport position to the rear area of ​​the frame along the flattening beam of the storage frame under the guidance of the guide structure, thereby realizing the overall position transfer of the robotic arm base.

9. The movable, assembleable, high-degree-of-freedom, moldless, double-sided progressive forming equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The third transmission path is as follows: First, the limiting state of the first limiting bearing (23) and the second limiting bearing (25) is released, so that they have rotational freedom. Then, the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) extends again. During the extension process, the movable support rod (24) rotates forward around the second limiting bearing (25). At the same time, the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) body rotates in linkage around the hinge structure (4). As the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) continues to extend, the movable support rod (24) gradually moves forward and finally embeds into the fixed base plate (5). The electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) is embedded into the movable support rod (24), thus forming a compact and stable support structure to provide stable support for the robot arm base.

10. The method for deploying and unfolding the progressive forming equipment according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: After the equipment is transported to the deployment site, the first forming unit A and the second forming unit B are arranged relative to each other in the predetermined installation position before the frame is unfolded. The adjacent frames of the two equipment are adjusted and mechanically connected and fixed. At the same time as the mechanical connection is completed, the electrical interfaces (6) on the front of the automatic clamping device of the plate material of the two equipment or the matching frame structure are automatically connected and aligned, so that the power connection, signal communication and control communication between the two equipment are realized while the frame is still in the retracted state. Step 2: After the mechanical splicing and electrical interface connection of the two equipment are completed, the control system enters the dual equipment collaborative control mode. The central control unit of the two equipment establishes a communication connection through the electrical interface, and the first forming unit A is the main control unit. The two equipment are uniformly scheduled and collaboratively controlled through the control cabinet (20) of the first forming unit A. The control system first performs initial detection on each functional module of the two equipment. When the detection signal meets the preset conditions, the system enters the unfolding execution state. Step 3: After the initial preset condition detection of the two equipment is completed, the control system sends an unlocking command to the corner detachable connection mechanism (1) of the two equipment, so that the corner The electric actuator in the detachable connection mechanism (1) operates synchronously, and the internal electric control pin retracts, thereby releasing the locking state of the locking parts at both ends of the upper right corner crossbeam of the frame, so that the frame structure, which was originally in an overall closed transportation state, is transformed into an unfoldable state; after the corner locking mechanism is released, the control system starts the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) of the movable connection drive mechanism in the two equipment, so that it performs the unfolding action according to the preset first transmission path, the rear of the storage frame gradually descends and finally forms a horizontal flat state with the ground or equipment base, thereby forming the unfolding working platform of the progressive forming equipment; Step 4: After the frames of the two pieces of equipment are fully deployed and locked, the control system enters the robotic arm deployment stage; the central control unit controls the movable connection drive mechanism to continue to execute the second transmission path, so that the robotic arm base moves from the transport position to the deployed working area; Step 5: When the robotic arm slide rail base (11) moves to the predetermined position, the central control unit continues to control the movable connection drive mechanism to execute the third transmission path, so that the movable support rod (24) gradually moves forward and is finally embedded in the fixed base plate (5), while the electric hydraulic push-pull rod (3) is embedded in the movable support rod (24).

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