Equipment for hybrid molding of multi-component materials in a single mold opening and closing operation.

Abstract

The main body of the equipment for hybrid molding multi-component materials in a single mold opening and closing operation includes a main frame and an injection module, the injection module including a mounting plate, the mounting plate being detachably connected to the lower beam of the die set, the mounting plate being equipped with metal injection channel ports, non-metal injection channel ports, and bulging media ports, and the injection material can be efficiently replaced by replacing the mounting plate. Based on a universal integrated die set, the present invention integrates multiple different metal injection equipment and non-metal injection equipment into a single equipment main body by arranging different injection modules, thereby reducing equipment costs, improving molding efficiency, and enabling non-metal injection (e.g., plastics, fiber-reinforced resins, etc.), metal injection (e.g., aluminum / magnesium / aluminum-magnesium alloys), and injection of various bulging media in a single mold opening and closing operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to a method for producing members such as vehicle beams, and specifically, it is an equipment body for hybrid molding of multi-component materials with a single mold opening and closing.

Background Art

[0002] The design and processing process of beam structure parts determine evaluation indexes such as the safety, reliability, durability, and NVH of the entire vehicle. In the steel pipe beam structures manufactured by the conventional integral die-casting and stamping welding processes, there are certain limitations in improving the performance and weight reduction of the entire vehicle.

[0003] The integral die-casting process is widely popularized and applied in the automotive industry, but it is only suitable for casting materials such as aluminum alloys and magnesium alloys with insufficient strength and density (yield strength of about 300 MPa). It is not suitable for manufacturing slender beam structure parts of the upper body and sub-assemblies such as sub-assembly parts such as the A-pillar and B-pillar of the vehicle body. When integrally die-casting large parts such as the side panels of the vehicle, the clamping force of the equipment becomes very large, the deformation amount of the parts is large, the local strength of parts such as slender A-pillar beams becomes insufficient, the manufacturing process becomes complicated, and the cost becomes high.

[0004] The conventional integral injection molding process of a beam and a connecting member is limited to only the injection molding after the completion of the beam finished product and the hydroforming. The plain tube of the main load-bearing pipe is not subjected to processes such as heating, gas hydroforming to adhere to the mold, and quenching. It is difficult to achieve the ideal shape and strength performance of a special-shaped beam. Also, a new process for completing the connection is added without combining with processes such as synchronous aluminum / magnesium casting.

[0005] Conventional liquid-filled water-fill molding of pipes involves sealing both ends of a metal pipe component in a cold state, injecting high-pressure liquid into the pipe, and forcibly pressing the original pipe material against a mold. Typically, liquid-filling molding machines, cold liquid filling, and materials with low yield strength are used. Ultra-high-strength titanium alloys with high yield strength are not suitable for water-fill molding because they cannot be used for cold working and the requirements for the clamping force of the equipment are high.

[0006] Hybrid molding is intended for parts that are formed in a cold state, such as certain parts that require the assembly of plastic clips into metal structural components (e.g., automotive dashboard brackets). Conventional hybrid molding combines liquid filling molding of tubular material with injection molding to form the entire structure in a single process. However, this method has simple temperature control, the molding temperature is only around 200 degrees Celsius, and a quenching process cannot be performed.

[0007] As described above, conventional hot gas blast molding, injection molding, die casting, and liquid filling molding of pipes are all single-step processes and cannot form parts with complex structures. Hybrid molding is intended for parts formed in a cold state and is not suitable for high-strength materials.

[0008] This invention provides equipment for hybrid molding of multi-component materials, including ultra-high-strength steel pipes, aluminum alloy pipes, metallic materials such as aluminum / magnesium, and non-metallic materials such as fiber-reinforced resins, in a single mold opening and closing operation to meet the requirements for rigidity, strength, and weight reduction of vehicle body structures. It enables instantaneous heating of ultra-high-strength steel pipes (or aluminum alloy pipes, etc.), adhesion to the mold by gas bulge molding, hardening strengthening, injection molding (non-metallic materials such as fiber-reinforced resins), and injection of aluminum / magnesium (metallic) in a single mold opening and closing operation. This significantly simplifies the vehicle body manufacturing process, reduces subsequent processes such as welding, achieves weight reduction of pipe beam structural components, and is suitable for the integrated manufacturing of ultra-high-strength pipe beam structures with special cross-sectional shapes. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0009] In view of this, the present invention addresses the technical problems in this field by providing a device for hybrid molding of multi-component materials in a single mold opening and closing operation, comprising an upper beam, a slider, a lower beam, a mold, and an injection module, wherein different molds for molding different parts are mounted, the lower mold of the mold is fixed to the lower beam, the upper mold of the mold is fixed to the slider, and the slider drives the upper and lower molds to close the mold. The mold includes the metal tube hot gas expansion molding chamber, the metal material molding chamber, and the non-metal material molding chamber. The injection module is fixed to the lower beam, and the lower beam is provided with a plurality of holes. The injection module includes a mounting plate, and the mounting plate of the injection module is detachably connected to the lower beam, enabling efficient replacement of the injection material by replacing the mounting plate. The mounting plate is provided with a metal injection channel port and a non-metal injection channel port. The equipment provides a device body for hybrid molding of multi-component materials with a single mold opening and closing, wherein one end of the metal injection channel port and one end of the non-metal injection channel port communicate with the inside of the mold by passing through a part of the hole in the lower beam.

[0010] The mounting plate is further provided with a protruding molding medium port, and one end of the protruding molding medium port communicates with the inside of the mold by passing through a portion of the hole in the lower beam.

[0011] A metal injection channel port or a non-metal injection channel port is connected to a media system, which is used for loading, holding pressure, and recovering stretch molding media at different pressures.

[0012] One side thrust cylinder is attached to each side of the upper end of the lower beam, and the two side thrust cylinders are used to seal both ends of the metal tube during the forming process. The metal tube has sealed ends at both ends with high-pressure expansion gas medium ports, which enable loading, holding pressure, and recovery of the ultra-high-pressure expansion molding medium during the hot gas expansion molding process of the metal tube, as well as allowing the discharge of the low-pressure expansion molding medium.

[0013] The nonmetallic injection channel port is connected to a nonmetallic material injection barrel, which houses the nonmetallic medium necessary for part molding, and is equipped with heating and stirring functions, and can melt the solid nonmetallic medium into a liquid or semi-solid nonmetallic medium to facilitate injection into the mold.

[0014] The metal injection channel port is connected to a metal material injection barrel, which houses the metal medium necessary for part molding, and is equipped with heating and stirring functions, and can melt the solid metal medium into a liquid or semi-solid metal medium to facilitate injection into the mold.

[0015] The upper mold and the lower mold each have a medium channel inside, and the medium channel heats or cools the inside of the mold to perform quenching.

[0016] The upper beam and the lower beam are fixedly connected to four guide rods to form the main frame, and the guide rods guide the movement of the slider.

[0017] The metallic material is aluminum, magnesium, or an aluminum-magnesium alloy, and the non-metallic material is plastic or a composite material.

[0018] An electrode is attached to the lower beam, and one end of the electrode is connected to a high-power heating power supply via a conductor, and is used for heating in the parts molding process. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] The forming equipment body according to the present invention is based on a universal integrated equipment body. By improving the injection module, a plurality of different metal injection equipment and non-metal injection equipment are integrated on one equipment table, thereby reducing equipment costs and improving forming efficiency. The equipment body of the present invention can realize non-metal injection (such as plastic, fiber-reinforced resin, etc.), metal injection (such as aluminum / magnesium / aluminum-magnesium alloy), and injection of various overhanging forming media.

[0020] The equipment of the present invention can complete a plurality of processes such as instant heating of ultra-high-strength metal tubes (such as aluminum alloy tubes), close adhesion to the mold by gas overhanging forming, quenching strengthening, non-metal injection (such as plastic, fiber-reinforced resin, etc.), and metal injection (such as aluminum / magnesium / aluminum-magnesium alloy) within only one mold opening and closing process, and is suitable for the integrated manufacturing of automobile sub-assembly parts.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram of the equipment body structure of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the lower beam of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the injection module of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a flowchart of the process of the present invention.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Hereinafter, referring to the drawings, the technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described. It is obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention and not all of them. Based on the embodiments in the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

[0023] In the description of the present invention, the directions or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc. are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are merely for facilitating the description of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or suggest that such devices or elements must have a specific direction or be configured and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, it should not be understood as limiting the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first", "second", "third" are for the purpose of description only and should not be understood as indicating or suggesting relative importance.

[0024] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms "attach", "connect", "couple" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. It may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection. It may be a direct connection, an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or a communication inside two elements. The specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be specifically understood by those skilled in the art.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the equipment body capable of realizing the hybrid molding of a multi-component material by one mold opening and closing includes a driving device 21, a mold clamping device 22, an upper beam 23, a guide rod 24, a slider 25, a lower beam 26, and an injection module 27. The mold includes an upper mold 28 and a lower mold 29. The lower mold 29 is fixed to the lower beam 26, the upper mold 28 is fixed to the slider 25, the slider drives the upper mold 28 and the lower mold 29 to close the mold, and an injection module 27 is installed on the lower beam 26.

[0026] The upper beam 23 and the lower beam 26 are fixedly connected to four guide rods 24, respectively, to form an integrated frame. The drive unit 21 and the clamping device 22 are attached to the upper beam 23. The drive unit provides power for the movement of the slider 25 and the clamping force for the equipment body, and a hydraulic cylinder or motor is preferred as the drive unit. The clamping device 22 is used to lock the mold closed state of the equipment body, and the clamping device provides a better seal inside the mold and an auxiliary clamping force, reducing the output power of the drive unit 21. The guide rods 24 guide the movement of the slider 25.

[0027] As shown in Figure 2, one side thrust cylinder 261 is attached to each side of the upper end of the lower beam, and the two side thrust cylinders 261 are used to seal both ends of the metal tube during the molding process. An electrode 262 is attached to the lower beam, one end of which is connected to a high-power heating power supply via a conductor, and the other end of which is connected to an electrode located inside the mold and used for heating during the part molding process. An injection module 27 is detachably connected to the lower beam 26, and the lower beam has multiple holes.

[0028] Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the injection module 27 includes a mounting plate 271, to which the mounting plate 271 of the injection module 27 is detachably connected to the lower beam 26. The mounting plate 271 is equipped with a metal injection channel port 272, a non-metallic injection channel port 273, or a stretch molding medium port, enabling efficient replacement of the injection material by replacing the mounting plate. The discharge conveyor line 3 transports the molded workpieces and also has a temporary parts storage function. The discharge conveyor line typically uses a stainless steel structure or a steel plate chain structure. The metal injection channel port 272, the non-metallic injection channel port 273, and the stretch molding medium port communicate with the inside of the mold by passing through a plurality of holes in the lower beam.

[0029] The metal tube has sealed ends at both ends with high-pressure expansion gas medium ports, which enable loading, holding pressure, and recovery of the ultra-high-pressure expansion molding medium during the hot gas expansion molding process of the metal tube, as well as enabling the discharge of the low-pressure expansion molding medium. Preferably, the expansion molding medium may be any of gas, water, oil, or a low-melting-point metal, and preferably the expansion molding medium is nitrogen or an inert gas, and the low-melting-point metal is tin.

[0030] The upper mold 28 and the lower mold 29 have a medium channel inside, which heats or cools the parts inside the mold.

[0031] The nonmetallic injection channel port 273 is connected to a nonmetallic material injection barrel, which has heating and stirring functions while containing the nonmetallic medium necessary for part molding, and can melt the solid nonmetallic medium into a liquid or semi-solid nonmetallic medium to facilitate injection into the mold.

[0032] The metal injection channel port 272 is connected to a metal material injection barrel, which has heating and stirring functions while containing the metal medium necessary for part molding, and can melt the solid metal medium into a liquid or semi-solid metal medium to facilitate injection into the mold.

[0033] Figure 4 shows the core steps of the production method using the equipment that performs hybrid molding of the multi-component material described above in a single mold opening and closing operation, and specifically includes the following steps.

[0034] S1: The metal tube is held inside the mold.

[0035] S2: The drive device drives the slider 25 to achieve mold closing, and the side thrust cylinder operates to seal both ends of the metal tube with plugs on both sides.

[0036] S3: The metal tube is heated to a first predetermined temperature using electrodes.

[0037] Preferably, the order of steps S3 and S2 is swapped.

[0038] S4 Metal pipe stretch molding: A first pressure stretch molding medium (e.g., high-pressure gas) is injected into the pipe opening on one side of the metal pipe, and the first pressure stretch molding medium causes the pipe wall of the metal pipe to adhere tightly to the mold through high-pressure stretch molding. In addition, to control the amount of local deformation of the metal pipe, a first pressure stretch molding medium (e.g., low-pressure gas) is injected into the space inside the mold and outside the metal pipe. Preferably, the first pressure stretch molding medium is injected and recovered via the metal injection channel 15 and the non-metal injection channel 13.

[0039] S5 Metal Injection: The first pressure-stretched molding medium is recovered by releasing the pressure. The internal temperature of the mold is adjusted to a second predetermined temperature, which is lower than or equal to the first predetermined temperature. Liquid or semi-solid metal, such as an aluminum-magnesium alloy, is injected through the metal injection barrel into the metal injection space inside the mold and outside the metal base tube, thereby realizing integral molding and joining of the metal material onto the metal base tube after stretch molding. Throughout the entire metal injection process, a third pressure-stretched molding medium is injected into the metal base tube to control the amount of deformation at local locations of the base tube. Furthermore, throughout the entire metal injection process, a second pressure-stretched molding medium is injected into spaces other than the metal injection target space inside the mold and outside the metal base tube to control the amount of deformation at local locations of the metal base tube.

[0040] S6 Nonmetallic injection: The second pressure-stretched molding medium is released and recovered. The internal temperature of the mold is adjusted to a third predetermined temperature, which is lower than the first and second predetermined temperatures. A liquid or semi-solid nonmetal, such as plastic, is injected through the nonmetallic injection barrel into the nonmetallic injection space inside the mold and outside the metal base tube, thereby achieving integral molding and joining of the nonmetallic material onto the metal base tube after stretch molding. Throughout the entire nonmetallic injection process, the ultra-high pressure medium system injects a fourth pressure-stretched molding medium into the metal base tube to control the amount of local deformation of the base tube.

[0041] Preferably, the S5 metal injection and S6 non-metal injection steps of the present invention may be performed simultaneously for efficiency.

[0042] S7 The stretch molding medium is recovered by releasing the pressure and rapidly quenched in the mold.

[0043] The magnitude of the sequence number of each step in the embodiments of the present invention does not indicate the order of execution, and it should be understood that the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and inherent logic, and should not limit the execution procedure of the embodiments of the present invention in any way.

[0044] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, a variety of modifications, alterations, substitutions, and variations are possible in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is limited by the appended claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 21 Drive unit (usually a hydraulic cylinder or motor), 22 Clamping device, 23 Upper beam, 24 Guide rod, 25 Slider, 26 Lower beam, 27 Injection module, 28 Upper mold, 29 Lower mold, 261 Side thrust cylinder, 262 Electrode, 263 Port, Mounting plate, 271 Metal injection channel port, 272 Non-metal injection channel port, 273

Claims

1. The equipment comprises an upper beam, a slider, a lower beam, a mold, and an injection module, and is equipped with different molds for molding different parts, the lower mold of the mold is fixed to the lower beam, the upper mold of the mold is fixed to the slider, and the slider drives the upper and lower molds to close the mold, and is a hybrid molding apparatus for multi-component materials in a single mold opening and closing operation. The mold includes a metal tube hot gas expansion molding chamber, a metal material molding chamber, and a non-metal material molding chamber. The injection module is fixed to the lower beam, and the lower beam is provided with a plurality of holes. The injection module includes a mounting plate, and the mounting plate of the injection module is detachably connected to the lower beam, enabling efficient replacement of the injection material by replacing the mounting plate. The mounting plate is provided with a metal injection channel port and a non-metal injection channel port. The equipment body for hybrid molding of multi-component materials in a single opening and closing of the mold, characterized in that one end of the metal injection channel port and one end of the non-metal injection channel port communicate with the inside of the mold by passing through a part of the hole in the lower beam.

2. The molding equipment body according to claim 1, wherein a protruding molding medium port is further arranged on the mounting plate, and one end of the protruding molding medium port communicates with the inside of the mold by passing through a part of the hole in the lower beam.

3. The molding equipment body according to claim 1, characterized in that a metal injection channel port or a non-metal injection channel port is connected to a media system, the media system is used for loading, holding pressure and recovering stretch molding media at different pressures.

4. One side thrust cylinder is attached to each side of the upper end of the lower beam, and the two side thrust cylinders are used to seal both ends of the metal tube during the molding process. The molding equipment body according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealed ends at both ends of the metal tube have high-pressure expansion gas medium ports, which enable loading, holding pressure, and recovery of the ultra-high-pressure expansion molding medium in the metal tube hot gas expansion molding process, and also enable the discharge of the low-pressure expansion molding medium.

5. The molding equipment body according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the nonmetallic injection channel port is connected to a nonmetallic material injection barrel, and the nonmetallic material injection barrel has heating and stirring functions while containing a nonmetallic medium necessary for part molding, and can melt a solid nonmetallic medium into a liquid or semi-solid nonmetallic medium to facilitate injection into the inside of the mold.

6. The molding equipment body according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the metal injection channel port is connected to a metal material injection barrel, and the metal material injection barrel has heating and stirring functions while containing a metal medium necessary for part molding, and can melt a solid metal medium into a liquid or semi-solid metal medium to facilitate injection into the inside of a mold.

7. The molding equipment body according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the upper mold and the lower mold of the mold have a medium channel inside, and the medium channel heats or cools the inside of the mold to quench it.

8. The molding equipment body according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the periphery of the upper beam and the lower beam are fixedly connected to four guide rods to form a main body frame, and the guide rods guide the movement of the slider.

9. The molding equipment body according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the metallic material is aluminum, magnesium, or an aluminum-magnesium alloy, and the non-metallic material is plastic or a composite material.

10. The molding equipment body according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that an electrode is attached to the lower beam, one end of the electrode is connected to a high-power heating power supply via a conductor, and is used for heating in the parts molding process.

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