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

Abstract

This method / process is for hybrid molding multi-component materials, including metallic materials such as ultra-high strength steel pipes, aluminum alloy pipes, and aluminum / magnesium, and non-metallic materials such as fiber-reinforced resins, in a single mold opening and closing operation. This process involves instantaneous heating of the ultra-high strength steel pipes or aluminum alloy pipes, adhesion to the mold by gas expansion forming, quench strengthening, injection molding, and aluminum / magnesium injection, all in a single mold opening and closing operation. This greatly simplifies the part manufacturing process, reduces subsequent processes such as welding, and reduces the weight of tube-beam structural parts. This process is suitable for the integrated manufacturing of ultra-high strength tube-beam structures with special cross-sections. The present invention also relates to multi-component material parts produced by the above method.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] The design and processing process of the tubular beam structural components determine evaluation indicators such as the safety, reliability, durability, and NVH of the entire vehicle. In the steel tubular 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 tubular beam structural components of the upper body, 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 tubular beams becomes insufficient, the manufacturing process becomes complicated, and the cost becomes high.

[0004] The conventional integral injection molding process for tubular beams and connecting members is limited to only the injection molding after the completion of the tubular beam and the hydroforming. The bare tube of the main load-bearing tubular member is not subjected to processes such as heating, gas bulging for close contact with the mold, and quenching, and it is difficult to achieve the ideal shape and strength performance of special-shaped tubular beams. In addition, 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 a method, process, and components 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, injection molding (non-metallic materials such as fiber-reinforced resins), and aluminum / magnesium (metallic) casting in a single mold opening and closing operation. This significantly simplifies the vehicle body manufacturing process, reduces subsequent processes such as welding, and reduces the weight of pipe beam structural components, making it suitable for the integrated manufacturing of ultra-high-strength pipe beam structures with special cross-sectional shapes. [Overview of the project]

[0009] The present invention comprises the steps of placing a metal tube into a mold cavity, The steps include closing the mold to seal both ends of the metal tube, The steps include heating the metal tube to a first predetermined temperature, A method for hybrid molding a multi-component material in a single opening and closing of a mold, specifically comprising: a metal tube stretching molding step in which a first pressure high-pressure stretching molding medium is injected into the tube opening on one side of a metal tube to cause the tube wall of the metal tube to adhere tightly to the mold; The metal tube stretch molding step involves injecting a first pressure stretch molding medium into the space between the mold cavity and the outside of the metal tube in order to control the amount of local deformation of the metal tube, A first material injection method is provided, which involves releasing the pressure of a first pressure-pull molding medium and recovering it, adjusting the temperature of the mold cavity to a second predetermined temperature, injecting a liquid or semi-solid first material into a first material space formed between the inner wall of the mold cavity and the outer wall of the metal tube, and integrally molding and joining the first material onto the metal tube after the stretch molding, wherein the first material is different from the metal material of the metal tube. The present invention relates to a method for hybrid molding of a multi-component material in a single opening and closing of a mold, further comprising rapidly quenching and demolding the material within the mold.

[0010] Preferably, throughout the entire process of the first material injection, a second low-pressure stretch molding medium is injected into a second material space formed between the inner wall of the mold cavity and the outer wall of the metal tube in order to control the amount of local positional deformation of the metal tube, wherein the second material is different from the first material and the metal material of the metal tube.

[0011] Preferably, the process further includes the steps of releasing the pressure and recovering the second pressure-stretch molding medium after the first material injection step and before quenching, adjusting the temperature of the mold cavity to a third predetermined temperature, injecting a liquid or semi-solid second material into the second material space formed between the inner wall of the mold cavity and the outer wall of the metal tube, and integrally molding and joining the second material and the first material onto the metal tube after stretch molding. or, The first material injection further includes the step of injecting a liquid or semi-solid second material into a second material space formed between the inner wall of the mold cavity and the outer wall of the metal tube, thereby achieving integral molding and joining of the second material and the first material onto the metal tube after stretch molding.

[0012] Preferably, during the entire process of first material injection, a third pressure-stretch molding medium is injected into the metal tube to control the amount of local deformation of the tube, and during the entire process of second material injection, a fourth pressure-stretch molding medium is injected into the metal tube to control the amount of local deformation of the tube.

[0013] Preferably, the first material is a metal and the second material is a nonmetal.

[0014] Preferably, the first material is aluminum, magnesium, or an aluminum-magnesium alloy, and the second material is a composite material such as plastic or fiber-reinforced resin.

[0015] Preferably, the types of metal tubes include steel tubes, aluminum tubes, carbon-coated tubes, and carbon-coated tubes filled with reinforcing material. The carbon-coated tubes are metal tubes with a carbon fiber material covering the outer layer, and the carbon-coated tubes filled with reinforcing material are metal tubes filled with foamed aluminum, expanded polystyrene, or a foaming agent.

[0016] Preferably, the second predetermined temperature is less than or equal to the first predetermined temperature, and the third predetermined temperature is less than the second predetermined temperature.

[0017] The present invention further relates to a process for hybrid molding of a multi-component material using the above method in a single mold opening and closing operation.

[0018] The present invention further relates to a multi-component material component manufactured by the method described above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] The present invention can realize processes such as instant heating of ultra-high strength metal pipe members (e.g., aluminum alloy pipes), adhesion to a mold by gas bulge forming, quenching strengthening, non-metal injection (e.g., plastic, fiber reinforced resin, etc.), metal injection (e.g., aluminum / magnesium / aluminum magnesium alloy, etc.) within one mold opening and closing process, and is suitable for integral manufacturing of automobile sub-assembly parts.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] It is a structural schematic diagram of the equipment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a flowchart of the process of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a schematic diagram of different metal base pipes of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a schematic diagram of the process of putting the metal base pipe of the present invention into a mold. [Figure 5] It is a schematic diagram of the bulge forming process of the metal base pipe of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a schematic diagram of metal injection of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a schematic diagram of non-metal injection of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a schematic diagram of pressure release and quenching of the bulge forming medium of the pipe beam of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a schematic diagram of mold release of the pipe beam product of the present invention.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] 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 part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of 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.

[0022] Furthermore, in the description of this invention, the directions or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "center," "top," "bottom," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inside," and "outside" are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings and are merely for the purpose of facilitating and simplifying the explanation of this invention. They do not indicate or suggest that such devices or elements must have a specific direction or be configured and operated in a specific direction, and should not be understood as limiting the invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or suggesting relative importance.

[0023] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly stated or limited, the terms “attach,” “connect,” and “connect” 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 via an intermediate medium, or internal communication between two elements. The specific meanings of the above terms in this invention will be concretely understood by those skilled in the art.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, the equipment that enables hybrid molding of multi-component materials in a single mold opening and closing includes a supply conveyor line 1, a main body 2, a discharge conveyor line 3, a mold release agent spray robot 4, an ultra-high pressure medium system 5, a mold temperature control system 6, a non-metallic material injection system 7, a metallic material injection system 8, a high-power heating system 9, a mold release agent spray system 10, and a parts transport system 11.

[0025] The supply conveyor line 1 typically uses a belt conveyor or a pneumatic slide table to supply metal raw tubes, and these metal raw tubes are ultra-high-strength steel tubes or aluminum alloy tubes.

[0026] The main body 2 includes a mold cavity and enables mold opening and mold closing.

[0027] 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.

[0028] The mold release agent spray robot 4 sprays a mold release agent onto the surface of the mold cavity each time a part enters the mold cavity, making it easier to remove the molded part. The mold release agent spray robot 4 is connected to the mold release agent spraying system via piping. As the mold release agent spray robot, a 6-axis robot or a crossbar robot with mold release agent spray tooling is used.

[0029] The ultra-high pressure medium system 5 is used for loading, holding pressure, and recovering the ultra-high pressure stretch molding medium in the metal tube hot gas stretch molding process, and can also discharge the low-pressure stretch molding medium. Preferably, the stretch molding medium may be any of gas, water, oil, or a low-melting-point metal, and preferably the stretch molding medium is nitrogen or an inert gas, and the low-melting-point metal is tin.

[0030] The mold temperature control system 6 raises or lowers the temperature of the parts inside the mold by injecting a medium of a specific temperature into the mold via piping.

[0031] The nonmetallic material injection system 7 includes a nonmetallic injection channel and a nonmetallic material injection barrel, the nonmetallic material injection barrel being connected to the mold cavity of the main body 2 via the nonmetallic injection channel and used to inject a nonmetallic medium into the mold cavity, the nonmetallic material injection barrel having heating and stirring functions while containing the 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 mold cavity.

[0032] The metal injection system 8 includes a metal injection channel and a metal injection barrel, the metal injection barrel being connected to the mold cavity of the main body 2 via the metal injection channel and used to inject a metal medium into the mold cavity, the metal injection barrel having 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 cavity.

[0033] The high-power heating system 9 is connected to electrodes via a conductor and is used to heat parts inside the mold cavity.

[0034] The mold release agent spraying system 10 is used for storing and transporting the mold release agent, is connected to a mold release agent spray robot via mold release agent piping, and is used to spray the mold release agent into the cavity.

[0035] Parts handling system 11: The parts handling system consists of a supply robot arm, an discharge robot arm, and a gantry frame, and can handle the supply and discharge of materials during production. The robot arms have a certain high-temperature resistance to prevent thermal erosion when gripping parts. The parts handling system may be replaced by two 6-axis robots.

[0036] Figure 2 shows the core steps of a method for hybrid molding of multi-component materials in a single mold opening and closing operation. More specifically, the method for hybrid molding of multi-component materials in a single mold opening and closing operation includes the following steps:

[0037] The supply conveyor line 1 transports the metal tubes to the supply position, and at the same time, the mold release agent spray robot 4 and the mold release agent spraying system 10 operate to spray a mold release agent into the mold cavity in the main body 2. Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the types of metal tubes of the present invention, which include steel tubes 21, aluminum tubes 21, carbon-coated tubes 22, carbon-coated tubes filled with reinforcing material 23, etc., and the carbon-coated tubes are metal tubes with a carbon fiber material coating on the outer layer.

[0038] The parts transport system 11 grips the metal tube into the mold cavity in the main body 2, and as shown in Figure 4, the main body operates to close the mold, and the side thrust cylinders of the main body 2 operate to seal both ends of the metal tube with plugs on both sides.

[0039] The high-power heating system 9 heats the metal tube to a predetermined temperature using electrodes, and at the same time, the mold temperature control system 6 controls the mold cavity to adjust to a first predetermined temperature.

[0040] Metal pipe stretch molding: As shown in Figure 5, the ultra-high pressure medium system 5 injects a first high-pressure stretch molding medium (e.g., high-pressure gas) into the pipe opening on one side of the metal pipe, and the first high-pressure stretch molding medium causes the pipe wall of the metal pipe to adhere tightly to the mold through high-pressure stretch molding. The ultra-high pressure medium system 5 also injects a first high-pressure stretch molding medium (e.g., low-pressure gas) into the mold cavity and the space outside the metal pipe to control the amount of local deformation of the metal pipe. Preferably, the first high-pressure stretch molding medium is injected and recovered via the metal injection channel 15 and the non-metal injection channel 13.

[0041] Metal injection: As shown in Figure 6, the first pressure-stretch molding medium is released and recovered. The mold temperature control system 6 adjusts the mold cavity to a second predetermined temperature, which is lower than or equal to the first predetermined temperature. The metal material injection system 8 injects a liquid or semi-solid metal, such as an aluminum-magnesium alloy, into the metal injection space inside the mold cavity and outside the metal base tube through the metal injection barrel, thereby integrally forming and joining the metal material onto the metal base tube after stretch molding. Throughout the entire metal injection process, the ultra-high pressure medium system 5 injects a third pressure-stretch molding medium 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, the ultra-high pressure medium system 5 injects a second pressure-stretch molding medium into spaces other than the metal injection target space inside the mold cavity and outside the metal base tube to control the amount of deformation at local locations of the metal base tube.

[0042] Nonmetallic injection: As shown in Figure 7, the second pressure-stretched molding medium is released and recovered. The mold temperature control system 6 adjusts the mold cavity to a third predetermined temperature, which is lower than the first or second predetermined temperature. The nonmetallic material injection system 7 injects a liquid or semi-solid nonmetal, such as plastic, through the nonmetallic injection barrel into the nonmetallic injection space inside the mold cavity and outside the metal base tube, thereby achieving integral molding and bonding 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.

[0043] Preferably, the metal injection and non-metal injection steps of the present invention may be performed simultaneously for efficiency.

[0044] As shown in Figure 8, the stretch molding medium is recovered by releasing the pressure and rapidly quenched in the mold.

[0045] As shown in Figure 9, after molding is complete, the main body 2 opens the mold, the parts transport system 11 grasps the multi-component material parts after hybrid molding and places them on the discharge conveyor system 3, and the discharge conveyor system transports the molded parts to a predetermined position.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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]

[0048] 1. Supply conveyor line, 2. Main unit, 3. Discharge conveyor line, 4. Release agent spray robot, 5. Ultra-high pressure medium system, 6. Mold temperature control system, 7. Non-metallic injection system, 8. Metallic injection system, 9. High-power heating system, 10. Release agent spray system, 11. Parts transport system; 21 Aluminum or steel tube, 22 Carbon fiber, 23 Reinforcement material 111 Metal tube, 13 Non-metallic injection channel, 14 Mold, 15 Metallic injection channel, 16 Extrusion molding medium, 17 Non-metallic injection space, 18 Metallic injection space

Claims

1. The steps include placing the metal tube into the mold cavity, The steps include closing the mold to seal both ends of the metal tube, The steps include heating the metal tube to a first predetermined temperature, A method for hybrid molding a multi-component material in a single die opening and closing, comprising specifically performing in this order: a metal tube stretching molding step in which a first pressure high-pressure stretching molding medium is injected into the tube opening on one side of a metal tube to cause the tube wall of the metal tube to adhere tightly to the mold, The metal tube stretch molding step involves injecting a first pressure stretch molding medium into the space formed between the inner wall of the mold cavity and the outer wall of the metal tube in order to control the amount of local deformation of the metal tube, A first material injection method is used to achieve a first pressure-pull molding medium that is recovered by releasing the pressure, the temperature of the mold cavity is adjusted to a second predetermined temperature, a liquid or semi-solid first material is injected into a first material space formed between the inner wall of the mold cavity and the outer wall of the metal tube, and the first material is integrally molded and joined onto the metal tube after the stretch molding, wherein the first material is different from the metal material of the metal tube. This further includes rapidly quenching and demolding the mold, A method for hybrid molding a multi-component material with a single die opening and closing, characterized in that, throughout the entire process of first material injection, a second pressure-stretch molding medium is injected into a second material space formed between the inner wall of the mold cavity and the outer wall of the metal tube in order to control the amount of local positional deformation of the metal tube, and the second material is different from the first material and the metal material of the metal tube.

2. The method further includes the steps of releasing the pressure and recovering the second pressure-stretched molding medium after the first material injection step and before quenching, adjusting the temperature of the mold cavity to a third predetermined temperature, injecting a liquid or semi-solid second material into the second material space formed between the inner wall of the mold cavity and the outer wall of the metal tube, and integrally molding and joining the second material and the first material onto the metal tube after stretch molding, or, The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of injecting a liquid or semi-solid second material into a second material space formed between the inner wall of a mold cavity and the outer wall of a metal tube, thereby achieving integral molding and joining of the second material and the first material onto a metal tube after stretch molding.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, throughout the entire process of first material injection, a third pressure-stretch molding medium is synchronously injected into the metal base tube in order to control the amount of deformation of the local position of the base tube, or, throughout the entire process of second material injection, a fourth pressure-stretch molding medium is synchronously injected into the metal base tube in order to control the amount of deformation of the local position of the base tube.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the first material is a metal and the second material is a nonmetal.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the first material is aluminum, magnesium, or an aluminum-magnesium alloy, and the second material is a plastic or a composite material.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the type of metal tube includes steel tubes, aluminum tubes, carbon-coated tubes, and carbon-coated tubes filled with reinforcing material, wherein the carbon-coated tube is a metal tube with a carbon fiber material covering the outer layer, and the carbon-coated tube filled with reinforcing material is a metal tube filled with foamed aluminum, expanded polystyrene, or a foaming agent.

7. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 3, characterized in that the second predetermined temperature is less than or equal to the first predetermined temperature, and the third predetermined temperature is less than the first predetermined temperature or the second predetermined temperature.

8. A process for hybrid molding a multi-component material in a single opening and closing of a mold, characterized by using the method described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

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