Device for clamping at least two moulded parts to be joined to form a component, and method for producing a component

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (10) for clamping at least two moulded parts (12) to be joined to form a component, wherein the device (10) comprises: a carrier component (18), which delimits at least a first vacuum chamber (24) and a second vacuum chamber (26); a vacuum apparatus (22), by means of which a corresponding negative pressure in the at least two vacuum chambers (24, 26) can be adjusted; and a support component (20), which, together with the carrier component (16), air-tightly surrounds the first vacuum chamber (24), whereby the support component (20) is held on the carrier component (16) by adjusting a negative pressure in the first vacuum chamber (24), and which, in a support region (28), provides a support surface (30) for the moulded parts (12), on which support surface at least one of the moulded parts (12) is held by adjusting a negative pressure in the second vacuum chamber (26).

Description

[0001] DEVICE FOR CLAMPING AT LEAST TWO MOLDED PARTS TO BE COMBINED TO FORM A COMPONENT, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A COMPONENT.

[0002] The invention relates to a device for clamping at least two molded parts to be joined to form a component, and to a method for producing a component from at least two molded parts.

[0003] To align molded parts to be joined together to form a component, or to hold them in a predetermined relative position during joining, it is common to clamp the molded parts.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a solution by which the molded parts can be clamped particularly easily and securely in order to enable a precise joining of the molded parts to the component.

[0005] This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matter of the independent claims. Further possible embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims, the description, and the drawings. Features, advantages, and possible embodiments set forth in the description for one of the subject matter of the independent claims are to be regarded, at least analogously, as features, advantages, and possible embodiments of the respective subject matter of the other independent claims, as well as of any possible combination of the subject matter of the independent claims, optionally in conjunction with one or more of the dependent claims.

[0006] The invention relates to a device for clamping at least two molded parts to be joined to form a component, which together enclose at least one cavity. It is thus provided that the at least two molded parts, which can in particular be two mold halves, are joined together to form the component, thereby producing a component with a cavity that is bounded by the at least two molded parts. The at least one cavity is in particular designed to be open only on one side of the component. This means that the cavity is fluidically connected to the surroundings of the component via an opening on the side. A fluid, in particular air, can thus flow into and out of the cavity through the at least one opening.The cavity is designed to open towards the side of the component on which the preforms, positioned relative to each other and to be joined to the component, are to be placed on the fixture for clamping. For example, one of the preforms may have the opening. This preform with the opening is then placed directly on the fixture for clamping. The fixture aligns and fixes the preforms relative to each other in the component as they are to be arranged within it.

[0007] The device comprises a support component that defines at least a first vacuum chamber and a second vacuum chamber. This means that the support component defines the respective vacuum chambers, at least partially, and a vacuum can be applied in each chamber. Furthermore, the device includes a vacuum device by means of which a vacuum can be set in each of the at least two vacuum chambers. In particular, the vacuum device is configured to set the vacuum in each vacuum chamber independently of the others. This means that different vacuums can be set in the first and second vacuum chambers using the vacuum device. The device can therefore be a vacuum table by means of which vacuum clamping of the molded parts to be joined to form the component can be implemented.

[0008] The device further comprises a support component which rests on the carrier component, hermetically enclosing the first vacuum chamber with the carrier component, and which provides a bearing surface in a bearing area for the molded parts positioned relative to each other and to be joined to form the component. Because the support component and the carrier component hermetically enclose the first vacuum chamber, the support component is held in place on the carrier component by adjusting the negative pressure in the first vacuum chamber. The support component is thus reversibly attached to the carrier component by the negative pressure applied in the first vacuum chamber. The risk of the support component detaching from the carrier component or moving relative to the carrier component is therefore significantly reduced.The molded parts, positioned relative to each other and intended to be joined to form the component, can be placed on the support surface provided by the bearing area of ​​the support component. The support component is designed to have at least one opening in the bearing area, which is closed when at least one of the molded parts rests on the bearing surface during normal use. Thus, the at least one opening of the support component in the bearing area or bearing surface is completely covered and sealed by at least one of the molded parts during clamping. This at least one molded part, together with the support component and the support component, then hermetically encloses the second vacuum chamber.This ensures that by applying a vacuum in the second vacuum chamber, at least one of the molded parts closing the at least one opening is held in place on the device. Applying the vacuum thus creates a vacuum clamping effect for at least the molded part closing the at least one opening, as the vacuum in the second chamber draws this molded part against the support surface of the supporting component, thereby securely holding it on the device. This effectively prevents the molded part closing the opening from detaching from the device, or from shifting laterally, thus avoiding any relative movement of the molded part closing the opening to the supporting component. This enables particularly precise and secure clamping of the molded parts to be joined together to form the component.This allows the molded parts to be joined together with exceptional precision to form the component. The component can thus be manufactured with particularly high precision by joining the parts clamped using the device.

[0009] In a possible further development of the invention, the device comprises a connecting element connected to the vacuum device, which is configured to be connected to the opening fluidically connected to the cavity. This connecting element allows a vacuum to be established in the cavity, thereby holding all the molded parts bounding the cavity in place on the device. The connecting element can, for example, be a hose configured to be tightly connected to the opening bounded by at least one of the molded parts. The cavity is open through this opening towards the side on which the molded parts, positioned relative to each other, are to be placed on the device for clamping.The connecting element thus enables a fluidic and tight connection between the vacuum device and the cavity, allowing the vacuum device to efficiently adjust the vacuum within the cavity. The vacuum applied to the cavity draws all the molded parts bounding it towards the device, particularly in the direction of the device's support surface. This ensures that by precisely adjusting the vacuum pressure, all the molded parts bounding the cavity—especially those to be joined to form the component—are held against the device with a force dependent on the vacuum applied to the cavity. This enables secure clamping of all the molded parts bounding the cavity using the device.

[0010] In a further possible embodiment of the invention, the device includes a support device by means of which the support component is braced against the support component, at least in an area not directly adjacent to the support component. The support component can thus be directly supported against the support component in a first area and not supported against the support component in a second area that differs from the first. To prevent sagging of the support component in the second area not supported against the support component, the support device is provided by means of which the support component can be braced against the support component.This means that the support device can be braced against the supporting component, in particular resting on the supporting component, while the bearing component in the second area is braced against the support device, in particular resting on the support device. Specifically, it is provided that the bearing area of ​​the bearing component is braced against the supporting component by means of the support device. This means that the bearing component is supported in its bearing area by means of the support device. The bearing component can thus have a bearing surface on its side facing away from the supporting component and be braced against the support device on its side opposite the bearing surface, facing the supporting component, in particular bearing against the support device. This ensures particularly reliable bracing of the bearing component in its bearing area.This reliably prevents sagging of the support component in the bearing area, especially when the molded parts to be joined are placed on the bearing surface of the support component. The support device thus transfers the weight of the molded parts, introduced into the device by placing them on the bearing surface, from the support component to the supporting component. This allows the support component to be designed to be particularly thin and therefore very lightweight, while minimizing the risk of damage. In this context, it can be provided that the support device includes at least one support element, the position of which can be adjusted non-destructively relative to the supporting component and the support component to adapt the support function of the support element.The support element can thus be adjusted in its position relative to both the supporting component and the bearing component, enabling the bearing component to be supported against the supporting component in particularly stressed areas. Because the support element can be reversibly adjusted in its position relative to the supporting and bearing components, the device can be used to clamp molded parts of varying geometries, dimensions, and / or weights. The support function of the device can be adapted to the specific support task by adjusting the position of at least one support element. The device can therefore be particularly well adapted to the molded parts being clamped, and the risk of damage to the bearing component is significantly reduced due to the adaptability of the support function.

[0011] In a further possible embodiment of the invention, at least one hold-down device is attached to the upper surface of the support component, facing away from the carrier component, by means of which the molded parts can be held against the support surface. The at least one hold-down device is specifically designed to be applied to at least one of the molded parts on its side facing away from the support surface of the support component, thereby exerting a force on at least one of the molded parts in the direction of the support surface, thus holding this at least one molded part against the support surface.

[0012] In this context, it is particularly intended that the hold-down device comprises at least one weld stud, which is metallurgically bonded to the support component, and to which a clamping strip is attached. This clamping strip allows the molded parts to be held against the support surface. The weld stud is thus welded to the support component at one end and connected to the clamping strip at the other. The weld stud therefore allows a predetermined distance between the clamping strip and the support component to be set, enabling the clamping strip to be positioned against an outer surface of at least one of the molded parts that faces away from the support component. The clamping strip thus allows the at least one molded part to be securely held against the support component, and in particular, pressed against it.The design of the hold-down device with at least one weld stud and the clamping strip allows the at least one molded part to be gripped or held from behind particularly easily, especially along a particularly long section. The hold-down device enables a particularly secure grip on the support component of the at least one molded part held from behind by the hold-down device, thus preventing this molded part from detaching from the support component even before a vacuum has been established in the second vacuum chamber.

[0013] In a further possible embodiment of the invention, the support component is designed as a grid plate, at least in the bearing area. It is provided that, during intended use of the device, all openings of the grid plate are hermetically sealed by at least one molded part. By hermetically sealing all grid openings of the grid plate during intended use, it can be ensured that the vacuum in the second vacuum chamber can be precisely adjusted and that, by means of this vacuum, the at least one molded part sealing the openings of the grid plate can be securely held to the device.By designing the support component in the support area as a grid sheet, whereby, in the case of intended use, all openings of the grid sheet are hermetically sealed by at least one molded part, it can be ensured that the second vacuum chamber is limited by means of a particularly large surface area of ​​the at least one molded part, whereby in this particularly large surface area the at least one molded part is drawn to the device or held on the device by the vacuum set in the second vacuum chamber, whereby this at least one molded part is held particularly securely on the device.

[0014] By arranging the molded parts on the support surface of the support component in such a way that the at least one opening through which the cavity is open to the surroundings faces the support component, it can be achieved that when the vacuum is set in the second vacuum chamber, the vacuum in the cavity is simultaneously set via the opening. By setting the vacuum in the cavity, all molded parts bounding the cavity are securely held together and securely attached to the device. In a further possible embodiment of the invention, the device is configured to clamp molded parts to be connected as components of a heat exchanger, in particular a plate heat exchanger.The device can thus be used to clamp the molded parts that are to be joined to form the heat exchanger, particularly the plate heat exchanger. The device enables a particularly secure holding of the molded parts relative to each other, allowing the heat exchanger, especially the plate heat exchanger, to be manufactured with exceptional precision. The risk of leakage from the heat exchanger, or plate heat exchanger, due to a loose connection of the molded parts caused by relative movement of the parts during joining, is effectively avoided thanks to the particularly secure and reliable clamping provided by the device. The heat exchanger, especially the plate heat exchanger, can therefore be manufactured with exceptional reliability and a high degree of tightness.

[0015] The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing a component from at least two molded parts that together enclose at least one cavity, which is open on one side. The molded parts are clamped by means of a device as already described in connection with the device according to the invention, by placing the molded parts on the support surface of the device with the side towards which the at least one cavity is open. The molded parts are drawn towards the device by adjusting the respective vacuum pressure in both the first vacuum chamber and the second vacuum chamber, as well as in the cavity. After the molded parts are aligned relative to each other and clamped by means of the device, the molded parts are joined together to form the component by a material bond, in particular by welding.The device enables at least two of the molded parts to be joined together by means of a continuous weld seam. This continuous weld seam is produced in a single operation. It is possible for two of the molded parts to be joined together by only a single continuous weld seam. In particular, it is possible for all of the molded parts to be joined together by means of a single continuous weld seam produced in a single operation. The device allows for particularly easy access to the molded parts positioned relative to each other, which makes it especially easy to join the molded parts together to form the component.In a further possible embodiment of the invention, the device is adapted to the molded parts to be clamped by means of the device by selecting a configuration of the at least one opening in the bearing area of ​​the bearing component depending on an outer contour of at least one molded part to be placed directly onto the bearing surface for clamping. In other words, a position and / or an opening geometry of the opening are selected such that, when the device is used as intended, the opening is hermetically sealed by means of the at least one molded part placed directly onto the bearing surface for clamping. It is thus provided that the device is adapted to a geometry of the respective molded parts to be clamped by means of the device in order to enable reliable and secure clamping of the molded parts. The adaptation of the device orThe connection of the support component to the at least one molded part to be clamped can be achieved by introducing a corresponding opening in the support component adapted to the outer contour of the at least one molded part, or by selecting a support component adapted to the at least one molded part from several provided support components.

[0016] The device can thus be adapted to the molded parts to be clamped and joined together to form the component. For this purpose, it can be provided that the geometry of the molded parts to be joined together to form the component is determined and, depending on the determined geometry of the molded parts, the at least one opening in the support component is selected such that, when the device is used as intended for clamping the molded parts, the opening of the support component is completely covered by at least one of the molded parts placed on the support surface and is thereby sealed airtight. This allows a vacuum to be created in the second vacuum chamber by means of the vacuum device, by means of which the at least one molded part closing the opening can be held on the device for clamping.Furthermore, it is possible that the position of the respective support elements of the device and / or the respective hold-down devices of the device is selected depending on the geometry of at least one of the molded parts to be clamped.

[0017] Further features of the invention may become apparent from the following description of the figures and from the drawings. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as the features and combinations of features shown below in the description of the figures and / or in the figures themselves, can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or individually, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0018] The drawing shows in:

[0019] Fig. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a device for clamping at least two molded parts to be joined to form a component.

[0020] Figure 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a device 10 for clamping at least two molded parts 12 to be joined together to form a component. In this case, the component is to be manufactured by joining two molded parts 12 together. The two molded parts 12 together enclose a cavity 14 of the component, which is open to the environment via an opening 16. A fluid, in particular air, can flow out of or into the cavity 14 through the opening 16. It is provided that the molded parts 12 to be clamped, positioned relative to each other, are arranged on the device 10 such that the opening 16 faces the device 10. In other words, a molded part complex formed from the molded parts 12 positioned relative to each other is oriented with its side containing the opening 16 facing the device 10.In particular, the molded parts 12 are designed to be connected to each other to form a heat exchanger, especially a plate heat exchanger.

[0021] The device 10, by means of which the molded parts 12 are to be held in their relative position to one another while they are joined together to form the component, in particular by material bonding, in particular by welding, comprises a support component 18, a vacuum device 22, and a support component 20. The vacuum device 22 is shown here only as a schematic box. The support component 18 defines a first vacuum chamber 24 and a second vacuum chamber 26. The first vacuum chamber 24 is defined by a trough-shaped recess in the support component 18. The second vacuum chamber 26 is provided, as can be seen particularly well in Fig. 1, by a frame-shaped recess extending around the trough-shaped recess. The second vacuum chamber 26 thus extends in a frame-like manner around an opening in the trough-shaped recess, which defines the second vacuum chamber 26.The support element 20 rests against the support element 18. The support element 20 is plate-shaped and covers both the open side of the trough-shaped recess facing the environment and the open side of the frame-shaped recess of the support element 18. The areas of the support element 20 that cover the frame-shaped recess on the outside are free of openings, so that the support element 20, together with the support element 18, forms an airtight boundary for the first vacuum chamber 24. This allows a negative pressure to be applied in the first vacuum chamber 24, which holds the support element 20 against the support element 18.Because the support component 20 is held against the carrier component 18 by means of a vacuum in the first vacuum chamber 24, the support component 20 can be easily exchanged on the device 10 by releasing the vacuum in the first vacuum chamber 24 and removing the support component 20 from the carrier component 18. The specific support component 20 to be attached to the carrier component 18 by applying a vacuum in the first vacuum chamber 24 can be selected, in particular, depending on the geometry of the molded parts 12 to be clamped by the device 10. This allows the device 10 to be easily adapted to the molded parts 12 to be clamped.

[0022] The support component 20 provides a support surface 30 in a support area 28, onto which the molded parts 12 are to be placed for clamping, whereby at least one of the molded parts 12 bears directly against the support surface 30 of the support component 20. The support component 20 has at least one opening 32 in the support area 28. It is intended that this at least one opening 32, and in particular all openings 32 of the support component 20, are completely airtight sealed by at least one of the molded parts 12 placed on the support surface 30. The support component 20 may be designed as a grid plate in the support area 28. In particular, it is intended that the support component 20 has no further openings outside the support area 28.This ensures that, when used as intended, the second vacuum chamber 26 is completely enclosed, and in particular airtightly enclosed, by the support component 18, the support component 20, and the at least one molded part 12 which hermetically seals the at least one opening 32 of the support component 20. This allows the vacuum in the second vacuum chamber 26 to be reliably set for clamping the molded parts 12 using the vacuum device 22.

[0023] By adjusting the vacuum in the second vacuum chamber 26 using the vacuum device 22, at least one of the molded parts 12, and in particular all of the molded parts 12, can be held on the device 10. Because the molded part complex formed from the molded parts 12 is arranged with the opening 16 facing the device 10, the vacuum in the cavity 14 can be adjusted simultaneously through the opening 16 when adjusting the vacuum in the second vacuum chamber 26. By adjusting the vacuum in the cavity 14, all molded parts 12 that define the cavity 14 are held on the device 10.To enable particularly precise adjustment of the vacuum in the cavity 14, the device 10 can include a connecting element 34, which in this case is designed as a hose and is configured to be fluid-tightly connected to the cavity 14 via the opening 16 and to the vacuum device 22. This allows the vacuum in the cavity 14 to be precisely adjusted via the connecting element 34, and in particular independently of the vacuum in the first vacuum chamber 24 and the second vacuum chamber 26 by means of the vacuum device 22. In this case, the opening 16 is bounded by a nozzle of one of the molded parts 12, the nozzle projecting through an opening in the support component 20 into the second vacuum chamber 26. This allows the cavity 14 to be connected particularly easily and tightly to the connecting element 34 via the nozzle.

[0024] As can be seen particularly well in Fig. 1, the second vacuum chamber 26 is bounded by the trough-shaped recess of the support component 18. To prevent the support component 20 from sagging into the trough-shaped recess, especially due to the weight of the molded parts 12 supported by the support component 20, the device 10 can be provided with a support device 36. A support device 36 is provided here, which comprises several support elements 38. These support elements 38 are arranged in the trough-shaped recess of the support component 18 and each supports the support component 20 against the support component 18, in particular a bottom of the trough-shaped recess. In Fig. 1, one of the support elements 38 is shown in a side view. In this case, the at least one support element 38 is plate-shaped, which makes the support element 38 particularly lightweight.The support component 20 is supported against the support component 18 by means of this support element 38 in an area not directly adjacent to the support component 18. The support element 38 can be adjusted non-destructively and reversibly in its position within the trough-shaped recess and can be replaced in the device 10, thus allowing the support function of the support element 38 to be particularly well adapted to the support requirement for the support component 20. This support requirement depends on the molded parts 12 to be placed on the support component 20 for clamping. The contour of at least one support element 38 can be adapted to an outer contour of the molded part complex, thus enabling the molded part complex to be reliably supported directly by means of the support element 38 in the area of ​​non-planar component contours.

[0025] To ensure particularly easy adjustment of the vacuum in the second vacuum chamber 26, the support element 38 is designed to prevent the complete covering of a cross-section of the trough-shaped recess running perpendicular to its opening. In other words, all areas within the trough-shaped recess that are located outside the connecting element 34 and are filled or fillable with a fluid are fluidically connected, allowing the vacuum to be adjusted simultaneously in this entire area using the vacuum device 22.To enable particularly secure positioning of the support element 38 within the trough-shaped recess while simultaneously ensuring a particularly low weight of the support element 38, it is provided that the support element 38 is clamped between two opposing walls 42 of the support component 18, which laterally delimit the second vacuum chamber 26, by means of laterally projecting arms 40. Furthermore, the support element 38 has several crenellations 44 which bear against the support component 20 to support it. The crenellations 44 can be arranged on the support component 20 directly opposite the bearing surface 30, thereby providing particularly good support for the support component 20 in the bearing area 28. It is also possible for the crenellations 44 to support the support component 20 outside the bearing area 28.

[0026] As can be further seen in Fig. 1, the device 10 comprises at least two hold-down devices 46, which are designed to be applied to the molded part assembly formed from the molded parts 12, in particular to a side facing away from the support component 20. In other words, the molded part assembly can be placed on the support component 20 with a first side, and the hold-down devices 46 can be applied to a second side of the molded part assembly opposite the first side. By means of the hold-down devices 46, the molded part assembly can thus be held down on the support surface 30. In this case, it is provided that each of the hold-down devices 46 comprises at least one weld stud 48 that is metallurgically connected to the support component 20. In particular, the respective weld studs 48 are connected to the support component 20 by means of a weld connection.Furthermore, each of the hold-down devices 46 comprises at least one clamping strip 50. The respective weld studs 48 are thus attached at one end to the support component 20 and connected at the other end to a clamping strip 50. The respective clamping strips 50 are designed to be placed against the second side of the molded part assembly in order to hold the molded part assembly against the support component 20.

[0027] To handle any customer request, the device 10, a universal vacuum device, is proposed. For continuous welding of plate heat exchangers, clamping of the components 12 at the circumference or from below is required. The device 10 enables clamping of components 12 for plate heat exchangers of any shape and size within the maximum dimensions of the device 10. By means of the support component 20 arranged between the support component 18 and the component assembly, the area defined by the openings 32 of the support component 20, through which at least one of the components 12 is drawn in by the device 10, can be adapted to an outer contour of this drawn-in component 12. Additional mechanical clamping of the component assembly at its circumference is achieved via the clamping bars 50, which are attached to the support component 20 by means of individually positioned welding studs 48.It is possible that the molded part assembly is mechanically clamped all around by means of the device 10 using at least one clamping device 46, and in particular using several clamping devices 46. If nozzles, for example as inlets or outlets of a heat exchanger, are located on the first side of the molded part assembly, then a gap can be created by repositioning at least one support element 38 in the trough-shaped recess of the support component 18, into which the at least one nozzle can project into the trough-shaped recess. By means of the device 10, molded part assemblies with nozzles at different positions can thus be clamped particularly reliably. The connecting element 34, which is designed in particular as a hose, can be connected to at least one nozzle projecting into the trough-shaped recess, and the negative pressure in the cavity 14 can be individually adjusted via this connecting element.This offers the possibility of pulling the respective molded parts 12 of the molded part complex against the device 10 with varying degrees of force by individually adjusting the vacuum in the second vacuum chamber 26 and the vacuum in the cavity 14, particularly differently from each other. Especially in conjunction with a laser welding device, the device 10 enables a high degree of flexibility for varying manufactured components in a prototype phase or in pilot projects without time constraints due to adjustments or the fabrication of new component-specific devices. The device 10 can be modified particularly easily by adjusting or replacing the...

[0028] The support component 20 can be adapted to the respective components to be manufactured.

[0029] Overall, the invention shows how a universal device - and thus the device 10 - for heat exchanger welding can be created.

[0030] REFERENCE MARK LIST

[0031] 10 Device

[0032] 12 Molded part

[0033] 14 Cavity

[0034] 16 Opening

[0035] 18 Support component

[0036] 20 Support component

[0037] 22 Vacuum device

[0038] 24 first vacuum chamber

[0039] 26 second vacuum chamber

[0040] 28 print run

[0041] 30 support surface

[0042] 32 Opening

[0043] 34 Connecting element

[0044] 36 Support device

[0045] 38 Support element

[0046] 40 arms

[0047] 42 Wall

[0048] 44 turrets

[0049] 46 Hold-down device

[0050] 48 welding studs

[0051] 50 tension strip

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1. Device (10) for clamping at least two molded parts (12) to be joined to form a component, which together enclose at least one cavity (14), wherein the at least one cavity (14) is open on one side, with which the molded parts (12) positioned relative to each other are to be placed on the device (10) for clamping, wherein the device (10) comprises at least the following components: a support component (18) which delimits at least a first vacuum chamber (24) and a second vacuum chamber (26), a vacuum device (22) by means of which a respective vacuum can be set in the at least two vacuum chambers (24, 26), a support component (20) which rests on the support component (16), together with the support component (16) airtightly encloses the first vacuum chamber (24), whereby by setting a vacuum in the first vacuum chamber (24) the support component (20) is held on the support component (16),and which provides a support surface (30) for the molded parts (12) in a support area (28), wherein the support component (20) has at least one opening (32) in the support area (28), which is closed when at least one of the molded parts (12) resting on the support surface (30) is used as intended, whereby at least one molded part (12) together with the support component (18) and the support component (20) hermetically encloses the second vacuum chamber (26), whereby by establishing a negative pressure in the second vacuum chamber (26) at least this at least one molded part (12) is held on the device (10).

2. Device (10) according to claim 1, characterized by a connecting element (34) connected to the vacuum device (22), which is configured to be connected to an opening (16) fluidically connected to the cavity (14), whereby a vacuum can be set in the cavity (14) by means of the connecting element (34), by means of which all the molded parts (12) delimiting the cavity (14) can be held on the device (10).

3. Device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by a support device (36) by means of which the support component (20) is supported against the support component (18) at least in an area not directly adjacent to the support component (18), in particular the support area (28) of the support component (20) is supported against the support component (18) by means of the support device (36).

4. Device (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the support device (36) comprises at least one support element (38) which can be non-destructively adjusted in its position relative to the support component (18) and the bearing component (20) for the purpose of adapting a support function of the support device (36).

5. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one hold-down device (46) is attached to the support component (20) on its upper side facing away from the support component (18), by means of which the molded parts (12) can be held on the support surface (30).

6. Device (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the hold-down device (46) comprises at least one weld stud (48) which is materially connected to the support component (20) and to which a clamping strip (50) is attached, by means of which the molded parts (12) can be held on the support surface (30).

7. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support component (20) is designed as a grid sheet at least in the support area (28).

8. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (10) is designed to clamp shaped parts (12) to be connected as components to a heat exchanger, in particular to a plate heat exchanger.

9. Method for manufacturing a component from at least two molded parts (12) which together enclose at least one cavity (14), wherein the at least one cavity (14) is open to one side, wherein the molded parts (12) are clamped by means of a device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 9, by placing the molded parts (12) on the support surface (30) and by applying a respective vacuum in the first vacuum chamber (24) as well as in the second vacuum chamber (26) and in the cavity (14) drawing them towards the device (10), and subsequently joining the molded parts (12) together to form the component.

10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that the device (10) is adapted to the molded parts (12) to be clamped by means of the device (10) by selecting a design of the at least one opening (32) in the support area (28) of the support component (20) depending on an outer contour of at least one molded part (12) to be placed directly onto the support surface (30) for clamping.

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