Hot-forming apparatus and system

Abstract

A hot-forming apparatus, comprising: an apparatus frame (21); an upper sliding block (22) and a lower sliding block (23); a transmission assembly (24), which is mounted on the apparatus frame, and comprises a power component (24-1), power conversion components (24-2) connected to the power component, torque transfer mechanisms (24-3) connected to the power conversion components, and feedback encoders (24-4) configured to acquire the rotation angles of the torque transfer mechanisms, wherein both the power conversion components and the torque transfer mechanisms are gear-shaped, and the torque transfer mechanisms are configured to drive the upper sliding block to move close to or away from the lower sliding block; and a controller, wherein both the power component and the feedback encoders are connected to the controller, and the controller is configured to control, on the basis of the rotation angles of the torque transfer mechanisms acquired by the feedback encoders, the power component to operate. Further provided is a hot-forming system. The hot-forming apparatus can better feed back the moving position of the upper sliding block, thereby improving the die-closing position precision of an upper die and a lower die, and further improving the processing precision of a workpiece.

Description

A thermoforming equipment and system

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202510122620.0, filed on January 24, 2025, entitled "A Thermoforming Equipment and System", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to the field of thermoforming technology, and in particular to a thermoforming equipment and system. Background Technology

[0003] With the current stringent control over energy consumption in the automotive industry and the rapid growth of new energy vehicles, the demand for vehicle safety and lightweighting is becoming increasingly urgent. Hot-formed steel, due to its ultra-high strength and relatively low processing difficulty, is widely used in automotive structural components. The main production process of hot-formed steel involves heating steel sheets at high temperatures to achieve full austenitization, followed by rapid cooling, thereby comprehensively improving the strength of the steel sheet and achieving a yield strength of over 1000 MPa. Simultaneously, the demand for components with hot and cold separation is also increasing significantly, especially for battery protection. These components require both high workpiece strength and guaranteed weldability.

[0004] Stamping forming equipment in related technologies generally adopts a stamping press structure to press hot-formed parts using a conforming mold and uses water heat transfer for quenching. This method requires large-tonnage equipment, resulting in high energy consumption, high manufacturing costs, and a large footprint. For special working conditions requiring frequent and precise positioning in different locations, this type of equipment is basically unsuitable. The main drive power uses a hydraulic mechanism, and the use of hydraulic oil can also have some negative impacts on the surrounding environment. Alternatively, a hot forming machine can be used, which allows for quick assembly and disassembly of the upper and lower pressure plates, facilitating regular maintenance. However, it still uses the traditional hydraulic press model, which has large tonnage, high cost, long maintenance costs and delivery time, and a large investment cost.

[0005] Therefore, how to simplify the production process of thermoforming equipment and reduce costs is a technical problem that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a thermoforming equipment and system that can effectively reduce the cycle time of thermoforming workpieces and improve efficiency and processing accuracy.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0008] A thermoforming apparatus, comprising:

[0009] Equipment frame;

[0010] Both the upper slider and the lower slider are mounted on the equipment frame. The upper slider is used to move the upper mold, and the lower slider is used to support the lower mold.

[0011] A transmission assembly is mounted on the equipment frame. The transmission assembly includes a power component, a power conversion component connected to the power component, a torque transfer mechanism connected to the power conversion component, and a feedback encoder for acquiring the rotation angle of the torque transfer mechanism. Both the power conversion component and the torque transfer mechanism are gear-shaped. The torque transfer mechanism is used to drive the upper slider to move toward or away from the lower slider.

[0012] The controller is connected to both the power component and the feedback encoder. The controller is used to control the operation of the power component based on the rotation angle of the torque transfer mechanism obtained by the feedback encoder.

[0013] On the other hand, the transmission assembly also includes a brake transmission component for transmitting the power of the power component to the power conversion component. The brake transmission component is connected between the power component and the power conversion component, and the brake transmission component is connected to the controller. The controller is also used to control the brake transmission component to stop after the upper slider moves to the target position.

[0014] On the other hand, the transmission assembly also includes a rotating connecting component, one end of which is hinged to the torque transfer mechanism and the other end of which is hinged to the upper slider. The torque transfer mechanism pulls the upper slider up and down through the rotating connecting component. Furthermore, there are at least two of the power conversion component, the torque transfer mechanism, and the rotating connecting component, and they are symmetrically distributed along the left and right sides of the brake transmission component. At least one of the rotating connecting components is distributed and connected to the left and right sides of the upper slider.

[0015] On the other hand, the upper part of the lower slider is provided with a worktable, and the worktable is provided with a plurality of positioning grooves for positioning the lower mold and a plurality of fixing grooves for fixing the lower mold. The positioning grooves and the fixing grooves are arranged in an array.

[0016] On the other hand, it also includes a thermoforming mold, the thermoforming mold comprising:

[0017] The upper mold and the lower mold are connected by a cavity for inserting a workpiece. Both the upper mold and the lower mold have cavities inside. Furthermore, the upper mold and the lower mold have a hollow portion at a target position near the cavity. The hollow portion communicates with the cavity so that the medium in the cavity can be sprayed onto the workpiece through the hollow portion.

[0018] A plurality of jets are provided, wherein the jets are installed in the cavities of the upper mold and / or the lower mold;

[0019] Several media conduits are disposed within the cavity, the media conduits being used to supply media to the jet, and the pressure of the media conduits being adjustable.

[0020] On the other hand, it also includes:

[0021] The upper mold water supply installation adapter is used to connect to the external pipeline. The upper mold water supply installation adapter is installed on the equipment frame, and the upper mold is provided with a quick-release connector that can be detachably connected to the upper mold water supply installation adapter. The quick-release connector is connected to the medium pipeline.

[0022] On the other hand, it also includes:

[0023] An exhaust gas collection component is used to collect exhaust gas during the quenching process, and the exhaust gas collection component is installed on the top of the equipment frame;

[0024] A water circulation system is used to collect and recycle the medium. The water circulation system includes: a circulating water collection tank for storing cooling water recovered from the thermoforming mold and performing primary filtration on the cooling water; a return water component for drawing cooling water from the thermoforming mold and conveying it to the circulating water collection tank, the return water component being connected to the circulating water collection tank; a water storage tank component for storing the primary filtered circulating water in the circulating water collection tank; a water supply component for obtaining the primary filtered circulating water from the circulating water collection tank and conveying it to the water storage tank component, the water storage tank component being connected to a water supply channel for conveying cooling water to the thermoforming mold; a secondary and / or tertiary filter installed on the water supply channel for performing secondary and / or tertiary filtration on the cooling water in the water supply channel; and a high-pressure water pump installed on the water supply pipe for adjusting the water supply pressure in the water supply channel, the adjustable range of which is 0-3 MPa.

[0025] On the other hand, it also includes a guide mechanism installed inside the equipment frame, with the upper slider slidably connected to the guide mechanism; the lower slider is slidably installed inside the equipment frame, and the lower slider can slide from inside the equipment frame to the outside to replace the mold.

[0026] The present invention also provides a thermoforming system, including the thermoforming equipment described in any one of the above claims.

[0027] On the other hand, it also includes a tunnel furnace, which has a workpiece placement area, a heating zone, a heat preservation zone, and an in-furnace gripping zone arranged sequentially from the feeding end to the feeding end; it also includes a station feeding device and an automatic feeding robot, which is used to grip the workpiece in the station feeding device and place it in the workpiece placement area; it also includes a gantry manipulator and a medium supply and recycling device, with the thermoforming equipment located between the gantry manipulator and the medium supply and recycling device, and the gantry manipulator is used to move the workpiece in the in-furnace gripping zone to the thermoforming equipment.

[0028] On the other hand, the truss manipulator includes a first support column, a second support column, a transverse support member, a gripping mechanism, and a mechanism motion assembly. The first and second support columns are respectively located at both ends of the transverse support member. The gripping mechanism is suspended at the bottom of the mechanism motion assembly via a fourth-axis connecting mechanism. The gripping mechanism includes a gripping frame, a gripping cylinder, a gripping transmission rod, a transmission rod fixing sleeve, and a transmission lever. The gripping cylinder is mounted on the gripping frame, and a cylinder protective cover is also provided on the outside of the gripping cylinder. The gripping transmission rod is slidably connected to the transmission rod fixing sleeve. One end of the gripping transmission rod is connected to the gripping cylinder, and the other end is connected to the transmission lever. Furthermore, the bottom of the gripping frame is provided with a first hook, and the bottom of the transmission lever is provided with a second hook. When the workpiece moves to the gripping area inside the tunnel furnace, one end of the workpiece moves onto the first hook. The gripping cylinder drives the gripping transmission rod to translate, thereby causing the transmission lever to swing. The transmission lever then causes the second hook to swing, thereby engaging the other end of the workpiece.

[0029] On the other hand, the mechanism motion assembly includes a mechanism motion support body and a fourth-axis servo motor, a motor protective cover, a harmonic reducer, a drive component, and a heat insulation plate mounted on the mechanism motion support body. The motor protective cover covers the fourth-axis servo motor, the harmonic reducer is connected between the fourth-axis servo motor and the drive component, and the heat insulation plate is mounted on one end of the drive component near the gripping mechanism. The gripping mechanism is mounted on the drive component and can follow the movement of the drive component. A cooling component is also mounted on the mechanism motion support body, which is used to introduce cold air into the mechanism motion support body to cool the fourth-axis servo motor.

[0030] The thermoforming equipment provided by this invention includes: an equipment frame; an upper slider and a lower slider, both mounted on the equipment frame, the upper slider driving an upper mold to move, and the lower slider supporting a lower mold; a transmission assembly mounted on the equipment frame, the transmission assembly including a power component, a power conversion component connected to the power component, a torque transfer mechanism connected to the power conversion component, and a feedback encoder for acquiring the rotation angle of the torque transfer mechanism, the power conversion component and the torque transfer mechanism being gear-shaped; the torque transfer mechanism driving the upper slider to move towards or away from the lower slider; and a controller, the power component and the feedback encoder being connected to the controller, the controller controlling the operation of the power component according to the rotation angle of the torque transfer mechanism acquired by the feedback encoder. The thermoforming equipment provided by this invention utilizes gear transmission between the power component, the power conversion component, and the torque transfer mechanism to improve the positional movement accuracy of the upper slider, thereby effectively improving the mold closing position accuracy between the upper and lower molds, and further improving the workpiece machining accuracy. Furthermore, by adding a feedback encoder, the rotation angle of the torque transfer mechanism is obtained and fed back to the controller, thereby providing better feedback on the block's movement position, further improving the mold closing position accuracy between the upper and lower molds, and further improving the workpiece machining accuracy.

[0031] In one embodiment, a guide mechanism is further included, installed within the equipment frame. The upper slider is slidably connected to the guide mechanism. The lower slider is slidably installed within the equipment frame and can slide from inside the equipment frame to the outside to replace the mold. In this configuration, the guide mechanism can be a guide rail, such as a steel guide rail. The guide mechanism improves the smoothness of the upper slider during lifting, thereby further improving the positional accuracy of the upper slider and thus the positional accuracy of the upper mold. Furthermore, since the lower slider can slide from inside the equipment frame to the outside, i.e., the lower slider is a movable worktable that can extend laterally out of the equipment frame for mold replacement, this increases the convenience and timeliness of mold replacement.

[0032] The thermoforming system provided by the present invention is equipped with the above-mentioned thermoforming equipment. Since the thermoforming equipment has the above-mentioned technical effects, the thermoforming system equipped with the thermoforming equipment should also have the corresponding technical effects. Attached Figure Description

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or related technologies, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0034] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a specific embodiment of the thermoforming equipment provided by the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 is a diagram of the transmission control mechanism of the thermoforming equipment shown in Figure 1;

[0036] Figure 3 is a structural diagram of the water circulation system in the thermoforming equipment shown in Figure 1;

[0037] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the thermoforming mold in the thermoforming equipment shown in Figure 1;

[0038] Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of the supporting contact part and the hollow part in the upper mold and lower mold shown in Figure 4.

[0039] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the jet and medium pipeline in Figure 4;

[0040] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the upper and lower molds of the thermoforming mold shown in Figure 4 when they are closed.

[0041] Figure 8 shows one embodiment of the hot and cold partitioning in the thermoforming mold provided by the present invention;

[0042] Figure 9 shows another implementation of the hot and cold partitioning in the thermoforming mold provided by the present invention;

[0043] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the process of a specific embodiment of the thermoforming system provided by the present invention;

[0044] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of a specific embodiment of the thermoforming system provided by the present invention;

[0045] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the gantry robot in the thermoforming system shown in Figure 10;

[0046] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the gripping mechanism in the truss manipulator shown in Figure 12;

[0047] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the motion components of the truss manipulator shown in Figure 12.

[0048] Reference numerals: 1. Thermoforming mold; 2. Thermoforming equipment; 3. Thermoforming system; 4. Workpiece; 11. Upper mold; 12. Lower mold; 13. Hollowed-out part; 14. Sprayer; 15. Medium pipeline; 16. Upper mold connecting plate; 17. Lower mold connecting plate; 18. Upper connector; 19. Lower connector; 110. Support contact part; 21. Equipment frame; 22. Upper slider; 23. Lower slider; 24. Transmission assembly; 24-1. Power component; Power conversion component 24-2; Torque transfer mechanism 24-3; Feedback encoder 24-4; Brake transmission component 24-5; Rotary connection component 24-6; Balance cylinder 24-7; Upper mold water supply installation adapter 25; Upper water channel interface 26; Lower water channel interface 27; Exhaust gas collection component 28; Water circulation system 29; Circulating water collection tank 29-1; Return water component 29-2; Water storage tank component 29-3; Water supply component 29-4; Secondary filter 29-5; Tertiary filter 29-6; High-pressure water pump 29-7; Water supply pipeline 29-8; Guide mechanism 210; Quenching equipment protective cover 211; Mold mounting position 212; Workpiece placement position 31-1; Heating zone 31-2; Insulation zone 31-3; Furnace gripping zone 31-4; Station loading equipment 32; Automatic loading robot 33; Gantry manipulator 34; First support column 34-1; Second support column 34-2; Lateral support component 34-3; Gripping mechanism 34-4; Gripping frame 34-4-1; Gripping cylinder 34-4-2; Gripping transmission rod 34-4-3; Transmission rod fixing sleeve 34-4-4; Transmission lever Rod 34-4-5; Cylinder guard 34-4-6; First hook 34-4-7; Second hook 34-4-8; Floating connector 34-4-9; Mechanism motion assembly 34-5; Fourth axis servo motor 34-5-1; Motor guard 34-5-2; Harmonic reducer 34-5-3; Drive component 34-5-4; Heat insulation plate 34-5-5; Cooling component 34-5-6; Bearing 34-5-7; Medium supply and recovery device 35. Detailed Implementation

[0049] The core of this invention is to provide a thermoforming equipment and system that can improve the mold closing position accuracy of the upper and lower molds, thereby improving the processing accuracy of the workpiece.

[0050] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0051] Hot forming technology refers to the process of heating steel plates at high temperatures to achieve full austenitization of the steel structure, followed by rapid cooling, thereby comprehensively improving the strength of the steel plates and making the yield strength of the steel reach more than 1000MPa. For example, using this material in automobile body parts can reduce the weight of the car body while increasing the strength of the car body and achieving higher impact safety. Therefore, hot forming technology has been widely used in the automotive industry.

[0052] In the thermoforming process of related technologies, compression molding and quenching are key steps to achieve the final performance, while the mold is a crucial factor in controlling the cooling process. The initial design of indirect thermoforming molds calculates the energy transferred from the heated workpiece per unit time by considering the thermal conductivity parameters of the water channels and materials, and defines the strength of the workpiece by defining the cooling rate. However, compression molding and quenching presents the following challenges: First, precisely controlling the placement of the heated steel workpiece into the mold cavity is difficult, increasing the difficulty of process control. Second, the shape of the heated steel workpiece is usually not flat; structures such as corners can lead to inconsistent cooling rates, resulting in uneven internal hardness and uncontrollable strength. Third, the water channels within the mold do not directly contact the steel workpiece, resulting in slow cooling rates and low cooling efficiency. Fourth, thermoforming molds are expensive, making them unaffordable for most companies and significantly limiting the promotion of indirect thermoforming.

[0053] In this embodiment, referring to Figures 1 to 3, the thermoforming equipment 2 includes:

[0054] Equipment frame 21;

[0055] The upper slider 22 and the lower slider 23 are both mounted on the equipment frame 21. The upper slider 22 is used to drive the upper mold 11 to move, and the lower slider 23 is used to support the lower mold 12.

[0056] The transmission assembly 24 is mounted on the equipment frame 21. The transmission assembly 24 includes a power component 24-1, a power conversion component 24-2 connected to the power component 24-1, a torque transfer mechanism 24-3 connected to the power conversion component 24-2, and a feedback encoder 24-4 for obtaining the rotation angle of the torque transfer mechanism 24-3. Both the power conversion component 24-2 and the torque transfer mechanism 24-3 are gear-shaped. The torque transfer mechanism 24-3 is used to drive the upper slider 22 to move toward or away from the lower slider 23.

[0057] The controller, power unit 24-1 and feedback encoder 24-4 are all connected to the controller. The controller is used to control the action of power unit 24-1 according to the rotation angle of torque transfer mechanism 24-3 obtained by feedback encoder 24-4.

[0058] Specifically, the rotation of the torque transfer mechanism 24-3 drives the upper slider 22 to move up and down, realizing the opening and closing of the mold of the entire equipment; the power component 24-1 provides power support for the downward pressing, positioning and lifting of the upper slider 22. The power component 24-1 can adjust the torque of the equipment according to the actual needs of the equipment, thereby controlling the pressure of the equipment. Its tonnage can be controlled between 1-600T and can be adjusted; the power component 24-1 can cooperate with the torque transfer mechanism 24-3 and provide signal feedback to form a closed-loop control of the transmission position, achieving position accuracy control. Its repeatability can reach ±0.03mm; by replacing the power conversion component 24-2 and the torque transfer mechanism 24-3 with different specifications, the transmission ratio between the power conversion component 24-2 and the torque transfer mechanism 24-3 can be from 1 to 100 to meet different usage requirements.

[0059] The thermoforming equipment 2 utilizes gear transmission between the power component 24-1, the power conversion component 24-2, and the torque transfer mechanism 24-3 to improve the positional movement accuracy of the upper slider 22, thereby effectively improving the mold closing position accuracy between the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12, and thus improving the machining accuracy of the workpiece 4. Furthermore, by adding a feedback encoder 24-4, the rotation angle of the torque transfer mechanism 24-3 is obtained by the feedback encoder 24-4 and fed back to the controller, thereby better feedback of the movement position of the upper slider 22, further improving the mold closing position accuracy between the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12, and further improving the machining accuracy of the workpiece 4.

[0060] In some embodiments, the transmission assembly 24 further includes a brake transmission component 24-5, which transmits power from the power component 24-1 to the power conversion component 24-2. The brake transmission component 24-5 is connected between the power component 24-1 and the power conversion component 24-2, and is also connected to a controller. The controller is further used to stop the brake transmission component 24-5 after the upper slider 22 moves to the target position. The brake transmission component 24-5 is also a transmission gear. The brake transmission component 24-5 is connected to the power component 24-1 and meshes with the power conversion component 24-2 to transmit the action of the power component 24-1 to the power conversion component 24-2. The brake transmission component 24-5 can protect the power component 24-1 and also improve the positioning accuracy of the equipment and enhance the overall positioning stability of the equipment.

[0061] In some embodiments, the transmission assembly 24 further includes a rotating connecting component 24-6, one end of which is hinged to the torque transfer mechanism 24-3 and the other end is hinged to the upper slider 22. The torque transfer mechanism 24-3 pulls the upper slider 22 up and down through the rotating connecting component 24-6 to ensure the smooth lifting and lowering of the upper slider 22. The transmission assembly 24 constitutes the power source of the device and the closed-loop position control mechanical part of the entire device.

[0062] In some embodiments, the number of power conversion components 24-2, torque transfer mechanisms 24-3, and rotating connection components 24-6 are all at least two, and they are symmetrically distributed along the left and right sides of the brake transmission component 24-5. At least one rotating connection component 24-6 is distributed and connected to the left and right sides of the upper slider 22. With this arrangement, the two sides of the upper slider 22 move synchronously, resulting in better positional accuracy.

[0063] In some embodiments, the transmission assembly 24 also includes a balancing cylinder 24-7, which is used to balance the physical weight of the upper slider 22 and the upper mold 11, reducing the torque and power of the power component 24-1 and achieving energy saving. The maximum mold opening and closing speed of this equipment can reach 2m / s, and its mold opening and closing speed can also reach 0.1-2m / s, and the speed is adjustable; the stroke of the upper mold 11 can reach 0-4m, and the mold opening distance can be adjusted within the range of 0-3m; due to the high control precision of this equipment, the worktable size of its lower module can be 3500mm*5000mm to meet the processing requirements of small tonnage, large-size workpieces 4.

[0064] In some embodiments, the upper part of the sliding block 23 is provided with a worktable, and the worktable is provided with a plurality of positioning grooves for positioning the lower mold 12 and a plurality of fixing grooves for fixing the lower mold 12. The positioning grooves and fixing grooves are arranged in an array. Specifically, the worktable of the sliding block 23 has a cross-shaped positioning groove for positioning when changing molds and installing molds. That is, when using the same model of thermoforming mold 1, the positioning block can be installed in the positioning groove without repeated positioning, thus improving the mold installation efficiency. The fixing groove is a T-shaped groove, which can be used to connect and fix the lower mold 12 of the thermoforming mold 1 to ensure the stability of the position of the lower mold 12.

[0065] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 4 to 9, the thermoforming mold 1 is also included. The thermoforming mold 1 includes: an upper mold 11 and a lower mold 12, with a cavity formed between the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12 for inserting the workpiece 4. Both the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12 have cavities inside, and a hollow portion 13 is provided at a target position on the side of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12 near the cavity. The hollow portion 13 communicates with the cavity so that the medium in the cavity can be sprayed onto the workpiece 4 through the hollow portion 13; a plurality of spray bodies 14, which are installed in the cavity of the upper mold 11 and / or the lower mold 12; and a plurality of medium pipes 15, which are disposed in the cavity and are used to provide medium to the spray bodies 14. The pressure of the medium pipes 15 is adjustable. Specifically, this thermoforming mold 1 is suitable for most thermoforming materials in the automotive industry, including high corrosion-resistant steel plates and sheets with single or composite coatings such as hot-dip galvanized, hot-dip zinc-nickel, hot-dip galvanized iron alloy coatings, electro-galvanized, electro-galvanized nickel, hot-dip aluminized zinc, and hot-dip aluminized silicon. Products produced using this mold exhibit excellent mechanical and corrosion resistance during application and are suitable for front and rear bumpers, longitudinal load-bearing beams, roof side beams, door panel reinforcing ribs, transverse support beams, floor passages, suspension brackets, A / B pillars, door sill safety structures, battery pack shells, and other parts in both traditional fuel vehicles and new energy vehicles.

[0066] The thermoforming mold 1 forms the specific shape and size of the workpiece 4 through the cavity structure between the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12. To meet the requirements for soft and hard partitioning in the workpiece 4, this application provides cavities inside both the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12, and provides hollow portions 13 on the side of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12 near the cavity. The hollow portions 13 should be located at target positions on the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12, which are determined based on the soft and hard partitioning on the workpiece 4. Specifically, the hard areas of the workpiece 4 have a higher cooling rate, so the hollow portions 13 can be placed at the corresponding positions. By arranging a medium pipe 15 in the cavity, and distributing several spray bodies 14 (nozzles) on the medium pipe 15, the medium in the medium pipe 15 is sprayed onto the workpiece 4, thereby ensuring an increased cooling rate in the hard areas of the workpiece 4. For the soft areas on workpiece 4, there is no need to set the hollowed-out portions 13, thus reducing the cooling rate of workpiece 4. More specifically, for the positions corresponding to the hard areas of workpiece 4, the number and size of the hollowed-out portions 13 can be appropriately increased to increase the contact area between the medium and workpiece 4, thereby increasing the cooling rate of workpiece 4 in that area. Furthermore, the arrangement direction of the medium pipes 15 is adapted to the shape of workpiece 4, and the medium pressure in the same medium pipe 15 is the same. For example, the pressure in the medium pipe 15 corresponding to the hard area of ​​workpiece 4 can be greater than the pressure in the medium pipe 15 corresponding to the soft area of ​​workpiece 4. Alternatively, different medium types or different medium temperatures can be set in different medium pipes 15 to achieve different temperature control for soft and hard areas, improve the forming accuracy and efficiency of workpiece 4, effectively eliminate the quenching deformation of workpiece 4, ensure good weldability, and prevent oxidation of the surface of workpiece 4. This thermoforming mold can meet the thermoforming processing requirements of soft and hard partitions or all-hard areas, and also has the characteristics of accurate forming, good weldability, effective elimination of quenching deformation, and prevent oxidation of the surface of workpiece 4 after quenching.

[0067] In some embodiments, the pressures within at least two media conduits 15 are different; the higher the pressure, the faster the workpiece 4 cools. Different requirements can be met by setting different pressures for the soft and hard regions. In some embodiments, the temperatures of the media within at least two media conduits 15 are different; the lower the temperature, the faster the workpiece 4 cools. Different requirements can be met by setting different temperatures for the soft and hard regions. In some embodiments, the types of media within at least two media conduits 15 are different. Regarding the selection of the media, for example, liquid water, compressed air, or a gas-liquid mixture can be selected. Different cooling requirements can be met by introducing different types of media into the media conduits 15.

[0068] In some embodiments, the device further includes an upper mold connecting plate 16 and a lower mold connecting plate 17. The upper mold 11 is mounted on the upper mold connecting plate 16 and moves according to the movement of the upper mold connecting plate 16. The lower mold 12 is mounted on the lower mold connecting plate 17 and moves with the lower mold connecting plate 17. Furthermore, the upper mold connecting plate 16 and the lower mold connecting plate 17 are respectively mounted on the upper slider 22 and the lower slider 23 of the thermoforming equipment 2. By moving the upper slider 22 and the lower slider 23 closer to or further away from each other, the upper mold connecting plate 16 and the lower mold connecting plate 17 can move closer to or further away, thereby completing the mold closing and opening of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12.

[0069] In some embodiments, the location of the hollow portion 13 corresponds to the hard area of ​​the workpiece 4. Since the medium in the hollow portion 13 is in direct contact with the workpiece 4, the medium can cool the workpiece 4 more quickly through the hollow portion 13, resulting in higher hardness in that area. Furthermore, to enhance the effect of the spray body 14 on the workpiece 4, the installation position of the spray body 14 corresponds to the position of the hollow portion 13. Of course, the position of the spray body 14 can also be adjusted as needed or according to the size and shape of the cavity. The cooling rate of the workpiece 4 is mainly adjusted by the location and size of the hollow portion 13, as well as the pressure, temperature, and type of the medium.

[0070] In some embodiments, the hollowed-out portion 13 is located between adjacent support contact portions 110, and the support contact portions 110 and the hollowed-out portion 13 are arranged alternately. This alternating arrangement facilitates processing and improves the positional constraint on the workpiece 4. Furthermore, the density of the hollowed-out portion 13 can be appropriately increased at positions corresponding to the hard areas of the workpiece 4. The support contact portion 110 is in the form of an elastic strip. Specifically, the support contact portion 110 adopts a strip-shaped structure. By leaving a certain elastic margin in the support contact portion 110, it can accommodate the entire quenching process of the workpiece 4, heated to a temperature above Ac3, cooling down to below a preset temperature, thus undergoing the transformation from austenite to martensite. The preset temperature can be 0-400℃. Since the workpiece 4 undergoes significant deformation during the entire quenching process, the strip-shaped structure provides a certain constraint on the shape change of the workpiece 4, which is beneficial for the hot forming of the workpiece 4 and improves the forming accuracy of the workpiece 4.

[0071] In some embodiments, the width of the support contact portion 110 is 3-50mm. The width of the support contact portion 110 should not be too small, as this would affect the support effect on the workpiece 4. Nor should it be too large, as this would result in poor cooling. The width of the hollow portion 13 is 3-90mm. The width of the hollow portion 13 should not be too small, as this would result in poor cooling. Nor should it be too large, as this would affect the width of the support contact portion 110, thus failing to provide good support for the workpiece 4. And / or, the distance between the spray body 14 and the workpiece 4 is 120-600mm. The distance between the spray body 14 and the workpiece 4 refers to the distance between the spray body 14 and the workpiece 4 after the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12 are closed. The size of the distance between the spray body 14 and the workpiece 4 will be adjusted as needed according to the spray rate and flow rate of the medium. The spray shape of the spray body 14 is conical, and the central angle of the cone is less than or equal to 125°. This setting allows the medium to be sprayed onto the workpiece 4 better, improving the cooling speed of the workpiece 4. Furthermore, the transition zone between the soft and hard partitions ranges from 3mm to 60mm, making it widely applicable. The support contact portion 110 is made of stainless steel, and / or the surface of the support contact portion 110 has a wear-resistant coating to improve its service life.

[0072] In some embodiments, a connector is also included for installing the media conduit 15 into the cavity. The position of the connector is adjustable to change the position and angle of the media conduit 15 in the cavity. Specifically, the connector includes an upper connector 18 and a lower connector 19, with two of each. The media conduit 15 in the upper mold 11 is installed between the two upper connectors 18, and the media conduit 15 in the lower mold 12 is installed between the two lower connectors 19. The installation height of the media conduit 15 in the upper mold 11 can be adjusted via the upper connector 18, and the installation height of the media conduit 15 in the lower mold 12 can be adjusted via the lower connector 19, thereby changing the distance between the jet 14 and the workpiece 4.

[0073] In some embodiments, the system further includes: a plurality of pressurizing devices, with the number of media pipelines 15 being the same as the number of pressurizing devices, and each corresponding to one of them; a controller connected to the pressurizing devices, the controller being used to acquire the positions of the soft and hard areas of the workpiece 4, and to determine the target pressure required for each media pipeline 15 based on the positions of the soft and hard areas of the workpiece 4; and also being used to control the operation of the pressurizing devices based on the target pressure. The above configuration, by controlling the pressurizing devices through the controller, adjusts the pressure in the media pipelines 15, thereby satisfying the injection pressure of the ejector 14 on each media pipeline 15. Since the media pipelines 15 correspond one-to-one with the pressurizing devices, it is only necessary to acquire the distribution positions of the soft and hard areas in the workpiece 4 to adjust the pressure applied by the pressurizing devices accordingly, enabling automatic control, improving the degree of automation, reducing human interference, maximizing the accuracy and efficiency of thermoforming of the workpiece 4, and improving product quality.

[0074] In some implementations, it also includes:

[0075] The upper mold water supply installation adapter 25 is used to connect to external pipelines. The upper mold water supply installation adapter 25 is mounted on the equipment frame 21, and the upper mold 11 is equipped with a quick-release connector that can be detachably connected to the upper mold water supply installation adapter 25. The quick-release connector is connected to the medium pipeline 15. Specifically, the upper mold water supply installation adapter 25 can be directly integrated into the equipment frame 21 or bolted to the equipment frame 21. The external pipeline transfers the medium to be cooled to the upper mold water supply installation adapter 25 through a flexible or rigid connection. The upper mold 11 of the thermoforming mold 1 has a quick-change connector, through which a flexible or rigid pipe can be connected to supply the cooling medium. Alternatively, a lower mold water supply installation adapter can be included for connecting to external pipelines. The lower mold water supply installation adapter is mounted on the equipment frame 21, and the lower mold 12 is equipped with a quick-release connector that can be detachably connected to the lower mold water supply installation adapter. The quick-release connector is connected to the medium pipeline 15. Specifically, the lower mold water supply installation adapter can be directly integrated into the equipment frame 21, or connected to the equipment frame 21 by bolts. External pipelines transfer the cooling medium to this lower mold water supply installation adapter via flexible or rigid connections. The lower mold 12 of the thermoforming mold 1 has a quick-connect fitting, through which a flexible or rigid pipe can be connected to supply the cooling medium. Furthermore, the upper mold water supply installation adapter 25 and the lower mold water supply installation adapter are compatible with both high and low pressures, ranging from 0.1 MPa to 30 MPa, to meet the needs of different operating conditions.

[0076] In some embodiments, an upper water channel interface 26 and a lower water channel interface 27 are also included. The upper water channel interface 26 is installed on the upper slider 22, and the lower water channel interface 27 is installed on the lower slider 23. The upper water channel interface 26 is connected to a quick-release connector, and the upper water channel interface 26 is connected to the upper mold water supply installation adapter 25 through a hose or rigid pipe, thereby delivering the medium to the upper mold 11 to facilitate the quenching process.

[0077] In some implementations, it also includes:

[0078] Waste gas collection component 28 is used to collect waste gas during the quenching process. Waste gas collection component 28 is installed on the top of equipment frame 21.

[0079] A water circulation system 29 is used to collect and recycle the medium. The water circulation system 29 includes: a circulating water collection tank 29-1 for storing cooling water recovered from the self-heating forming mold 1 and performing primary filtration on the cooling water; a return water component 29-2 for drawing cooling water from the thermoforming mold 1 and transporting it to the circulating water collection tank 29-1, the return water component 29-2 being connected to the circulating water collection tank 29-1; a water storage tank component 29-3 for storing the primary filtered circulating water in the circulating water collection tank 29-1, the water storage tank component 29-3 stabilizing water pressure and volume to make the water supply process of the quenching equipment more stable and smooth; and a water supply component 29-4 for obtaining the collected circulating water. The primary filtered circulating water in the header 29-1 is then transported to the water storage tank component 29-3. The water storage tank component 29-3 is connected to a water supply channel for supplying cooling water to the thermoforming mold 1. A secondary filter 29-5 and / or a tertiary filter 29-6 are installed on the water supply channel to perform secondary and / or tertiary filtration on the cooling water in the water supply channel. The secondary filter 29-5 filters the water in the water supply channel, and the tertiary filter 29-6 filters the water in the water supply channel again to ensure the cleanliness of the water used by the equipment. A high-pressure water pump 29-7 is installed on the water supply pipe 29-8 to regulate the water supply pressure in the water supply channel, and its adjustable range is 0-3 MPa.

[0080] In some embodiments, a guide mechanism 210 is also included, installed within the equipment frame 21. The upper slider 22 is slidably connected to the guide mechanism 210. The lower slider 23 is slidably installed within the equipment frame 21 and can slide from inside the equipment frame 21 to the outside to replace the mold. In this configuration, the guide mechanism 210 can be a guide rail, such as a steel guide rail. The guide mechanism 210 improves the smoothness of the upper slider 22 during lifting, thereby further improving the positional accuracy of the upper slider 22 and thus improving the positional accuracy of the upper mold 11. Furthermore, since the lower slider 23 can slide from inside the equipment frame 21 to the outside, i.e., the lower slider 23 is a movable worktable that can extend laterally out of the equipment frame 21 for mold replacement, this increases the convenience and timeliness of mold replacement.

[0081] In some embodiments, the bottom of the equipment frame 21 is also provided with an equipment base. The equipment frame 21 is installed on the equipment base, which can better support the equipment frame 21 and ensure the stability of the equipment frame 21, thereby ensuring the smooth movement of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12.

[0082] In some embodiments, a quenching equipment protective cover 211 is also installed on the equipment frame 21 to protect against splashing of the medium during the quenching process. A mold mounting position 212 is also installed on the equipment frame 21, through which the thermoforming mold 1 is installed and replaced.

[0083] In one specific embodiment, the thermoforming equipment 2 includes an equipment frame 21 and an equipment base. The equipment frame 21 comprises two parts: one part is mounted on the equipment base, and the other part carries the transmission assembly 24. These three parts constitute the main frame of the equipment, supporting all mechanism installations and mechanisms, as well as the installation positions of standard parts. The power component 24-1 provides power system support for the up-and-down movement and positioning of the equipment. The brake transmission component 24-5 is used to transmit the power of the power component 24-1 and to brake when positioning is required. The power conversion component 24-2 is used to extend the space of the transfer power system, so that the entire worktable can be evenly stressed. The torque transfer mechanism 24-3 is used to expand the stress space of the equipment and increase the downward pressure tonnage of the equipment. The guide mechanism 210 is used to balance the smoothness of the up-and-down movement of the entire upper slider 22. The upper slider 22 is provided with a mounting groove and a mounting plate for mounting the upper part. Mold 11; The hot forming mold 1 is a hot and cold partition hot forming mold 1, used for the quenching operation of the entire process of hot forming parts; The lower slide block 23 is provided with an installation groove and an installation plate, which is the installation part of the lower mold 12 and is used to fix the lower mold part of the hot forming mold 1; The balancing cylinder 24-7 is used to balance the installation groove and installation plate of the upper slide block 22, as well as the physical weight of the upper mold 11, to reduce the torque and power of the power system and play an energy-saving role; The waste gas collection device is used to collect the waste gas in the hot forming quenching process and to recycle it centrally. Its flow rate can replace the air in the equipment once every 10 seconds; The upper water channel interface 26 is used to connect the upper mold 11 of the hot forming mold 1 with soft and hard partitions, and the upper water channel interface 26 provides the medium for quenching operation of the upper hot forming mold 1; The lower water channel interface 27 is used to connect the lower mold 12 of the hot forming mold 1 with soft and hard partitions, and the lower water channel interface 27 provides the medium for quenching operation of the lower mold 12. The above settings reduce the device's power consumption, improve its efficiency, and decrease its footprint.

[0084] The hot stamping process using this thermoforming equipment 2 includes:

[0085] Step S1: Cutting galvanized steel sheet: Process the steel into coils or sheets and cut them to the required dimensions; or cutting Al-Si steel sheet can also be applied.

[0086] Step S2: Cold stamping: The steel workpiece 4 is formed by cold stamping using a mold;

[0087] Step S3: Heating: Heat the steel workpiece 4 to above Ac3; when the steel surface has no coating in step S1, in step S3, first heat the steel workpiece 4 to above 700℃ at 12-28℃ / s, then heat it to above Ac3 at 1-5℃ / s, and hold it at that temperature for 28-55s; when the steel is surface treated by any of the following methods in step S1: Zn plating, Al plating, Al-Si plating, and high-temperature oxidant coating, in step S3, when the temperature is below 500℃, the heating rate of the steel workpiece 4 is 8-15℃ / s, then heat it to between 560℃ and 980℃ at 15-30℃ / s, then heat it to above Ac3 at 1-5℃ / s, and hold it at that temperature for 28-55s;

[0088] Step S4: Transfer workpiece 4 to the thermoforming equipment 2 for the soft-hard zone and the fully hard zone;

[0089] Step S5: The upper slider 22 closes the mold, so that the upper and lower molds of the thermoforming mold 1 fit together;

[0090] Step S6: The high-pressure water pump 29-7 activates the booster device to supply water to the medium pipeline 15. Under the pressure, multiple jets 14 begin to spray the medium to perform hot forming and quenching on the workpiece 4. The exhaust gas collection device on the upper part of the patented equipment is also activated at the same time to collect exhaust gas.

[0091] Step S7: After quenching is completed, the pressurization device stops, and the waste gas collection device also stops simultaneously;

[0092] Step S8: The upper slider 22 performs the mold opening action until the mold opening is completed;

[0093] The above process, through the opening and closing action of the upper slider 22, completes the upper and lower clamping and release of the equipment, and the clamping of the formed workpiece 4. The opening of the pressurizing device causes multiple jets 14 to perform quenching spraying. The pressurizing device opens after the clamping action and the mold opening action is performed before the pressurizing device closes. The exhaust gas collection device opens after the mold closing action is completed and stops working after the mold opening action is completed. The water circulation system 29 starts synchronously when the mold closing action of the patented equipment starts and stops synchronously after the quenching is completed.

[0094] In addition to the thermoforming equipment 2 described above, the present invention also provides a thermoforming system 3 including the thermoforming equipment 2 described above.

[0095] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 10 to 14, the system also includes a tunnel furnace, which has a workpiece placement position 31-1, a heating zone 31-2, a heat preservation zone 31-3, and an in-furnace gripping zone 31-4 arranged sequentially from the loading end to the unloading end; it also includes a station loading device 32 and an automatic loading robot 33, which is used to grip the workpiece 4 in the station loading device 32 and place it in the workpiece placement position 31-1; it also includes a gantry robot 34 and a medium supply and recovery device 35, with the thermoforming equipment 2 located between the gantry robot 34 and the medium supply and recovery device 35, and the gantry robot 34 used to move the workpiece 4 in the in-furnace gripping zone 31-4 to the thermoforming equipment 2. Specifically, the workstation loading equipment 32 can be a six-station loading equipment 32: used for manual loading, with one station for loading and five stations for backup. Each station can process 1 to 4 workpieces 4, which are then loaded by an automatic loading robot 33. The automatic loading robot 33 is responsible for the automatic loading and gripping of the six-station loading equipment 32. The automatic loading robot 33 works in conjunction with the gantry robot 34 to perform end-to-end gripping and placement of workpieces 4. The workpiece placement position 31-1 is the area outside the furnace after the automatic loading robot 33 has gripped the workpiece 4. In the heating zone 31-2, the tunnel furnace can heat the workpiece 4 on both the top and bottom surfaces simultaneously. The process involves heating; the heat preservation zone 31-3 can maintain the temperature of the heated workpiece 4 and transport it; the furnace gripping zone 31-4 can position and grip the heated workpiece 4 at this station; the gantry robot 34 is used to position and grip the heated and heat-preserved workpiece 4 and place it into the thermoforming mold 1; the thermoforming equipment 2 quenches and shapes the heated workpiece 4 to achieve the preset mechanical performance requirements; the medium supply and recovery device 35 is used to filter, pressurize and transport the cooling medium, and recycle it for secondary use; the thermoforming mold 1 is used to quench the workpiece 4 placed in the thermoforming equipment 2.

[0096] Of course, the tunnel furnace can also be replaced by a box furnace. The thermoforming mold 1 is located inside the box furnace, and the workpiece 4 is placed inside the box furnace for the entire process. The position of the workpiece 4 inside the box furnace remains unchanged.

[0097] In some embodiments, the truss manipulator 34 includes a first support column 34-1, a second support column 34-2, a transverse support member 34-3, a gripping mechanism 34-4, and a mechanism motion assembly 34-5. The first support column 34-1 and the second support column 34-2 are respectively placed at both ends of the transverse support member 34-3. The gripping mechanism 34-4 is suspended at the bottom of the mechanism motion assembly 34-5 through a fourth axis connection mechanism. Furthermore, the end of the gripping cylinder 34-4-2 is provided with a floating connector 34-4-9, which is hinged to the end of the gripping transmission rod 34-4-3. The attached figure shows the structure when the floating connector 34-4-9 is not connected to the gripping transmission rod 34-4-3. Specifically, the first support column 34-1 and the second support column 34-2 are used to support the gripping mechanism 34-4. The first hook 34-4-7 and the second hook 34-4-8 are located at the gripping end of the gripping mechanism 34-4. The gripping cylinder 34-4-2 can realize the left and right movement of the gripping end. The transverse support member 34-3 is used to support the transverse movement of the gantry robot 34. The gripping mechanism 34-4 can also move forward and backward, that is, the gripping mechanism 34-4 can move in three directions: up and down, left and right, and forward and backward. The first support column 34-1 and the second support column 34-2 together form the cantilever structure of the gantry manipulator 34, which increases the flexibility and space of equipment installation; the mounting base plate of the gantry manipulator 34 is used to fix the gantry manipulator 34 and ensure the stability of the equipment operation; the gripping mechanism 34-4 is used to continuously grip the workpiece 4 in the furnace in a high-temperature environment; the gripping frame 34-4-1 serves as the fourth axis mechanism of the gantry manipulator 34 and is used to bear the weight and overturning force of the hook at the picking end of the gripping mechanism 34-4.

[0098] In some embodiments, the gripping mechanism 34-4 includes a gripping frame 34-4-1, a gripping cylinder 34-4-2, a gripping transmission rod 34-4-3, a transmission rod fixing sleeve 34-4-4, and a transmission lever 34-4-5. The gripping cylinder 34-4-2 is mounted on the gripping frame 34-4-1, and a cylinder protective cover 34-4-6 is also provided on the outside of the gripping cylinder 34-4-2. The gripping transmission rod 34-4-3 is slidably connected to the transmission rod fixing sleeve 34-4-4, and one end of the gripping transmission rod 34-4-3 is connected to the gripping cylinder 34-4-2, while the other end... The end is connected to the transmission lever 34-4-5; and the bottom of the gripping frame 34-4-1 is provided with a first hook 34-4-7, and the bottom of the transmission lever 34-4-5 is provided with a second hook 34-4-8. When the workpiece 4 moves to the gripping area 31-4 inside the tunnel furnace, one end of the workpiece 4 moves onto the first hook 34-4-7, and the gripping cylinder 34-4-2 drives the gripping transmission rod 34-4-3 to move horizontally, so as to drive the transmission lever 34-4-5 to swing. The transmission lever 34-4-5 drives the second hook 34-4-8 to swing, so as to engage the other end of the workpiece 4. Specifically, the gripping frame 34-4-1 is used to support the overall mechanical structure of the gripping mechanism 34-4, and is made of high-temperature resistant material so that it can work continuously in high-temperature environments; the cylinder protective cover 34-4-6 is used to isolate heat radiation and protect the transmission mechanism, i.e., the durability of the gripping cylinder 34-4-2; the floating connector 34-4-9 is used to connect the gripping cylinder 34-4-2 and the gripping transmission rod 34-4-3; the gripping transmission rod 34-4-3 is used to transmit the movement of the entire mechanical mechanism, including gripping, lifting and other actions, and the transmission rod fixing sleeve 34-4-4 is used to fix the front and back movement stability of the gripping transmission rod 34-4-3 during the transmission process; the transmission lever 34-4-5 performs clamping or rotation actions under the action of the gripping transmission rod 34-4-3 to complete the clamping of the workpiece 4.

[0099] In some embodiments, the mechanism motion assembly 34-5 includes a mechanism motion support body and a fourth-axis servo motor 34-5-1, a motor protective cover 34-5-2, a harmonic reducer 34-5-3, a drive component 34-5-4, and a heat insulation plate 34-5-5 mounted on the mechanism motion support body. The motor protective cover 34-5-2 covers the fourth-axis servo motor 34-5-1. The harmonic reducer 34-5-3 is connected between the fourth-axis servo motor 34-5-1 and the drive component 34-5-4. The heat insulation plate 34-5-5 is mounted on one end of the drive component 34-5-4 near the gripping mechanism 34-4. The gripping mechanism 34-4 is mounted on the drive component 34-5-4 and can follow the movement of the drive component 34-5-4. A cooling component 34-5 is also mounted on the mechanism motion support body. -6, Cooling component 34-5-6 is used to introduce cold air into the main body of the mechanism's motion support to cool the fourth axis servo motor 34-5-1; The fourth axis of the gantry manipulator 34 adopts a servo motor plus a harmonic reducer 34-5-3. A bearing 34-5-7 is also provided between the drive component 34-5-4 and the main body of the mechanism's motion support. The bearing 34-5-7 can be a double angular contact bearing 34-5-7 or a crossed roller bearing 34-5-7. In order to counteract the lateral force of the gripping mechanism 34-4, its axial load can be designed to withstand 500KG. In order to ensure the working life of the bearing 34-5-7 in the thermal radiation environment, a double insurance of heat insulation material and heat insulation coating is adopted, so that it can work continuously in the high temperature thermal radiation environment; The heat insulation plate 34-5-5 is used to block heat conduction and radiant heat components.

[0100] The thermoforming system 3 employs an in-furnace gripping scheme, reducing the air cooling time of the thermoformed parts. The cycle time from gripping the workpiece 4 to placing it into the thermoforming mold 1 can be less than 11 seconds, better ensuring the structural changes of the parts. Furthermore, the quenching equipment, thermoforming mold 1, and water cooling system operate according to automated logic. In the first stage, a fluid water blowing method is used to directly contact the surface of the steel workpiece 4 heated to above Ac3, reducing its temperature to 250-450°C within a controlled time of 3-15 seconds. In the second stage... The process employs a fluid water jet cooling method to directly contact the surface of the steel workpiece 4, reducing its temperature to below 180°C within a controlled time of 3 to 10 seconds. Alternatively, the surface temperature of the steel workpiece 4 can be continuously cooled without two stages, for example, reducing it to below 100°C within a controlled time of 2 to 30 seconds. This process uses heat exchange to achieve the quenching purpose of the workpiece 4. The quenching equipment features dual-mode control for pressure and positioning, maintaining the overall fit of the upper and lower molds. It does not require high pressure, and the overall tonnage is controlled at 2 tons. -300 tons are all possible; the gripping mechanism 34-4 of the gantry manipulator 34 is made of high-temperature resistant material and can work continuously at a temperature of 1000 degrees Celsius; the gripping frame 34-4-1 of the gantry manipulator 34 is treated with a high-temperature resistant coating and has circulating cold air inside, which allows it to maintain its mechanical and mechanical properties in a thermal radiation environment of 1100℃, enabling it to work continuously in this environment; the fourth axis of the gantry manipulator 34 uses a servo motor and a harmonic reducer 34-5-3 to counteract the gripping mechanism To mitigate the lateral force of structure 34-4, a double angular contact bearing 34-5-7 or a crossed roller bearing 34-5-7 is designed, capable of withstanding an axial load of 500KG. To ensure the working life of bearing 34-5-7 in a heat radiation environment, a double protection system of heat insulation material and heat insulation coating is adopted, enabling it to work continuously in a high-temperature heat radiation environment. The thermoforming system 3 only requires manual feeding in the turntable feeding area of ​​the first station 6; all other operations are fully automated with complete automated program control, ensuring fully automated production of the production line.

[0101] Specifically, the hot stamping process using this thermoforming system 3 includes:

[0102] Step S1: Cutting galvanized steel sheet: Process the steel into coils or sheets and cut them to the required dimensions; or cutting Al-Si steel sheet can also be applied.

[0103] Step S2: Cold stamping: The steel workpiece 4 is formed by cold stamping using a mold;

[0104] Step S3: Heating: Heat the steel workpiece 4 to above Ac3; when the steel surface has no coating in step S1, in step S3, first heat the steel workpiece 4 to above 700℃ at 12-28℃ / s, then heat it to above Ac3 at 1-5℃ / s, and hold it at that temperature for 28-55s; when the steel is surface treated by any of the following methods in step S1: Zn plating, Al plating, Al-Si plating, and high-temperature oxidant coating, in step S3, when the temperature is below 500℃, the heating rate of the steel workpiece 4 is 8-15℃ / s, then heat it to between 560℃ and 980℃ at 15-30℃ / s, then heat it to above Ac3 at 1-5℃ / s, and hold it at that temperature for 28-55s;

[0105] Step S4: Transfer workpiece 4 to thermoforming equipment 2 using the gantry crane robot;

[0106] Step S5: The upper mold 11 assembly is closed along the X direction, gradually fitting into the workpiece 4 and pressing into the lower mold 12 assembly;

[0107] Step S6: Activate the quenching equipment in the thermoforming equipment 2 for quenching. Under pressure, multiple jets 14 start to spray the medium to perform thermoforming quenching on the workpiece 4.

[0108] Step S7: The pressurization device stops after quenching is completed;

[0109] Step S8: The upper mold 11 assembly moves in the opposite direction until the mold opening is completed;

[0110] Step S9: The robot picks up the quenched product and places it into the shot blasting and oiling equipment for the next process.

[0111] The thermoforming system 3 can enhance the controllability of steel quenching, simplify the production process of thermoforming, reduce the power consumption of thermoforming equipment 2, improve equipment efficiency, and reduce the equipment's footprint.

[0112] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0113] The thermoforming equipment provided by this invention has been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this invention. The descriptions of the embodiments above are merely for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications to this invention without departing from its principles, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A thermoforming device, characterized in that, include: Equipment frame (21); The upper slider (22) and the lower slider (23) are both mounted on the equipment frame (21). The upper slider (22) is used to drive the upper mold (11) to move, and the lower slider (23) is used to support the lower mold (12). A transmission assembly (24) is mounted on the equipment frame (21). The transmission assembly (24) includes a power component (24-1), a power conversion component (24-2) connected to the power component (24-1), a torque transfer mechanism (24-3) connected to the power conversion component (24-2), and a feedback encoder (24-4) for obtaining the rotation angle of the torque transfer mechanism (24-3). Both the power conversion component (24-2) and the torque transfer mechanism (24-3) are gear-shaped. The torque transfer mechanism (24-3) is used to drive the upper slider (22) to move toward or away from the lower slider (23). The controller is connected to both the power component (24-1) and the feedback encoder (24-4). The controller is used to control the operation of the power component (24-1) based on the rotation angle of the torque transfer mechanism (24-3) obtained by the feedback encoder (24-4).

2. The thermoforming equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission assembly (24) further includes a brake transmission component (24-5) for transmitting the power of the power component (24-1) to the power conversion component (24-2). The brake transmission component (24-5) is connected between the power component (24-1) and the power conversion component (24-2), and the brake transmission component (24-5) is connected to the controller. The controller is also used to control the brake transmission component (24-5) to stop after the upper slider (22) moves to the target position.

3. The thermoforming equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The transmission assembly (24) further includes a rotating connecting component (24-6), one end of which is hinged to the torque transfer mechanism (24-3) and the other end is hinged to the upper slider (22). The torque transfer mechanism (24-3) pulls the upper slider (22) up and down through the rotating connecting component (24-6). Furthermore, there are at least two of each of the power conversion component (24-2), the torque transfer mechanism (24-3), and the rotating connecting component (24-6), which are symmetrically distributed along the left and right sides of the brake transmission component (24-5). At least one of the rotating connecting components (24-6) is distributed and connected to the left and right sides of the upper slider (22).

4. The thermoforming equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper part of the lower slider (23) is provided with a worktable surface. The worktable surface is provided with a plurality of positioning grooves for positioning the lower mold (12) and a plurality of fixing grooves for fixing the lower mold (12). The positioning grooves and the fixing grooves are arranged in an array.

5. The thermoforming equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a thermoforming mold (1), the thermoforming mold (1) comprising: The upper mold (11) and the lower mold (12) form a cavity for inserting the workpiece (4). Both the upper mold (11) and the lower mold (12) have cavities inside. Furthermore, the upper mold (11) and the lower mold (12) have a hollow portion (13) at a target position near the cavity. The hollow portion (13) communicates with the cavity so that the medium in the cavity can be sprayed onto the workpiece (4) through the hollow portion (13). A plurality of jets (14) are installed in the cavities of the upper mold (11) and / or the lower mold (12); Several media conduits (15) are disposed within the cavity, the media conduits (15) being used to supply media to the jet (14), and the pressure of the media conduits (15) being adjustable.

6. The thermoforming equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, Also includes: The upper mold water supply installation adapter (25) is used to connect to the external pipeline. The upper mold water supply installation adapter (25) is installed on the equipment frame (21), and the upper mold (11) is provided with a quick-release connector that can be detachably connected to the upper mold water supply installation adapter (25). The quick-release connector is connected to the medium pipeline (15).

7. The thermoforming equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Waste gas collection component (28) for collecting waste gas during the quenching process, said waste gas collection component (28) is installed on the top of said equipment frame (21); A water circulation system (29) is used to collect and recycle the medium; the water circulation system (29) includes: a circulating water collection tank (29-1) for storing cooling water recovered from the thermoforming mold (1) and performing primary filtration on the cooling water; a return water component (29-2) for drawing cooling water from the thermoforming mold (1) and conveying it to the circulating water collection tank (29-1), the return water component (29-2) being connected to the circulating water collection tank (29-1); a water storage tank component (29-3) for storing primary filtered circulating water in the circulating water collection tank (29-1); and a water supply component (29-4) for obtaining primary filtered circulating water from the circulating water collection tank (29-1) and conveying it to the water storage tank component (29-3), the water storage tank component (29-3) being connected to a water supply channel for conveying cooling water to the thermoforming mold (1); A secondary filter (29-5) and / or a tertiary filter (29-6) are installed on the water supply channel for secondary and / or tertiary filtration of the cooling water in the water supply channel; a high-pressure water pump (29-7) is installed on the water supply pipe (29-8) for adjusting the water supply pressure of the water supply channel, the adjustable range of which is 0-3 MPa.

8. The thermoforming equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, It also includes a guide mechanism (210) installed inside the equipment frame (21), the upper slider (22) being slidably connected to the guide mechanism (210); the lower slider (23) is slidably installed inside the equipment frame (21), and the lower slider (23) can slide from inside the equipment frame (21) to the outside to replace the mold.

9. A thermoforming system, characterized in that, Includes the thermoforming equipment (2) as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The thermoforming system according to claim 9, characterized in that, It also includes a tunnel furnace, which is provided with a workpiece placement position (31-1), a heating zone (31-2), a heat preservation zone (31-3), and an in-furnace gripping zone (31-4) in sequence from the loading end to the unloading end; it also includes a station loading device (32) and an automatic loading robot (33), which is used to grip the workpiece (4) in the station loading device (32) and place it in the workpiece placement position (31-1); it also includes a gantry manipulator (34) and a medium supply and recycling device (35), the thermoforming equipment (2) is located between the gantry manipulator (34) and the medium supply and recycling device (35), and the gantry manipulator (34) is used to move the workpiece (4) in the in-furnace gripping zone (31-4) to the thermoforming equipment (2).

11. The thermoforming system according to claim 10, characterized in that, The truss manipulator (34) includes a first support column (34-1), a second support column (34-2), a transverse support member (34-3), a gripping mechanism (34-4), and a mechanism motion assembly (34-5). The first support column (34-1) and the second support column (34-2) are respectively located at both ends of the transverse support member (34-3). The gripping mechanism (34-4) is suspended from the mechanism motion assembly via a fourth axis connection mechanism. The bottom of 34-5); the gripping mechanism (34-4) includes a gripping frame (34-4-1), a gripping cylinder (34-4-2), a gripping transmission rod (34-4-3), a transmission rod fixing sleeve (34-4-4), and a transmission lever (34-4-5). The gripping cylinder (34-4-2) is mounted on the gripping frame (34-4-1), and the gripping cylinder (34-4-2) is also provided with a cylinder protective cover (34-4-6). The gripping transmission rod (34-4-3) is slidably connected to the transmission rod fixing sleeve (34-4-4). One end of the gripping transmission rod (34-4-3) is connected to the gripping cylinder (34-4-2), and the other end is connected to the transmission lever (34-4-5). Furthermore, the bottom of the gripping frame (34-4-1) is provided with a first hook (34-4-7), and the bottom of the transmission lever (34-4-5) is provided with a second hook (34-4-8). When the workpiece (4) moves to the gripping area (31-4) inside the tunnel furnace, one end of the workpiece (4) moves to the first hook (34-4-7), the gripping cylinder (34-4-2) drives the gripping transmission rod (34-4-3) to move horizontally, so as to drive the transmission lever (34-4-5) to swing, and the transmission lever (34-4-5) drives the second hook (34-4-8) to swing, so as to engage the other end of the workpiece (4).

12. The thermoforming system according to claim 11, characterized in that, The mechanism motion assembly (34-5) includes a mechanism motion support body and a fourth-axis servo motor (34-5-1), a motor protective cover (34-5-2), a harmonic reducer (34-5-3), a drive component (34-5-4), and a heat insulation plate (34-5-5) mounted on the mechanism motion support body. The motor protective cover (34-5-2) covers the fourth-axis servo motor (34-5-1), and the harmonic reducer (34-5-3) is connected to the fourth-axis servo motor (34-5-1) and the drive component (34-5-4). Between 34-5-4), the heat insulation plate (34-5-5) is installed at one end of the drive component (34-5-4) near the gripping mechanism (34-4). The gripping mechanism (34-4) is installed on the drive component (34-5-4) and can follow the movement of the drive component (34-5-4). A cooling component (34-5-6) is also installed on the mechanism motion support body. The cooling component (34-5-6) is used to introduce cold air into the mechanism motion support body to cool the fourth axis servo motor (34-5-1).

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