Attachment Pad Forming in High-Strength Steel Using Local Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tools are not suitable for forming attachment pads in high strength steel sheet materials due to their inability to effectively cold form these stronger, lightweight materials, which are commonly used in the automotive industry for weight reduction and performance enhancement.
Innovation Solution
A tool comprising a housing, an anvil, a slide block, a die block, and a heating device that moves between positions to heat and form attachment pads in high strength steel, utilizing a heating device such as an induction coil to heat the target location on the sheet material to a plastic formable state before forming the pad between the die block and anvil.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cold forming is used to form attachment pads in high strength steel sheet materials, then the process is simple and fast, but the material cannot be effectively formed due to its high strength and low ductility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local heating to change the temperature parameter of the high strength steel sheet material at the target location. This temporary parameter change increases the material's ductility and formability during the forming operation, allowing attachment pads to be formed in materials that would otherwise be too strong and brittle for cold forming. After forming, the material cools and retains its high strength properties.
2Ease of manufacture
If heating is applied to enable forming in high strength steel, then the material becomes formable, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies heating to the target location on the sheet material before the forming operation begins. This preliminary heating action prepares the material in advance by increasing its temperature and ductility, so that when the forming tool applies pressure, the material is already in a suitable state for forming. This eliminates the need for complex simultaneous heating-forming systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies heating only to the specific target location where the attachment pad needs to be formed, rather than heating the entire sheet material. This localized approach minimizes the thermal processing complexity and energy requirements while achieving the necessary formability only where needed.
3Device complexity
If existing cold forming tools are used on high strength steel, then the tool structure is simple, but the tool is not suitable for forming pads in these materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the cold forming tool by adding a heating device, enabling the same tool to effectively process both mild steel (via cold forming) and high strength steel (via hot forming). This multi-functionality allows a single tool design to adapt to different material types and strength levels, increasing versatility without requiring completely separate tooling systems for different materials.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the efficient formation of attachment pads in high strength steel sheet materials, facilitating the joining of component parts by heating the material to a suitable temperature for forming, thereby overcoming the limitations of existing tools that are not effective with high strength alloy steels.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing a heating device such as an induction coil to heat the target location on the sheet material to a plastic formable state before forming the pad
Data Source
AI summary
A tool and associated method for forming an attachment pad on a sheet material made from high strength steel. The tool includes a housing, an anvil supported on the housing and defining a working axis for forming the pad, and a slide block supported on the housing for movement at least along the working axis of the anvil. A die block is supported on the housing opposite the slide block, and is movable in directions along the working axis. The die block cooperates with anvil to form the pad at a target location defined along the working axis. The tool further includes a heating device supported for movement to and between first and second positions relative to the target location. The first position is adjacent to and aligned with the target location, while the second position is displaced from the first position and away from the target location.