Cable Tray Bead Press for Torsion-Free Deep Embossing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cable tray components tend to twist due to stresses introduced during the embossing process for stiffening, limiting their handling and load capacity, especially with thicker materials, and existing methods either require complex tools or suffer from material flow issues.
Innovation Solution
A beading press with a form-fitting edge hold-down device that creates a positive connection radially to the bead, preventing significant stress induction and allowing deeper, denser embossing without material flow, using a design that may include inclined embossing gaps and dual embossing tools for material displacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If transverse beads are embossed into the workpiece to stiffen the cable tray base, then the load-bearing capacity is improved, but stresses are introduced into the material causing twisting
Solution Approach 1:
The hold-down device is equipped with form-fitting edges that are pressed into the workpiece surface before bead embossing to create a positive connection. This preliminary action prevents material flow during subsequent bead formation, eliminating stress induction and twisting while allowing deeper embossing for enhanced load-bearing capacity
2Strength
If the depth of bead embossing is increased to improve stiffening, then the load-bearing capacity is improved, but the tendency to twisting increases
Solution Approach 1:
The form-fitting edges create a positive connection before deep embossing occurs, preventing material flow and stress induction throughout the entire embossing process. This enables significantly deeper bead depths (e.g., 3-4 mm) to be achieved without introducing twisting, thereby substantially improving load-bearing capacity
3Strength
If the number of transverse beads is increased to improve load-bearing capacity, then the stiffening is improved, but the extent of torsion becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The form-fitting edges establish a positive connection that prevents material flow before bead formation. This allows multiple transverse beads to be embossed in close succession without cumulative stress induction, enabling dense bead patterns for maximum load-bearing capacity without excessive torsion
4Reliability
If friction between the workpiece and hold-down device is increased to prevent material flow, then material flow is reduced, but the hold-down devices require frequent cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on friction, the form-fitting edges create a positive mechanical connection before bead embossing. This geometric interlocking prevents material flow without requiring high friction coefficients, eliminating the need for frequent cleaning of hard material particles from the hold-down devices
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the friction-based material flow prevention mechanism with a form-fitting mechanical connection. The geometric interlocking of the form-fitting edges provides reliable material flow prevention through shape complementarity rather than surface friction, eliminating contamination issues
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 production of torsion-free cable trays with higher load capacity and deeper embossing, simplifying manufacturing and assembly, and maintaining structural integrity with thinner materials.
Implementation Method 1
pressing in form-fitting edges (16, 17) into opposing surfaces (14) of the workpiece (14), thereby creating a positive connection
Implementation Method 2
The embossing tools (18, 19) with their embossing beads (20, 21) surround a bead (5.1) to be embossed, which acts to form a form-fitting edge (16.1, 17.1) pointing away from the bead (5.1) to be formed. The gap width between the embossing tools (18, 19) outside the form-fitting edges (16.1, 17.1) is larger than between the embossing beads (20, 21). The geometry of the embossing gap between the embossing beads (20, 21) is funnel-shaped and enlarged towards the bead (5.1) to be formed. The plane of the embossing gap is, in FIG. 6, inclined relative to the horizontal plane of the workpiece (14.1) in the direction of the bead (5.1) to be formed. This results in the material of the workpiece (14.1) that circumferentially borders the bead (5.1) being plastically deformed by a press stroke and displaced in the direction of the bead (5.1) to be formed
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~3a
Figure 4~4a
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing a cable tray component which is made of metal and designed, for example, as a cable tray (1) or cable tray cover and has a sequence of beads (5) along its longitudinal extent, which beads are stamped into the workpiece (14) used to form the cable tray component (1) by means of a stamping process, wherein, for the process of bead stamping, the workpiece (14) is clamped in a hold-down element (N) adjacent to or in the transition to a bead (5) to be created. A special feature according to a first embodiment of the method is that the workpiece (14) is held in the hold-down element (N) by a form fit which acts in the radial direction towards the bead (5) to be created and is produced by at least one form-fitting edge (16, 17) pressed into the surface of the workpiece (14), as a result of which at least one indentation following the shape of the bead (5) is introduced into the material of the workpiece (14) by the hold-down element (N) before the bead (5) is formed. According to another embodiment of the method, to create the bead, following its outline geometry, the workpiece in the bead edge region is reduced in terms of its material thickness in the direction of the bead to be created, over a portion extending in the radial direction towards the bead to be created, by at least one stamping bulge located on the hold-down element, and is thus lengthened in the direction of the bead to be formed. The invention also relates to bead presses for producing a cable tray component which is made of metal and has a sequence of beads along its longitudinal extent using this method, and a cable tray component produced therewith.