Curved Closed-Section Structural Component Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing curvilineal closed structure parts, such as hydroforming and roll forming, are costly and result in poor surface accuracy and limited cross-sectional shapes, while press forming is restricted to specific shapes and equipment costs are high.
Innovation Solution
A method using press forming to create polygonal shape closed structure parts with a bent shape by preforming metal plates into tetragonal or similar shapes, welding flanges at the ends, and then compressing them to form a curvilinear closed structure with minimized flanges and improved rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If hydroforming or roll forming is used to manufacture curvilineal closed structure parts, then the parts can be formed with minimized flange areas, but the equipment cost becomes very high
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is divided into two distinct stages: first forming polygonal closed structure parts with minimized flanges, then bending these parts into curvilineal shapes. This segmentation allows each stage to use simpler, more cost-effective equipment rather than requiring complex hydroforming or roll forming equipment to complete the entire process in one operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The polygonal closed structure parts are pre-formed with minimized flange areas before the bending process. This preliminary action of creating the closed structure first, then bending it, simplifies the equipment requirements compared to attempting to form the final curvilineal shape directly in one step using complex forming equipment.
2Shape
If hydroforming or roll forming is used to manufacture curvilineal closed structure parts, then the parts can be formed with minimized flange areas, but the production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The process separates polygonal part formation from curvilineal bending, allowing each to be manufactured using cost-effective methods. The polygonal parts can be produced using simple press forming, and the bending can be done using conventional bending equipment, avoiding the high production costs of hydroforming or roll forming.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses simple, inexpensive polygonal closed structure parts as intermediates that are subsequently bent into the final curvilineal shape. These polygonal parts serve as cost-effective substitutes for directly producing complex curvilineal shapes using expensive forming processes.
3Shape
If existing press forming methods are used to manufacture closed structure parts with curved vertical walls, then a predetermined shape can be obtained, but large rolling deformation is generated in the flanges making it difficult to match butting sections
Solution Approach 1:
The invention separates the formation of the closed structure from the creation of curvilineal shapes. By first forming polygonal parts with straight walls and minimized flanges, then bending the entire closed structure into curvilineal shapes, the method avoids generating large rolling deformations in the flanges that would occur if curved walls were formed directly, thereby maintaining butting section matching accuracy.
4Stability of the object's composition
If welding is performed on all peripheral portions of metal plates before hydroforming, then the closed structure is completed, but the surface accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the welding operation from the peripheral portions of the metal plates. Instead of welding all peripheral portions, the method forms closed polygonal structures with minimized flanges and joins them through bending, thereby eliminating the need for extensive welding that would deteriorate surface accuracy.
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
This method reduces production costs, minimizes flange weight, enhances torsional rigidity, and allows for the use of ultra-high strength steel plates, achieving a predetermined shape mainly through bending forming at a lower cost than existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
a first press forming step in which a metal plate is formed into a predetermined shape
Implementation Method 2
a bending process in which the closed-section structural component is bent into a curvilinear shape
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a polygonal shape closed structure part with a bent shape in the longitudinal direction only by press forming is provided. The method uses two metal plates for manufacturing a curvilineal closed structure part and includes a press forming process of forming straight or bent folding lines in the longitudinal direction of the two metal plates at positions corresponding to a polygonal bent shape with a flange formed at least at one of the ends of the width direction of each plate, a process of forming a closed structure by laying the two metal plates so as to overlap each other flange to flange and end to end for ends without flanges and by welding the portions laid so as to overlap each other in the longitudinal direction of the metal plates, and a process of forming a polygonal shape closed structure having a bent shape in the longitudinal direction by holding both ends of the closed structure and by compressing it toward its central axis.