Deep-Drawing Tool Gap Control to Prevent Coating Threads
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Solution Overview
Problem
During the deep-drawing process of sheet metal blanks, the paint or coating cracks, leading to the formation of 'angel hair' threads that adhere to the tool and the formed part, causing production inefficiencies and increased costs due to the need for frequent cleaning and shutdowns.
Innovation Solution
A tool design that forms a constant gap between the cutting bell and the hold-down device by using an end stop mechanism with a lower forming punch, allowing the upper and lower pressure pieces to remain in position relative to each other, thereby preventing the formation of threads during deep drawing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sheet metal blank is clamped between the upper forming punch and the lower pressure piece during deep drawing, then the forming process can be carried out, but the paint or coating cracks and forms threads that adhere to the tool and formed part
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful clamping action is extracted and removed at the critical moment. The drawing cushion is pulled away downwards to release the clamping between the edge of the drawing bell and the hold-down device, eliminating the source of thread formation while maintaining the forming process
Solution Approach 2:
The tool transitions from a static clamping state to a dynamic state where the drawing cushion moves relative to the hold-down device. This dynamic gap formation allows the sheet metal edge to move freely without constraint, preventing paint cracking and thread formation during the forming process
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the drawing cushion and hold-down device are moved in time to form the gap, then thread formation is prevented, but the engineering effort and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drawing cushion is integrated with the hold-down device structure, combining two functions into a unified component. This merging reduces the number of separate moving parts and simplifies the overall tool design while still enabling the necessary gap formation mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The tool mechanism uses the existing forming motion to automatically create the gap. As the upper forming punch moves downward, the drawing cushion is pulled away by the relative motion, eliminating the need for separate actuators or complex control systems to generate the gap
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the production line is shut down to clean the tool and remove threads, then the accumulated paint threads are removed, but production time increases and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tool prevents thread formation in the first place by releasing the clamping action before paint cracking can occur. This preliminary preventive measure eliminates the need for subsequent cleaning operations, maintaining continuous production without interruptions
Solution Approach 2:
The design accepts that some clamping is necessary for forming but converts the harmful continuous clamping into a beneficial intermittent state. The gap formation during critical phases transforms the potential harm of clamping into a benefit, preventing thread formation while maintaining forming effectiveness
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a tool with a material layer on one or both sides, said tool having a cutting bell rigidly coupled to an upper forming punch and a drawing cushion coupled to a hold-down device, the upper forming punch and a lower forming punch being movable relative to one another to close the tool, and a first gap present between the cutting bell and the hold-down device when the tool is closed, and an end stop formed by the lower forming punch for a lower pressure piece that can be moved relative to it, that the sheet metal blank can be clamped between the upper and the lower pressure piece, and that during a relative movement between the lower forming punch and the lower pressure piece, the upper and the lower pressure piece remain in their position relative to one another clamping a sheet metal blank.