Direct Resistance Heating for Tailored Blank Press-Molding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The tailored blank material method for vehicle components, which involves butt-welding different materials or thicknesses, is not suitable for mass production due to the increased number of working processes required.
Innovation Solution
A direct resistance heating method that applies a current to a plate workpiece with varying cross-sectional areas, creating high-temperature and non-high-temperature heating regions along the longitudinal direction, allowing for efficient heating and reduced processing steps through controlled current and electrode movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If tailored blank material is manufactured by butt-welding different materials or thicknesses, then material characteristics can be partially changed, but the number of working processes increases and mass production becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The plate workpiece is divided into multiple heating regions (first heating region and second heating region) with different temperature characteristics along the longitudinal direction. This segmentation allows different material characteristics to be achieved in different regions without requiring physical welding of separate materials, thereby maintaining mass production capability while achieving material property differentiation.
Solution Approach 2:
Different heating regions are applied to different portions of the plate workpiece to achieve local material characteristic changes. The first heating region provides one temperature profile while the second heating region provides another, allowing tailored material properties in specific areas without affecting the entire workpiece, thus avoiding additional welding processes.
2Ease of operation
If uniform heating is applied to the entire plate workpiece, then heating control is simple, but predetermined temperature profiles for different regions cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The heating process is segmented into multiple independent heating regions along the longitudinal direction of the plate workpiece. Each region can be controlled independently with different temperature profiles, allowing precise temperature distribution control while maintaining relatively simple overall heating control through modular region management.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating control system dynamically adjusts temperature distribution by independently controlling multiple heating regions. The first heating region and second heating region can have different heating rates, temperatures, and durations, enabling precise temperature profiles to be achieved without overly complicating the control system.
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 enables mass production by simplifying the control of heat distribution and reducing the number of working processes, facilitating the manufacture of press-molded products with predetermined temperature profiles.
Implementation Method 1
direct resistance heating of heating a workpiece by directly supplying the workpiece with a current
Data Source
AI summary
In a direct resistance heating method, a current is applied to a plate workpiece having a varying cross-sectional area to heat the workpiece such that a high-temperature heating region and a non-high-temperature heating region are provided side by side. The method includes a preparation step of arranging a pair of electrodes on the workpiece, and a heating step of moving a first electrode from one end of the high-temperature heating region while applying a current to the pair of electrodes, stopping the movement of the first electrode when the first electrode reaches the other end of the high-temperature heating region, and stopping the current from being applied to the pair of electrodes when a predetermined time elapses after stopping the first electrode. A press-molded product manufacturing method includes pressing the workpiece that has been heated by direct resistance heating method using a press die to perform hot press molding.