3D Attachment Production via Combined Fine Blanking and Forming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing complex three-dimensional attachments, such as car seat components, face challenges in achieving high accuracy and small tolerances due to limitations in fine blanking processes, particularly with thick materials, leading to burrs and eccentric loads that impair tolerances and circularity.
Innovation Solution
A method combining fine blanking and forming operations in a single process stage, where the inner forms are aligned with the outer contour, allowing complete cutting of the attachment from the flat strip, followed by centering and flattening of burrs within the tool to prevent distortion and ensure precise alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If fine blanking is performed on thick materials with complex inner structures, then the attachment can be cut out, but burrs develop at inner and outer contours impairing tolerances and circularity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing forming operations before fine blanking to pre-shape the attachment. This preliminary forming reduces the severity of the subsequent fine blanking operation, minimizing burr formation at inner and outer contours while maintaining high dimensional accuracy and circularity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the production process into distinct stages: forming operations first, then fine blanking, and finally burr flattening. This segmentation allows each operation to be optimized independently, with the burr flattening step specifically addressing the harmful burrs generated during fine blanking without affecting the previously achieved precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple separate operations are used for fine blanking and forming, then each operation can be optimized, but production time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges fine blanking and forming operations into a single integrated tool that performs both functions sequentially. The forming dies and fine blanking tools are combined in one device, allowing the attachment to be formed and cut out in one continuous operation, thereby reducing production time while maintaining the dimensional accuracy achieved through optimized forming parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuity of useful action by designing the integrated tool to perform forming and fine blanking without interruption or transfer between separate devices. The attachment remains in the same tool throughout the process, eliminating idle time and handling operations, thus maintaining high productivity while achieving precise dimensional control.
3Ease of manufacture
If high severity fine blanking is used for thick materials, then the attachment can be completely cut out, but tolerances and circularity are impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary forming to reshape the attachment before fine blanking, which reduces the severity of the cutting operation. This preliminary action creates favorable blanking conditions that allow complete cutting of thick materials while maintaining tight tolerances and circularity, avoiding the need for high-severity fine blanking that would compromise precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the attachment through forming operations before fine blanking. By modifying the shape and dimensions in the forming stage, the subsequent fine blanking operation operates under more favorable conditions, enabling complete cutting while preserving manufacturing precision and avoiding tolerance impairment.
4Adaptability or versatility
If forming operations are performed after fine blanking, then complex inner structures can be created, but burrs must be flattened requiring additional finishing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional sequence by performing forming operations before fine blanking instead of after. This inversion allows complex inner structures to be created during the forming stage, which then serves as a preliminary action to reduce fine blanking severity. The attachment is completely cut out with minimal burrs, eliminating or reducing the need for subsequent burr flattening operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses forming as a preliminary action before fine blanking to create complex inner structures. This preliminary forming prepares the material in a way that facilitates clean cutting, allowing versatile production of complex geometries while minimizing the need for additional finishing operations and reducing overall device complexity.
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 approach enables the production of mountable, burr-free hinge attachments with high accuracy and small tolerances in only two process steps, improving safety and reducing production costs by ensuring even loading and precise positioning during the fine blanking and forming processes.
Implementation Method 1
fine blanking while simultaneously forming the at least one plate into which the flat strip is fed
Implementation Method 2
forming the at least one plate into which the flat strip is fed, such that the at least one plate is completely cut out
Implementation Method 3
any burrs which may have developed at least at outer contour during cutting out of the flat strip are flattened
Data Source
AI summary
A method and tool for the production of three-dimensional attachments out of a flat strip by forming and fine blanking operations, especially for car seat components or the like. The flat strip is fed into a tool, at least one plate is stamped out of the plate in the tool, the plate is processed into an attachment in multiple processing steps, at first by fine blanking, in a following second step the developed burrs are flattened and then without finishing the attachment is removed from the tool ready for mounting. Attachments with complex geometry can be produced by combined fine blanking and forming operations in such a way, that mountable and burr-free parts with very small tolerances, high accuracy and process safety can be provided at effective costs. Simultaneous forming and fine blanking of the plate is carried out in the first process stage, wherein the plate is completely cut out of the flat strip and the position, form and location of the inner form created by the forming during the complete cutting out is aligned to the outer contour of the plate, and in the second stage, by centering the plate before flattening the burr, which developed during fine blanking at the outer and inner contours, according to its outer contour and simultaneously orienting the plate according to location and form of the shape of the inner form created in the plate in such a way, that the burr at the fine blanked surfaces can be flattened directly in the tool.