Formed Material Flange Thickness Control via Drawing-Out Ironing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional formed material manufacturing methods result in unnecessarily thick flange portions due to shrinkage, leading to increased weight and size of the formed material, particularly problematic for applications like motor cases that require lightweight designs.

Innovation Solution

Implementing at least two forming processes, including a drawing-out process with ironing on the raw material metal plate corresponding to the flange portion, to thin the flange portion's thickness relative to the trunk portion, thereby reducing weight and size.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If a drawing process is used to manufacture the formed material, then the trunk portion can be formed by stretching the raw material metal plate, but the plate thickness of the flange portion becomes unnecessarily thick due to overall shrinkage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrunk portion formationVSAvoidflange portion thickness
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The forming process is divided into two distinct stages: a drawing-out process that forms the trunk portion while controlling flange thickness, followed by a drawing process that completes the trunk formation. This segmentation allows independent control of flange and trunk thickness characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The drawing-out process performs preliminary forming of the trunk portion before the final drawing process. During this preliminary stage, ironing is applied to the flange portion to control its thickness before the main drawing operation, preventing excessive thickening.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Strength

If the plate thickness of the raw material is increased to compensate for drawing process thinning, then the trunk portion shielding performance improves, but the flange portion becomes excessively thick and heavy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrunk portion shielding performanceVSAvoidformed material weight
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the formed material are given different thickness characteristics: the trunk portion is formed with sufficient thickness for shielding performance, while the flange portion is controlled to have appropriate thickness for attachment strength. This is achieved through localized ironing during the drawing-out process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The process parameters are changed between the two forming stages. During the drawing-out process, ironing parameters are optimized to control flange thickness, while during the subsequent drawing process, parameters are optimized for trunk portion formation and shielding performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Quantity of substance

If ironing is performed on the flange portion during the drawing-out process, then the flange portion thickness is reduced to appropriate levels, but the process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflange portion thickness controlVSAvoidforming process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ironing operation is merged with the drawing-out process rather than being performed as a separate operation. The die structure for the drawing-out process is designed to incorporate ironing action, allowing simultaneous trunk formation and flange thickness control in one operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

The method effectively reduces the thickness of the flange portion, resulting in a lighter and more compact formed material suitable for applications like motor cases without compromising the performance of the trunk portion.

Implementation Method 1

by pushing the raw material metal plate into the pushing hole together with the punch during the drawing-out process, ironing is performed on a region of the raw material metal plate corresponding to the flange portion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIroning: Plasticity

Implementation Method 2

the region of the metal plate corresponding to the flange portion undergoes overall shrinkage in response to formation of the trunk portion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectShrinkage: Deformation

Data Source

PatentEP3015184B1Molded material manufacturing method and molded material
Publication Date: 2018.02.28 NISSHIN STEEL CO LTD
  • EP3015184B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3015184B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3015184B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A formed material is manufactured by performing forming including at least one drawing-out process and at least one drawing process performed after the drawing-out process. A punch 31 used in the drawing-out process is formed to be wider on a rear end side than on a tip end side. By pushing a raw material metal plate into a pushing hole 30a together with the punch 31, ironing is performed on a region of the raw material metal plate corresponding to a flange portion.