Hot Press Die Cooling for Quenching Tailor Welded Blank Steps
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Solution Overview
Problem
In formed products using tailor welded blanks with varying thicknesses, the step portions between different thicknesses experience insufficient cooling and quenching, leading to reduced hardness due to the die releasing space, which prevents effective quenching.
Innovation Solution
A die design with refrigerant passages and ejection paths that direct coolant to the space between forming surfaces, ensuring quenching of the step portions during press forming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a die releasing space is formed between the forming surface and the workpiece to prevent interference, then the ease of operation is improved, but the cooling efficiency deteriorates due to insufficient contact between the die and the step portion
Solution Approach 1:
A refrigerant ejection path is introduced as an intermediary mechanism to deliver refrigerant directly into the die releasing space. This allows cooling of the step portion without requiring direct contact between the die and the workpiece, thus maintaining the necessary die releasing space while improving cooling efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses refrigerant (fluid) ejection through a dedicated path to achieve cooling in the die releasing space. This pneumatic/hydraulic approach allows thermal energy transfer without mechanical contact, resolving the contradiction between maintaining operational space and achieving effective cooling.
2Temperature
If the die releasing space is eliminated to improve cooling contact, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to potential interference between the forming surface and the workpiece
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerant ejection path serves as a mediator that enables cooling without requiring physical contact between the die and workpiece. This eliminates the need to compromise the die releasing space, allowing both effective cooling and smooth operation to coexist.
3Device complexity
If conventional cooling methods are used without targeted refrigerant delivery, then the device complexity is kept low, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to insufficient quenching of step portions
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent cooling paths, including a specific refrigerant ejection path targeted at the die releasing space. This segmentation allows precise delivery of refrigerant to the step portion, ensuring uniform quenching and hardness without excessive overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant ejection path provides localized cooling specifically at the die releasing space where the step portion is located. This local quality approach ensures that the step portion receives adequate cooling and achieves the required hardness, while the rest of the system maintains relatively simple architecture.
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 die design enables effective quenching of the step portions, enhancing the hardness of the formed products by ensuring uniform and efficient cooling.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerant passage 63 through which a refrigerant flows, at least one refrigerant ejection path 64 having one end connected to the refrigerant passage 63 and the other end opening to a forming surface
Implementation Method 2
The refrigerant is supplied from the refrigerant ejection path to the space at the time of forming, and the step portion of the metal plate material exposed to the space can be cooled by the refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
A die press-forms a tailor welded blank (12A) in a heated state, the tailor welded blank being formed by welding a first plate portion (34) made of a first metal plate material and a second plate portion (35) made of a second metal plate material thicker than the first metal plate material while making the first plate portion and the second plate portion abut against each other. The die includes a refrigerant passage through which a refrigerant flows, and at least one refrigerant ejection path (64) having one end connected to the refrigerant passage and the other end opening to a forming surface of the die (lower die 13). The die includes a first forming surface (51), and a second forming surface (52), farther apart from a forming surface of another die than the first forming surface (51), for forming a step (53) together with the first forming surface (51). The other end of the at least one refrigerant ejection path (64) opens near the step (53) on the second forming surface (52) between the first forming surface (51) and the second forming surface (52). It is possible to provide a die for hot press forming, which can perform quenching even for the step portion of the metal plate material and increase hardness.