Impact Forming of Local Features on Thin-Walled Curved Metal Parts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for forming local small features on metal thin-walled curved-surface parts are costly, inefficient, and require complex equipment and dies, making it difficult to achieve precise deformation in limited spaces with minimal springback and material thinning.
Innovation Solution
An impact forming device and method using impact forming dies, loading units with explosive balls, and a forming supporting die to apply instantaneous impact loads, allowing for flexible force application and high-speed deformation without the need for large equipment or complex die tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If stamping forming is used to form local small features, then the macroscopic shape can be formed through integral die, but the processing production and independent control of integral forming die and local small die are difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the forming process into two independent stages: first forming the macroscopic shape using an integral die, then forming local small features using separate local small dies. This segmentation allows each die to be optimized for its specific function, reducing the complexity of coordinating a single complex die while maintaining forming precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary forming of the macroscopic shape before forming the local small features. By first creating the overall form and then adding local details, the patent simplifies the forming process and reduces the complexity of die design and control.
2Manufacturing precision
If fluid bulging is used to form local small features, then the blank can be pressed against the female die through fluid medium, but the medium pressure of 50 MPa or even higher is often required and a press machine with a large tonnage is often needed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the forming process so that fluid bulging is used only for forming local small features after the macroscopic shape is already formed. This allows the use of lower pressures for local feature formation compared to forming the entire part, reducing the required pressing force and tonnage of the press machine.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies fluid pressure only to specific local areas where small features need to be formed, rather than pressing the entire blank. This partial action concentrates the forming force where needed while reducing the overall force requirements and allowing the use of smaller press machines.
3Manufacturing precision
If quasi-static loads are applied to the plate blank, then the blank can be formed through stamping or fluid bulging, but the forming speed is relatively slow and significant overall springback is prone to occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic impact loading instead of continuous quasi-static loading. By applying repeated impact forces, the patent achieves both high forming speed and reduced springback, as the dynamic loading allows the material to deform rapidly and lock in the deformation more effectively.
4Speed
If electromagnetic forming is used to form local small features, then the plate blank can be rapidly loaded through electromagnetic force, but special large-size equipment and dies are required and interference is often formed between the special large-size equipment and dies and the integral forming die
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses electromagnetic forming only for the second stage of creating local small features, not for the entire part. This segmentation allows the use of compact electromagnetic forming equipment rather than large-size equipment, avoiding interference with the integral forming die while maintaining high forming speed for local features.
5Speed
If liquid impact forming is used, then a rapid high-pressure effect can be generated on the surface of the metal plate blank, but special equipment is needed to establish a high-pressure environment on the die and the plate blank for a short time and the forming method cannot be used for local small feature forming of large-size thin-walled curved-surface parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines liquid impact forming with segmented local small dies, using the liquid impact only at the specific locations where local small features need to be formed. This approach maintains the high forming speed advantage of liquid impact forming while extending applicability to large-size thin-walled curved-surface parts by focusing the high-pressure effect only where needed rather than requiring a high-pressure environment over the entire die and blank.
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 enables rapid, precise, and cost-effective formation of local small features with reduced springback and material thinning, suitable for various materials and extreme environments, while avoiding unnecessary deformation of adjacent areas.
Implementation Method 1
the explosive ball can be triggered through the detonating block to apply an instantaneous impact load to the impact forming die
Data Source
AI summary
An impact forming device and method for local small features on a metal thin-walled curved-surface part. The impact forming device includes impact forming dies, impact loading units and a forming supporting die, wherein the impact forming die is provided with an impact forming part, and the impact forming part is a convex part corresponding to a local small feature; the forming supporting die can support and fix a metal thin-walled curved-surface part without forming local small features, and the forming supporting die is provided with concave parts matched with the impact forming parts; and the impact loading unit includes a guide rail, an explosive ball and a detonating block, under the impact loading of the impact loading units, the impact forming parts can impact the metal thin-walled curved-surface part without forming local small features under the matching action of the concave parts to form the local small features.