Lateral Extrusion of Metal Blanks Using Spring-Biased Slidable Tools
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing metal forming techniques, such as upsetting or coning, face limitations in radial expansion and material reduction, often requiring multiple stations and resulting in significant scrap material when forming complex or irregular shapes.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a spring-biased slidable tool in a progressive forming machine for lateral extrusion, allowing for fewer stations and reduced scrap by displacing blank material through a lateral aperture during the forming process, enabling high reduction in area and finished thickness with fewer operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If upsetting or coning dies are used to radially expand a blank, then the blank can be shaped into more complex forms, but the amount of radial expansion is limited and multiple stations are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional axial compression (one-dimensional) to lateral extrusion through a side aperture (introducing a second dimension). The blank is forced sideways through a die aperture located on the side of the punch, enabling complex radial expansions in a single station by utilizing lateral material flow rather than purely axial deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a slidable punch assembly that can move laterally relative to the die breast, allowing the punch to reciprocate in and out of the die during the forming cycle. This dynamic mechanism enables the punch to engage the blank for lateral extrusion and then retract, facilitating complex shape formation in one station without permanent tooling constraints.
2Loss of substance
If extrusion technique is used to reduce area, then material reduction is achieved, but physical limits are reached
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies extrusion in a lateral direction rather than the traditional axial direction. By forcing material through a side aperture perpendicular to the blank axis, the process achieves greater material displacement and area reduction than conventional axial extrusion, overcoming physical limits while maintaining productivity.
3Shape
If customary processes are used to form irregularly shaped parts, then the desired shape is achieved, but a large volume of material must be trimmed resulting in significant scrap
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary shaping through lateral extrusion that directly forms the final irregular geometry of the part. By forcing material to flow sideways through a contoured die aperture, the desired irregular shape is created during the forming operation itself, eliminating or reducing the need for subsequent trimming operations and minimizing scrap generation.
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 shaping of metal parts with fewer stations, reduces scrap material, and allows for complex shapes with lateral extensions, improving efficiency and reducing material waste in metal forming processes.
Implementation Method 1
The spring is arranged to hold the tools in fixed relation during this blank extrusion step against forces developed in the blank
Implementation Method 2
The spring allows the slidable tool to recede on the part of the machine on which it is mounted while the ram is approaching front dead center (FDC)
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for forming metal parts in a progressive forming machine wherein one of the opposed tools on a ram and die breast is spring biased to operatively close the tools before the ram reaches front dead center thereby allowing material of the blank to extrude sideways through an aperture formed by both of the opposed tools in the final forward movement of the ram.