Metallic Component Forming with Flow Barriers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing components with projections from flat metallic materials often result in excessive wall thickness reduction, leading to instability and potential deformation under high loads, especially in applications like hinges where high forces are transmitted.
Innovation Solution
A method involving tool parts with recesses and flow barriers to control the flow of metallic material, ensuring the projection is formed with a wall thickness in all regions greater than or equal to half the original wall thickness, preventing excessive reduction and enhancing stability by using material from both partial areas, thus avoiding the need for separate parts and welding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the flat material is pressed to form a projection without flow barriers, then the production process is simple, but the wall thickness is excessively reduced leading to instability and deformation under high loads
Solution Approach 1:
Flow barriers are introduced as intermediary elements between the tool parts and the flat material. These flow barriers control the material flow during pressing, preventing excessive wall thickness reduction while maintaining production simplicity. The flow barriers act as mediators that guide the metallic material to flow into the recess without causing instability in critical wall regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow barriers create local variations in material flow characteristics. By positioning flow barriers at specific locations, the pressing process achieves different wall thickness outcomes in different regions: the recess area receives sufficient material flow to form the projection, while critical wall regions maintain adequate thickness to prevent deformation under load.
2Shape
If material flows freely into the recess during pressing, then the projection is well-formed, but the wall thickness in adjacent regions is excessively reduced causing instability
Solution Approach 1:
Flow barriers serve as intermediary structures that mediate between the recess and the surrounding material. They allow controlled material flow into the recess to ensure proper projection formation, while simultaneously preventing excessive material depletion from adjacent wall regions, thus maintaining stability in the object's composition.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow barriers create localized control zones during pressing. In the recess area, material flow is encouraged to form the projection with proper shape. In adjacent wall regions, the flow barriers prevent excessive material flow away, maintaining sufficient wall thickness and compositional stability throughout the component.
3Strength
If multiple separate parts are used to achieve the desired component geometry, then the wall thickness can be maintained, but additional joining operations like welding are required increasing complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The flow barrier technique enables the merging of multiple functional requirements into a single integrated component. By controlling material flow during pressing, the projection and the supporting wall structures are formed as one integrated piece from the flat material, eliminating the need for separate parts and joining operations while maintaining adequate wall thickness throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing parameters and flow barrier positioning are optimized to achieve proper material distribution in a single forming operation. This allows the component to be produced as one piece with appropriate wall thicknesses in all regions, avoiding the need for subsequent joining 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
The method allows for the production of components with enhanced mechanical properties, capable of withstanding high loads without deformation, while being produced in a single piece and cost-effectively, without the need for additional joining operations.
Implementation Method 1
part of the metallic material of the flat material...flows into the recess, as a result of which the projection is produced
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing a component (10) having at least one projection (14) from a flat material (12) formed from a metallic material and having at least one wall thickness (t), comprising the steps of: arranging the flat material (12) between a first tool part (20) and a second tool part (22) arranged opposite the first tool part (20), wherein the first tool part (20) has at least one recess (24) on a side facing the flat material (12) for producing the projection (14), and wherein at least one of the tool parts (20, 22) has at least one flow barrier (26, 28) which projects beyond a surface (30, 32) 34) of the at least one tool part (20, 22) adjoining the flow barrier (26, 28); and pressing the flat material (12) arranged between the tool parts (20, 22) by means of the tool parts (20, 22),