Conduction Pre-Heating of Patched Blanks for Faster Hot Forming
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The heating of blanks in hot stamping systems is a limiting factor due to the use of continuous furnaces, which are slow and prone to non-uniform heating, leading to distortion and decreased throughput.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a pre-heat station for thermal conduction to pre-heat the patched region of a blank to an intermediate temperature, followed by full heating in a furnace to achieve deformation temperature, reducing overall cycle time and improving uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If continuous furnaces are used to heat blanks to over 900°C, then the blank achieves the required deformation temperature, but the heating process becomes slow and limits the cycle length of the hot stamping system
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by using a pre-heat station to heat the blank to an intermediate temperature (e.g., 200-500°C) before the blank enters the main furnace. This preliminary heating reduces the temperature differential that the furnace must overcome, thereby reducing the total heating time and allowing for shorter cycle lengths while still achieving the required deformation temperature of over 900°C
2Temperature
If continuous furnaces are used to heat blanks, then the blank reaches deformation temperature, but non-uniform heating occurs causing distortion and bowing
Solution Approach 1:
The heating process is segmented into two distinct stages: a pre-heat station that provides initial uniform heating to an intermediate temperature, and a main furnace that completes the heating to deformation temperature. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently - the pre-heat station ensures uniform temperature distribution across the blank surface, while the furnace provides the additional heat needed without causing excessive thermal gradients that lead to distortion
Solution Approach 2:
The pre-heat station acts as an intermediary between the cold blank and the high-temperature furnace. By introducing this intermediate heating stage, the system avoids the problem of direct high-temperature heating that causes non-uniform temperature distribution and distortion. The pre-heat station prepares the blank in a controlled manner, creating a more uniform thermal state before the blank enters the main furnace
3Productivity
If the pass-through speed of blanks is increased to reduce cycle time, then productivity improves, but the heating furnace cannot adequately heat the blanks
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-heat station performs preliminary heating action before the blank enters the main furnace, so that even at higher pass-through speeds, the blank has already absorbed a significant portion of the required heat. This allows the system to maintain higher throughput while still achieving the necessary deformation temperature, as the furnace only needs to provide the final temperature increment rather than heating from ambient temperature
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 system enhances heating efficiency by reducing furnace residence time and minimizing distortion, thereby increasing throughput and quality in hot forming processes.
Implementation Method 1
pre-heating the patched region of the blank in a pre-heat station to a pre-heat temperature by thermal conduction
Implementation Method 2
heating the entire blank in the furnace to an austenite temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing components by hot forming includes receiving a blank having a patched region and a non-patched region; pre-heating the patched region of the blank in a pre-heat station to a pre-heat temperature by thermal conduction without pre-heating at least a portion of the non-patched region to the pre-heat temperature, to provide a pre-heated blank; transferring the pre-heated blank from the pre-heat station to a furnace; heating the entire blank in the furnace to an austenite temperature, wherein the austenite temperature is higher than the pre-heat temperature; transferring the heated blank from the furnace to a press; and shaping the heated blank in the press.