Vehicle Pillar Press Forming With Segmented Clamping

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Solution Overview

Problem

High tensile strength steels used in vehicle pillars face challenges in press forming due to low ductility, leading to low yield and excessive material trimming during conventional manufacturing processes.

Innovation Solution

A press forming method and die configuration that clamps both ends of a work piece in a longer side direction using pressing pads and a punch, while maintaining clamping by blank holders and a die, allowing for controlled deformation and reduced material waste.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the whole periphery of the material is clamped using a blank holder in conventional press forming, then the material can be securely held for forming, but many clamped portions must be trimmed and removed in the post-process, deteriorating the yield

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclamping reliabilityVSAvoidmaterial yield

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The clamping function is segmented into two distinct systems: blank holders that clamp the shorter side ends and a die with pressing pads that clamp the longer side ends. This segmentation allows selective clamping of only the necessary portions, preventing the need to trim away large portions of the workpiece while maintaining adequate clamping for forming.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different clamping mechanisms are applied to different regions of the workpiece based on local requirements. The blank holders provide clamping at the shorter side ends where it is most needed for forming stability, while the pressing pads provide clamping at the longer side ends to prevent excessive material consumption, creating a locally optimized clamping strategy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If high tensile strength steel is used to achieve the required strength for vehicle pillars, then the deformation strength and fracture strength are improved, but the ductility decreases, making deep drawing difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetensile strengthVSAvoidpress forming difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The clamping parameters are optimized to match the material properties of high tensile strength steel. The pressing pads apply distributed clamping force along the longer sides, while blank holders provide point clamping at the shorter ends. This parameter optimization enables deep drawing of high strength materials without requiring excessive ductility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20260042137A1Method of manufacturing vehicle pillar and press forming die

Publication Date: 2026.02.12 TOPRE

AI summary

A method of manufacturing a vehicle pillar includes: a blanking for obtaining a work piece by cutting a material; a drawing for obtaining an intermediate product by forming the work piece, using an upper die and a lower die; and a trimming for removing an unnecessary portion of the intermediate product. In the drawing, both ends of the work piece in a longer side direction are clamped between pressing pads and a punch. Then, in the drawing, both ends of the work piece in a shorter side direction are clamped between blank holders and a die. In the drawing, a center portion of the work piece is clamped between the die and the punch to form the work piece, while the clamping performed by the pressing pads and the punch, and the clamping performed by the blank holders and the die are maintained.