Press Mold Gap Control for Single-Piece Non-Ferrous Body Panels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional press molding of non-ferrous vehicle body parts, such as door inner panels, faces low formability due to the lower elongation of non-ferrous materials compared to steel, requiring multiple pieces of blank plates and increasing production costs.

Innovation Solution

A press mold design featuring a lower die and upper die with movable holding units and a gap control assembly, utilizing cushion springs and air cylinders to manage the molding process, allowing for a single-piece formation of non-ferrous vehicle body parts by controlling the cushion strokes and maintaining a predetermined gap between die components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If non-ferrous materials are used to reduce vehicle body weight, then fuel efficiency is improved, but formability of vehicle body parts deteriorates due to lower elongation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle body weightVSAvoidformability of vehicle body parts

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The holding unit is divided into multiple pads (first pad, second pad, third pad, fourth pad) arranged in different directions, allowing independent control of holding forces in various directions to accommodate the lower elongation of non-ferrous materials

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The pads are made movable in the upper-lower direction through cushion springs, enabling dynamic adjustment of holding forces during the press molding process to improve formability of non-ferrous materials

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple pieces of blank plate materials are press-molded to compensate for low formability, then manufacturing complexity increases, but production cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveformability of vehicle body partsVSAvoidnumber of press mold equipment

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The holding unit is segmented into multiple pads arranged in different directions, enabling a single press mold to achieve complex forming operations that previously required multiple press molds

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The multi-pad holding unit provides multi-directional holding capabilities, allowing one press mold to perform functions that previously required multiple specialized press molds

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If multiple pieces of blank plate materials are used, then formability requirements are met, but material waste increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveformability of vehicle body partsVSAvoidmaterial waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The holding unit is divided into multiple pads that can independently control material flow in different directions, enabling effective single-piece forming that reduces material waste from multiple separate components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of manufacture

If conventional press molding is used, then manufacturing process is simple, but wrinkles occur at corners due to low elongation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of press molding processVSAvoidsurface quality of vehicle body parts

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The movable pads with cushion springs provide dynamic holding control during pressing, preventing wrinkles at corners while maintaining the simplicity of the press molding process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Different pads are positioned at different locations (including corner areas) to provide localized holding control where wrinkles are most likely to occur

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 design reduces production costs by enabling the formation of non-ferrous vehicle body parts as a single piece, minimizing material waste and preventing wrinkles at corners, while maintaining a consistent gap and reducing the depth of the die face.

Implementation Method 1

first and second cushion springs, respectively, at an edge of the lower forming steel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

gap control assembly installed in a lower main block connected to the lower main pads

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPneumatics:

Data Source

PatentUS11679433B2Press mold for vehicle body part

Publication Date: 2023.06.20 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A press mold includes: a lower die; an upper die; a lower holding unit including lower main pads and lower sub-pads respectively installed to be movable in an upper-lower direction on the lower body through first and second cushion springs, respectively, at an edge of a lower forming steel; an upper holding unit including upper main pads integrally connected to an edge of an upper forming steel in correspondence with the lower main pads and upper sub-pads installed to be respectively movable in the upper body in the upper-lower direction through third cushion springs at the edge of the upper forming steel in correspondence with the lower sub-pads; and a gap control assembly installed in a lower main block connected to the lower main pads to form a gap set between the lower main blocks and the upper sub-blocks connected to the upper sub-pads.