Segmented Press-Hardening Tool for Uniform Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Press-hardening tools struggle to maintain full-surface contact with sheet steel materials, especially in steep areas, due to tool wear and irregular thickness distributions, leading to inconsistent cooling and strength properties in the resulting sheet metal parts.
Innovation Solution
A segmented press-hardening tool design where at least one tool part is partially segmented, allowing segments to yield or recede under increased pressure, ensuring full-surface contact and uniform cooling, with gas pressure springs providing resilient support and cooling devices integrated for optimal surface pressure and cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the press-hardening tool uses a rigid non-segmented design, then the tool structure is simple and robust, but full-surface contact with the sheet steel material cannot be reliably guaranteed, especially in steep areas
Solution Approach 1:
The tool part is divided into multiple segments that can independently move relative to each other. The segments are connected through resilient elements (gas pressure springs) allowing them to yield and recede when pressing force is exceeded, enabling adaptive contact with the sheet steel material in steep areas while maintaining overall tool structural integrity.
2Reliability
If clamping webs are added to clamp the sheet steel material in relevant areas, then contact in those areas is improved, but air gaps remain in non-clamped areas leading to insufficient cooling and strength increase
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented tool design transforms the static rigid tool structure into a dynamic system where segments can independently adjust their position. The resilient connection allows segments to yield when pressing force exceeds a certain threshold, enabling the tool to adapt to variations in sheet steel thickness and maintain consistent contact across the entire surface, including previously problematic non-clamped areas.
3Manufacturing precision
If increased pressing force is applied to ensure full-surface contact, then contact quality improves, but tool wear increases and risk of tool damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient elements (gas pressure springs) are pre-installed in the segmented tool structure to provide a cushioning effect. When the pressing force exceeds the resilient element's capacity, they yield and allow segment movement, preventing excessive force transmission to the tool structure. This beforehand cushioning protects the tool from damage while maintaining adequate contact pressure for quality forming.
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 tool achieves uniform cooling and high surface pressure across the sheet metal part, ensuring consistent strength and dimensional stability, even in steep areas, while reducing the risk of defects and tool damage.
Implementation Method 1
at least a first segment movable on the relevant tool part is arranged and can yield or recede when a certain pressing force is exceeded against this applied pressing force
Implementation Method 2
can yield or recede when a certain pressing force is exceeded
Implementation Method 3
a heated sheet steel material is formed by applying a pressing force acting in the working direction and cooled and thereby hardened
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a press-hardening tool (100) for producing hardened shaped sheet metal parts from a sheet steel material (400), comprising at least two tool parts which are movable in relation to each other in a working direction (D) and between which, under application of a pressure force (F) acting in the working direction (D), a heated sheet steel material (400) can be shaped and cooled and in the process hardened. It is provided that at least one of the tool parts (220) is formed in a segmented manner and has at least a first segment (221) having a shaped section extending transversely to the working direction (D) and at least a second segment (223) having a shaped section extending steeply with respect to the working direction (D), wherein the first segment (221) is arranged in a movable manner on the relevant tool part (220) and, when a particular pressure force (F) is exceeded, can yield (A) counter to the pressure force (F) applied, in order as a result to allow continued moving together of the tool parts and associated intensified pressing (B, C) of the second segment (223) against the sheet steel material (400).