Strain-Map Lubrication for Sheet Metal Stamping Blanks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional sheet metal lubrication methods result in excessive lubricant consumption, overspray, and sticking issues during storage, leading to production inefficiencies and damage risks in stamping processes, as well as difficulties in cleaning and painting metal components.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that apply lubrication non-uniformly based on strain maps generated from test stamping processes, using a print head with individually controlled nozzles to apply varying thicknesses and patterns of lubrication, reducing lubrication near edges and using both liquid and dry-film lubricants, with a control module to optimize lubrication distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If uniform lubrication is applied across the entire sheet metal blank, then lubrication coverage is improved, but lubricant consumption increases and causes sticking during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies lubrication non-uniformly across the sheet metal blank, with varying thickness in different regions. The lubrication thickness is determined by the strain map, providing thicker lubrication in high-strain areas and thinner or no lubrication in low-strain areas. This local quality approach ensures adequate lubrication where needed while reducing overall lubricant consumption and preventing sticking during storage.
2Reliability
If excess lubrication is applied to sheet metal blanks, then lubrication effectiveness is improved, but stacking and handling becomes difficult due to sticking
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies lubrication with spatially varying thickness based on the strain map of the stamping process. Regions requiring less lubrication (low-strain areas) receive minimal or no lubrication, preventing sticking during stacking and handling. This localized approach maintains lubrication effectiveness in critical areas while eliminating the sticking problem in non-critical areas.
3Loss of substance
If strain-based non-uniform lubrication is implemented, then lubricant consumption is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs a test stamping process or computer simulation before actual production to generate a strain map that predicts the lubrication needs of the specific blank geometry. This preliminary action allows the lubrication system to be pre-configured with the optimal non-uniform lubrication pattern, reducing complexity during actual production runs while achieving significant lubricant consumption reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a digital strain map (a copy of the physical stamping process results) to control the lubrication application. Instead of requiring complex mechanical adjustments, the system uses the strain map data to drive a lubrication system with individually controllable nozzles, simplifying the physical system while enabling precise non-uniform lubrication based on the digital model.
4Ease of manufacture
If uniform lubrication thickness is applied, then application process is simple, but edge sticking occurs during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The lubrication system applies different lubrication thicknesses to different regions of the sheet metal blank based on the strain map. Specifically, the system reduces or eliminates lubrication near the edges where sticking is most likely to occur, while maintaining adequate lubrication in the center regions where it is most needed for the stamping process. This local quality approach prevents edge sticking during storage without compromising overall lubrication effectiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a metal component includes performing a test stamping process on a test sheet metal blank, generating a strain map of the test sheet metal blank for the test stamping process, generating a lubrication program based on the strain map, applying lubrication to the sheet metal according to the lubrication program, and stamping the sheet metal to form the metal component. The lubrication program is configured to control a lubrication system to apply lubrication to sheet metal in a non-uniform distribution across the sheet metal. The non-uniform distribution correlates to the strain map.