The present invention relates to a method of high pressure forming of materials. More particularly, the embodiments disclosed relate to a method and device for hydroforming in which an immersion bath of fluid, preferably the hydroforming fluid, is used to control the temperature of the workpiece at least before and during the hydroforming process.
Historically, metal forming has involved forging, stamping, drawing, welding, and bending processes, just to name a few for illustrative purposes. In recent years, hydroforming has been shown to be useful in imparting complex shapes to a metal blank, whether tubular or sheet. In a typical hydroforming operation, a workpiece blank is cut and preformed into the approximate shape of the finished product, if the shape is conducive to the preforming step. The blank is then placed in a cavity formed within a typical two-part split die. A hydraulic press closes the die and applies a die-closing pressure, the amount of which is determined in part by the component geometry and the forming parameters.
If the blank is tubular, the ends thereof are sealed by means of hydraulic rams and the tube interior is filled with a fluid, usually an incompressible fluid, and typically a water and oil mixture. Increasing the fluid pressure in the blank causes it to yield and plastically conform its outer surface expansively into the shape of the interior surface of the die cavity. This plastic expansion displaces the gas initially present in the cavity space between the blank and the die. Because the fluid is usually incompressible, the increased pressure is usually achieved by feeding additional fluid into the blank. Once the piece is conformed to the shape of the die cavity, the tube ends are unsealed, the forming fluid is depressurized and drained, and the press and die opened to remove the formed component.
If the blank is a sheet, a periphery of the sheet may be sealed between die halves by the hydraulic press and a space between one half of the die and the sheet may be pressurized with the fluid. Increasing the fluid pressure in the blank causes it to yield and plastically conform its outer surface expansively into the shape of the interior surface of the other die half cavity. This plastic expansion displaces the gas initially present in the cavity space between the sheet and that other die half. Because the fluid is usually incompressible, the increased pressure is usually achieved by feeding additional fluid into the space. Once the piece is conformed to the shape of the die cavity, the forming fluid is depressurized and drained, and the press and die opened to remove the formed component.
In some circumstances, the blank can be a pair of sheets, with a small spacing left between them when they are registered in the press. A periphery of the registered sheets may be sealed against each other or an interstitial sealing surface by the hydraulic press. The space between sheets may then be pressurized with the fluid. Increasing the fluid pressure in the blank causes each of the sheets to yield and plastically conform its outer surface expansively into the shape of the interior surface of its respective die cavity. This plastic expansion displaces the gas initially present in the cavity spaces between the respective sheets and facing die halves. Because the fluid is usually incompressible, the increased pressure is usually achieved by feeding additional fluid into the spacing. Once the sheets are conformed to the shape of the die cavity, the forming fluid is depressurized and drained and the press opened to remove the formed component sheets.
Much of the prior attention in hydroforming technology has been directed at steel and other ferrous alloys. However, the automotive industry's interest in improving fuel efficiency by reducing vehicle weight has caused a desire to shift in the materials selected for automobile fabrication from plain carbon steels, to higher strength-to-weight materials such as high strength steels and some high-performance polymers. Lightweight aluminum alloys are also being implemented increasingly into vehicle structural components. In the future, even higher strength-to-weight materials, such as magnesium, will become attractive if the formability of these materials can be improved.
Unfortunately, lightweight materials, such as aluminum and magnesium, typically exhibit relatively low formability at room temperatures, although their formability at higher temperatures is quite acceptable. These materials also typically exhibit sensitivity during forming to strain-rates, a sensitivity that is further affected by temperature. For these reasons, the rate of forming and forming temperature of the workpiece must be controlled. Temperature gradients in the workpiece, while desirable in some situations, may complicate the forming process. When hydroforming is conducted at temperatures significantly different from ambient, contact of the workpiece with air or with solid surfaces that are at ambient temperatures may result in uneven heating or cooling of the workpiece, even during the hydroforming operation.
To form materials at elevated temperatures, a workpiece blank must be preheated to the proper forming temperature to enhance formability. The temperature distribution within the part can have significant effect on the finished part quality since an uneven temperature distribution will correspondingly produce uneven levels of formability, which can produce an undesirable wall-thinning distribution within the part. Consequently, it is generally desirable to maintain a uniform temperature distribution during part forming. Attempts have been made to use a gas as a pressurizing fluid medium to hydroform a part, but one major drawback in using a gas lies in its compressibility as well as sensitivity to volumetric change imparted by temperature change making pressure and volume control of the fluid difficult during the forming process. To control material strain-rate, an incompressible fluid is ideally suited to allow precise volume control of the pressurizing medium during the forming process. As compared to a gas, a liquid can be considered to be essentially incompressible and provides a superior medium by which to hydroform parts. If parts are to be formed using a liquid medium, that medium should preferentially, for example, be capable of working in the part forming temperature range without boiling, be resistant to excessive oxidation, and be nonflammable. Consequently, new methods are needed to hydroform materials at elevated temperatures using liquid media. Additionally, current hydroforming processes operating at ambient temperatures that use liquid media require pumping systems and fluid plumbing loops to fill and empty the workpiece or forming apparatus before and after the forming process. Another disadvantage of current hydroforming methods requires a separate step of applying lubricants to the workpiece before hydroforming.
It is, therefore, an advantage of the present invention to provide a hydroforming device and method where the temperature of the workpiece is controlled in an immersion bath of fluid, preferably the hydroforming fluid, at least before and during the hydroforming process. Another advantage of the present invention is appreciated by providing a more effective and efficient method of introducing and removing the pressurizing liquid medium to and from a workpiece during a hydroforming operation. Yet another advantage of the present invention is appreciated by providing a more effective and efficient method of introducing lubricants to a workpiece. Further advantages of the present invention will be described subsequently in more detail herein.
These and other advantages are provided by the exemplary embodiments of the present invention.
In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus for hydroforming a workpiece into a product comprises a chamber adapted for containing a quantity of an incompressible fluid and a means for hydroforming the workpiece, the means being situated in the chamber such that a workpiece is substantially immersed in the incompressible fluid during the hydroforming operation thereupon.
In one embodiment, the workpiece is a tube having open ends and the hydroforming means comprises first and second dies, a means for sealing the open tube ends, and a means for injecting and pressurizing a fluid suitable for hydroforming into a cavity in the tube, wherein the injecting and pressurizing means are communicated to the sealing means. Many of these embodiments will further comprise at least one means for venting the incompressible fluid residing between the tube and the respective first and second dies as the tube expands against the dies.
In another exemplary embodiment, the workpiece is a sheet and the hydroforming means comprises a first die. The apparatus will also comprise a means for sealing a periphery of the sheet in the hydroforming means with a first side of the sheet facing the first die and a means for injecting and pressurizing a fluid suitable for hydroforming into a sealed cavity on a second side of the sheet. Many of these embodiments will comprise at least one means for venting the incompressible fluid residing between the first side of the sheet and the first die as the sheet expands against the die.
In a yet further embodiment, the workpiece is a pair of sheets with a first sheet and second sheet and the hydroforming means comprises a first and a second die, with the pair of sheets registrable between the dies wherein the apparatus will also comprise a means for sealing a periphery of the sheets in the hydroforming means with a first side of the first sheet facing the first die and first side of the second sheet facing the second die and a means for injecting and pressurizing a fluid suitable for hydroforming into the space extant interstitially between the second sides of the sheets. This embodiment of the present invention allows for the hydroforming of two product parts simultaneously. It should be noted that many of these embodiments described herein will comprise at least one means for venting the incompressible fluid residing between the first side of the sheet or tube and the die cavity as the sheet or tube expands towards the die.
In any of the above embodiments, the chamber may be adapted to be either opened or closed to the atmosphere, at least during the hydroforming operation.
In any of the above embodiments, the apparatus may further comprise means for maintaining the fluid at a controlled temperature, especially in embodiments where the controlled temperature differs from ambient by more than 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Such fluid temperature control may be achieved, for example, by heaters, coolers, and/or heat exchangers internal, external or both to the chamber. Furthermore, means for maintaining a substantially uniform temperature distribution within the fluid may comprise fluid agitation or circulation.
In any of the above embodiments, the apparatus may also comprise means for raising or lowering a fluid level in the chamber in association with engagement or disengagement of the hydroforming means with the workpiece, or alternatively, not in association engagement or disengagement of the hydroforming means with the workpiece as achieved by a separate fluid level control means.
Other advantages of the invention are realized through the practice of a process described in an exemplary manner below. An exemplary process hydroforms a workpiece into a product by moving the workpiece into a cavity of a die, the die and workpiece positioned and substantially immersed in a bath of an incompressible fluid, closing the die upon workpiece and maintaining a pressure thereupon, expanding the workpiece plastically in the die to fill the cavity by injecting a pressurized incompressible fluid into an interior (in the case of a tube) or upon a preferred surface (in the case of a sheet) thereof, thereby forming the product, and opening the die and removing the product therefrom.
In any of the above embodiments, the apparatus may comprise a portion of the chamber that is reserved for temporarily storing and pre-soaking at least one and preferably a plurality of workpieces in the fluid and means for transferring the workpieces individually into the hydroforming means.
In some of these exemplary processes, the process further comprises the step of pre-soaking the workpiece in the bath maintained at a controlled temperature prior to the step of moving the workpiece into the die.
In some of these exemplary processes, the process may advantageously benefit from operation at ambient temperatures as a result of efficient employment of the fluid to quickly pre-fill a workpiece blank before the hydroforming operation, for example in the case of a tube hydroforming operation, as well as effective containment of the fluid during and after the hydroforming operation.
In some of the exemplary processes, the step of closing the die further comprises the step of raising a level of the fluid to immerse the workpiece in the fluid; and the step of opening the die further comprises the step of lowering the fluid level to expose the product.
In some of the exemplary processes, the process comprises the further steps of closing a chamber containing the bath prior to moving the workpiece into the cavity; and opening the chamber after removing the product from the die.
In some of the exemplary processes, the fluid is maintained at a temperature at least 20 degrees Fahrenheit different from an ambient temperature.
In some of the exemplary processes, the pressurized fluid injected into the interior of the workpiece (in the case of a tube) or upon a preferred surface (in the case of a sheet) thereof, comprises a portion of the incompressible fluid in the bath.
In some of the exemplary processes, the pressurized fluid used to hydroform a workpiece embodies a lubricant or lubricants to facilitate hydroforming a workpiece.
Other aspects of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following descriptions of the drawings and exemplary embodiments, wherein identical reference numerals refer to identical parts, and wherein:
Referring first to
Referring still to
Referring to
It should be particularly noted that the insertion of the tubular blank 28 into fluid 14 within chamber 12 effectively fills the tubular blank 28 with fluid 14 and subsequent removal of the hydroformed product 38 from fluid 14 within chamber 12 drains fluid 14 from the hydroformed product 38 back into the fluid reservoir as defined by chamber 12, eliminate the need for external fluid plumbing and conditioning loops and pumping systems required by convention hydroforming methods needed to handle fluid transfer into and out of a workpiece, which consequently reduces process cost and time. Furthermore, an additional advantage of using fluid 14 as the pressurizing medium is that a significantly smaller volume of fluid need be introduced into a workpiece to form a product, since only that portion of the fluid 14 needed to form the workpiece 32 is required, as compared to the a larger volume typically required to both fill and form and drain the workpiece.
Methods of agitating the fluid via displacement, circulating pumps, or mechanical agitators known in the art, may be employed to maintain an even temperature distribution with the body of the fluid to insure uniform heating of the part. Additionally, dies 16, 18 may be heated by direct contact with the fluid 14 or supplementally heated with auxiliary heating methods such as circulating fluid or electric heating methods. In the case of fluid heated dies, fluid 14 may optionally be used as the heat transfer fluid. Alternatively, fluid 14 may be heated by direct contact with one or both dies 16 or 18 that may be heated by another means.
If chamber 12 is closed to the atmosphere, tubular blanks 28 may be introduced and the hydroformed product 38 removed from chamber 12 via air-locks. Additionally, exposed fluid surfaces may optionally be blanketed with inert gases to minimize fluid contact with the atmosphere to retard oxidation of the fluid 14. Additionally, the level of fluid 14 may be at any level within chamber 12 conducive to the forming operation which may indicate continuous submersion of both dies 16 and 18 within the fluid 14 or intermittent submersion of one die or both dies 16 and 18. If chamber 12 is open to the atmosphere, the upper die 16 may be alternatively immersed and removed from fluid 14 as determined by the desired level of fluid 14 during each forming operation. Chamber 12 may be thermally insulated to reduce undesirable heat transfer with the environment.
Referring to
Still referring to
The present invention, then, will be understood as providing several advantages over methods and devices of the prior art, at least in the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. Unlike hydroforming methods that only employ a fluid on one side of a part during forming as a pressurizing medium (e.g. inside a tube), this invention employs a temperature controlled fluid medium on each surface of the workpiece, which allows preheating (or precooling, in the event where that is desired) through intimate contact on all surfaces, promoting a uniform part temperature distribution.
When the contacting fluid contains a lubricating agent, the contact of the workpiece with the fluid reduces friction between the contacting surfaces of the die and workpiece promoting the forming operation. Pre-lubrication of the workpiece is consequently eliminated.
As described previously, another advantage is realized when a tubular workpiece is moved into the die already filled with the hydroforming fluid thereby eliminating the need to sequentially fill each blank workpiece before the forming process, which reduces the time in the die for the workpiece and increases potential production rate over previous methods and devices. Similarly, removing the hydroformed product from the die while still filled with the hydroforming fluid decreases the time in the die, by eliminating workpiece drain time while the workpiece resides in the die. Furthermore, since the workpiece is immersed in the fluid, the fluid is instantly recaptured within the chamber upon workpiece removal from the die thereby eliminating the need for external drainage and recirculation systems for reintroduction of the fluid to the workpiece. Since the workpiece is also pre-filled by immersion within the fluid, only a fluid volume change required to form the workpiece is needed, which typically is a significantly smaller percentage of the total fluid volume needed to both fill and form the workpiece and advantageously reduces the time needed to form the workpiece.
Pre-heating (or pre-cooling, if desired) of the workpiece in the fluid bath before and during the forming operation further reduces process cycle-time and increases the production rate, which is yet another advantage of present invention.
Because the dies can be immersed in the temperature-controlled fluid, the requirement to provide heating to the dies to maintain their temperature may be significantly reduced or eliminated.
When the same fluid is used for pre-heating the workpiece, maintaining die temperature, and performing the hydroforming of the workpiece, the fluid is more easily managed than in previously known hydroforming systems.
The inherent movement of the workpieces and the dies within the controlled-temperature bath, as well as the pumping of fluid into the workpiece in the die and draining of the fluid from the formed product during workpiece removal agitates the bath, reducing the need for circulating pumps to maintain an even temperature distribution within the bath. Furthermore, means for maintaining a substantially uniform temperature distribution within the fluid and, consequently a workpiece, may comprise fluid agitation as described above, or by ancillary agitation or fluid circulation means.
It should be further noted that the invention may be practiced at temperatures at or different from ambient realizing many of the advantages herein described.
While certain embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above, the scope of the invention is not to be considered limited by such disclosure, and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention as evidenced by the following claims.
This application is a nonprovisional application of, and claims priority from, U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/689,190, filed 10 Jun. 2005, which is incorporated by reference as if fully recited herein.
The U.S. Government has a paid-up license in this invention and the right in limited circumstances to require the patent owner to license others on reasonable terms as provided by the terms of STTR Grant No. DE-FG-02ER86141 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3572073 | Dean | Mar 1971 | A |
3631701 | Hertel et al. | Jan 1972 | A |
3643482 | Hertel et al. | Feb 1972 | A |
4314468 | Baril et al. | Feb 1982 | A |
5214948 | Sanders | Jun 1993 | A |
5471857 | Dickerson | Dec 1995 | A |
5481892 | Roper et al. | Jan 1996 | A |
5890387 | Roper et al. | Apr 1999 | A |
5974847 | Saunders | Nov 1999 | A |
5992197 | Freeman | Nov 1999 | A |
6029487 | Genin et al. | Feb 2000 | A |
6067831 | Amborn | May 2000 | A |
6253588 | Rashid | Jul 2001 | B1 |
6322645 | Dykstra | Nov 2001 | B1 |
6349583 | Kleinschmidt | Feb 2002 | B1 |
6477774 | Marando | Nov 2002 | B1 |
6532784 | Dunn | Mar 2003 | B1 |
6613164 | Dykstra | Sep 2003 | B2 |
6698076 | Brissette | Mar 2004 | B2 |
6701764 | Bruck | Mar 2004 | B2 |
6810709 | Hammar | Nov 2004 | B2 |
7024897 | Pfaffmann | Apr 2006 | B2 |
20030181340 | Botz | Sep 2003 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
60689190 | Jun 2005 | US |