PRODUCT REVIEWS
New hot stamping process
Parts made from high-strength aluminium sheet are increasingly being used in vehicles to save weight . Stamping specialist , Schuler , now offers a new process for hot stamping on its hydraulic presses . The light metal is heated up very quickly , using contact heating , and formed in a water-cooled die . All process steps are performed in the die so , in contrast to hot stamping of steel sheets , no separate furnace is required .
“ This not only reduces the space requirements for the system , but also very significantly lowers the investment and operating costs ,” explained Christian Palm , who is responsible for the hydraulic presses division at Schuler . “ That makes hot
Parts made from high-strength aluminium sheets are increasingly being used in vehicles to save weight . stamping of aluminium a real alternative in sheet-metal forming . The technology makes it possible to produce light and high-strength parts with a significantly higher degree of forming compared to cold forming and offers much greater scope for design .”
Highly complex geometries and a tensile strength of 300 to 400 newton per square millimetre can be achieved , he told ISMR .
In the process , heating plates integrated into the first forming stage heat the 6000 or 7000 series aluminium sheet to over 300 to 450 degrees Celsius in seconds . In the second stage , the actual forming takes place in a water-cooled die while the next blank is already heating up . In a third and fourth stage , the part ( which is still at about 60 degrees ) can be cut .
“ On a 1200-metric ton capacity hydraulic press from Schuler operating with a highly dynamic three-axis transfer system , cycle times of just ten seconds per part can be achieved . In contrast to previous processes for hot stamping aluminium sheet , the components can be further processed immediately and do not require several hours of heat treatment to harden them . This reduces production costs even further ,”
In the new hot stamping process , the light metal is heated up very quickly ( right ), formed and hardened .
confirmed the German manufacturer .
The first system is already being manufactured for an automotive supplier in Asia . The high-strength aluminium parts that will be produced on it are intended for a manufacturer of electric cars .
Schuler will present more details on its new hot stamping process for aluminium and other solutions for metalforming technology at the Blechexpo trade show in Stuttgart , Germany , from 7-10 November 2023 ( booth 8306 ).
Founded in 1839 at its headquarters in Göppingen , Germany , Schuler has approximately 5000 employees at production sites in Europe , China and the Americas , as well as service companies in more than 40 countries . The company is part of the international technology group , ANDRITZ . n
www
. schulergroup . com
Roll bending in focus
IMCAR roll bender .
Since 1955 , IMCAR SpA has been managing the production of bending machines ; profile bending machines ; flanging machines ; press machines and more . The Italian manufacturer is a qualified partner to an ever-growing customer portfolio and aims to offer efficiency , high quality standards and the simplification of its customers ’ production processes .
IMCAR ’ s product range includes traditional two- / three- and four-roll bending machines that can process materials up to 80mm thick and 6000mm long ( which can be integrated with automatic loading systems from coil / pallet or welding systems ). It also offers profile bending machines and vertical systems ( in the field or workshop ) for producing tanks of up to 30m in diameter .
At Blechexpo 2023 in Stuttgart , Germany , the company will showcase its latest innovations on stand 1312 ( Hall 1 ), including the 4RH model . Its HT model ( pneumatic version ) roll bending system is suitable for medium and large production batches as well as different applications .
“ This automatic and easy-to-use bending machine is suitable for processing material thicknesses of up to 2.5mm and minimum diameters starting from 50mm . It is equipped in standard configuration with four rolls hardened and driven by pneumatic pistons for rapid performance . The HT model can produce up to three pieces per minute . Once the diameter has been manually set , the machine performs an automatic cycle : clamping the sheet ; initially pre-bending ; bending with final pre-bending ; opening ; release and ejection of the workpiece ,” it explained .
“ The side rollers are driven by pneumatic pistons and , with a few adjustments , users can change the diameter or use different material . The rollers are on bearings and the central ones feature electric rotation . The rigid and compact structure avoids levelling or fixing problems on the ground . The machine also requires little maintenance for correct operation , guaranteeing greater reliability ,” added the manufacturer .
By adding motorised tables , suction or magnetic systems as well as alignment and ejection systems to the HT model , users can create a completely autonomous production island capable of automatically loading the sheet . The machine version with numerical
control integrates a Siemens operator panel and dedicated IMCAR software , compatible with Industry 4.0 . The machine can create curves , with constant or variable radius , and simultaneous movement of the axes for a precise connection between the radius and the flat parts .
“ For greater thicknesses of up to 5mm and lengths of 2000mm , the HT model becomes the HTH hydraulic version , with the same features and reliability but with greater strength and power thanks to the hydraulic system ,” concluded IMCAR . n
https :// imcar . it /
118 | ismr . net | ISMR October 2023