Method and apparatus for incremental forming

[0001] The present invention relates to an incremental forming method and incremental forming apparatus for forming a metal member without using a press mold.

[0002] Patent document 1, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-1444 (European Patent Application Publication No. 1147832 A2), discloses an incremental forming method according to which a rod shaped tool is applied to the surface of a metal plate material and incremental forming is carried out by shaping the plate member with the tool along a contour line corresponding to the shape of the product to be formed.

[0003] FIG. 4 shows the shape of the product to be formed by incremental forming.

[0004] Incremental forming is a technique for forming a product 1 from a metal plate workpiece 10 by supporting the workpiece at a plane formed of an X axis and a Y axis, moving the forming tool 150 along a contour line in the Z-axis direction of a form portion 20, thereby drawing the metal plate to form the product 1.

[0005] During processing, a portion that does not block the movement of the forming tool 150 in the metal plate 10 or the periphery of the plate 10 is supported by a fixing jig.

[0006] As shown in FIG. 5, when the product 1a is removed from the mounting jig after the forming process, a flat end 10a is deformed from a predetermined shape 10 by the stress provided during processing.

[0007] The present invention provides a method and apparatus for incremental forming that solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for incremental forming carried out by applying an incremental forming tool to a metal workpiece and performing forming along a contour line, comprising: a step of carrying out incremental forming by applying the incremental forming tool to the metal workpiece and moving the incremental forming tool along the contour line; and a step of supplying heat to a strained portion of a product formed through the incremental forming step.

[0009] Moreover, the apparatus for incremental forming according to the present invention comprises a table having a workpiece holder and a workpiece clamp for holding the periphery of a metal workpiece, a spindle disposed perpendicular to the plane formed by the table, and a means for relatively moving the table and the spindle.

[0010] Further, a straightening tool comprises a shank portion to be inserted to the spindle, a hot-air blowout portion, an electric heater for heating the air being supplied, a sensor for detecting the temperature of the hot air at the blowout portion, and a controller for controlling the heater based on the data from the sensor. Furthermore, the apparatus comprises a means for controlling the hot-air blowout portion of the straightening tool so that a predetermined distance is maintained between the blowout portion and the surface of the treated portion.

[0011] FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing the incremental forming process according to the incremental forming apparatus of the present invention;

[0012] FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the straightening process according to the incremental forming apparatus of the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing the straightening tool according to the incremental forming apparatus of the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of the incremental forming according to the prior art; and

[0015] FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of the strain created by incremental forming according to the prior art.

[0016] FIG. 1 shows the incremental forming step according to the incremental forming apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the straightening step.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the incremental forming apparatus, denoted as a whole by reference number 100, comprises a table 110 for mounting a metal plate workpiece 10 which is the material subjected to incremental forming disposed along an X-Y plane, and a workpiece clamp 120 that holds the periphery of the workpiece onto the table. The periphery of the workpiece 10 is supported between the table 110 and the workpiece clamp 120, and thus the workpiece is fixed to position. At the center of the table 110 is disposed a mold that corresponds to a form portion 20. The table 110 and the workpiece clamp 120 are capable of moving in the perpendicular direction or up-down direction with respect to the mold.

[0018] An incremental forming tool 150 is disposed on a spindle and the like not shown, which can be moved relatively along the X-Y plane with respect to the workpiece 10, and can also be controlled in a Z-axis direction (perpendicular direction).

[0019] In carrying out incremental forming, an incremental forming tool 150 is applied to a workpiece 10 supported between the table 110 and the workpiece clamp 120, and the tool is relatively moved along the X-Y plane in the shape of the form portion 20, the tool 150 moving along the contour line of the form portion 20 first in the Y-axis direction, then in the X-axis direction, again in the Y-axis direction, and then in the X-axis direction. When the incremental forming tool 150 is moved around the mold once, the tool 150 is moved downward (in the direction of the Z axis), along with which movement the table 110 and the workpiece clamp 120 are also moved downward, before the incremental forming tool 150 is moved along the contour line of the form portion 20. This operation is repeated for a number of times.

[0020] The conditions for incremental forming vary according to the material of the workpiece 10.

[0021] For example, if the workpiece 10 is a plate member made of aluminum alloy, the speed of relative movement between the tool and the workpiece is approximately 30000 mm/min at maximum, and the pitch of the contour line is approximately 0.5 mm.

[0022] During the process, the tip of the tool 150 is constantly in contact with the workpiece.

[0023] FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the straightening process according to the present apparatus.

[0024] First, the incremental forming tool 150 is mounted on a spindle in the incremental forming apparatus 100, and incremental forming is carried out to create the form portion 20. After creating the form portion 20, the incremental forming tool 150 is removed from the spindle, and a straightening tool 200 is mounted thereto. This tool replacement can be carried out automatically using an automatic tool exchange device.

[0025] FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing the details of the straightening tool 200.

[0026] The straightening tool 200 comprises a shank portion 210 to be inserted to the spindle not shown of the incremental forming apparatus 100. The straightening tool 220 comprises a hot-air blowout pipe 230, and a heater 250 disposed within the body 220 and hot-air blowout pipe 230.

[0027] As for the heater 250, an electric heater that converts electricity to heat can be used, for example.

[0028] The body 220 is provided with an air supply pipe 270, through which the device is supplied of air from an air supply source not shown.

[0029] The air supplied to the body is heated through the heater 250, and discharged through a nozzle 240 at the tip of the hot-air blowout pipe as heated air.

[0030] A thermocouple 260 is provided to the interior of the nozzle portion 240, for detecting the temperature of the hot air being discharged.

[0031] The detected data is sent to a controller 300. The controller 300 controls the heater 250 so that the hot air being discharged through the nozzle 240 maintains a predetermined temperature.

[0032] If the workpiece is made of aluminum alloy, the conditions for the straightening process carried out by blowing hot air to the workpiece are as follows.

[0033] The temperature of the hot air being discharged through the nozzle is controlled to approximately 800 C., while the speed of movement is set to approximately 1000 mm/min.

[0034] The distance between the nozzle and the workpiece is set to approximately 20 mm. The control of relative movement between the nozzle and workpiece can be automated easily by correcting the NC program used for the incremental forming.

[0035] The path of movement of the nozzle during the straightening step depends on the shape of the workpiece, but if the workpiece has a form portion 20 like the one shown in the drawings, the work is annealed by heating the area near an upper edge line 20a and a lower edge line 20b of the form portion, thereby removing the strain created by the incremental forming.

[0036] In the above embodiment, the workpiece is supported by having its periphery clamped and moved in the vertical direction, but strain is caused even if the work is supported by having its center area clamped, so the same straightening annealing process should be carried out.

[0037] Moreover, heating devices using laser, plasma or halogen lamp can also be utilized as the heat supply apparatus.