A method of forming a module clamp of a photovoltaic module support structure may include cutting a folding pattern into a sheet of metal. The folding pattern may include one or more width-wise slits relative to the sheet of metal, one or more length-wise slits relative to the sheet of metal, and a hole. The method may include stamping one or more first features onto the sheet of metal to form a stamped sheet and folding the stamped sheet along the one or more width-wise slits and the one or more length-wise slits to form a preliminary module clamp. The method may include stamping one or more second features onto the preliminary module clamp to form the module clamp.

A pressing step of forming a press-formed product includes: a primary formed product forming step of forming a primary formed product having an intermediate wall portion which will be a part of a convex-side wall part, and an intermediate flange continuous with the intermediate wall portion; and a secondary formed product forming step of forming a secondary formed product having a wall part which will be the convex-side wall part by extending at least a portion, on the intermediate wall portion side, of the intermediate flange formed in the primary formed product forming step such that the portion is aligned with the intermediate wall portion. In the primary formed product forming step, the intermediate wall portion is formed such that a boundary valley line between the intermediate wall portion and the intermediate flange is deeper at a large-curvature section than at a small-curvature section.

The present invention relates to methods of working sheet metal, and sheet metal working apparatus for performing such methods. Such methods include steps of providing a sheet metal workpiece having first and second surfaces opposed to each other and at least one edge, bending the workpiece to form at least a first sidewall portion defined between the edge and a basal region, the first sidewall portion thereby defining a curved fold region in the sheet metal workpiece adjacent the first sidewall portion. Following this, first anvil tool and a first forming tool are provided for contact with and constraint of the first and second surfaces of the sheet metal workpiece respectively. The forming tool and/or the anvil tool are then progressively slid along the curved fold region to cause shear material transfer in the curved fold region to further deform the curved fold region. Such methods can allow for formation of components of similar shape as made at present by deep drawing methods, but with less wastage of the starting material.

The present invention relates to methods of working sheet metal, and sheet metal working apparatus for performing such methods. Such methods include steps of providing a sheet metal workpiece having first and second surfaces opposed to each other and at least one edge, bending the workpiece to form at least a first sidewall portion defined between the edge and a basal region, the first sidewall portion thereby defining a curved fold region in the sheet metal workpiece adjacent the first sidewall portion. Following this, first anvil tool and a first forming tool are provided for contact with and constraint of the first and second surfaces of the sheet metal workpiece respectively. The forming tool and/or the anvil tool are then progressively slid along the curved fold region to cause shear material transfer in the curved fold region to further deform the curved fold region. Such methods can allow for formation of components of similar shape as made at present by deep drawing methods, but with less wastage of the starting material.

To reduce warping of vertical wall portions without causing buckling occurring in a component shape not having a flange portion. A punch and a pad sandwiching a top sheet portion therebetween in the sheet thickness direction, bending blades for bend-forming the vertical wall portions, and stoppers facing the bending blades in the press direction and constraining end portions of a material to be machined are provided. The punch is supported by a first cushion component elastically expandable and contractible in the press direction. The bending blades each have an upper die component and a lower die component disposed facing each other in the press direction with an interval (D) equal to or larger than a set compression amount and a second cushion component interposed between the upper die component and the lower die component, maintaining the interval (D), and contractible in the press direction at a predetermined pressure or more. The cushion pressure of the second cushion component is lower than the cushion pressure of the first cushion component and has such cushion pressure that the second cushion component does not contract during the bend-forming of the vertical wall portions.

A method or apparatus to produce an L-shaped pressed component includes, where a portion of a blank, having tensile strength of 1180 MPa or more, is held in a state of being clamped by a blank holder and a die, and a portion of the blank, to be formed into a top plate is held in a state of being clamped by a pad and a punch; the second step where a vertical wall, a concave ridge and a flange on the inner side of a curved portion are formed by, bend forming with a bending die, forming one, two or more material inflow promoting portion; and the third step where the die is moved in a direction toward a side where the blank holder is disposed to form a vertical wall, a concave ridge, and a flange on the outer side of the curved portion by draw forming.

A method or apparatus to produce an L-shaped pressed component includes, where a portion of a blank, having tensile strength of 1180 MPa or more, is held in a state of being clamped by a blank holder and a die, and a portion of the blank, to be formed into a top plate is held in a state of being clamped by a pad and a punch; the second step where a vertical wall, a concave ridge and a flange on the inner side of a curved portion are formed by, bend forming with a bending die, forming one, two or more material inflow promoting portion; and the third step where the die is moved in a direction toward a side where the blank holder is disposed to form a vertical wall, a concave ridge, and a flange on the outer side of the curved portion by draw forming.

A bending machine including a rack, the rack is provided with a feeding mechanism, one side of the feeding mechanism is provided with a pressing mechanism capable of pressing a workpiece firmly, and one side of the pressing mechanism is provided with a bending mechanism capable of bending the workpiece inside the bending mechanism. The bending machine is simple in structure, high in production and capable of reducing labor cost.

A bending machine including a rack, the rack is provided with a feeding mechanism, one side of the feeding mechanism is provided with a pressing mechanism capable of pressing a workpiece firmly, and one side of the pressing mechanism is provided with a bending mechanism capable of bending the workpiece inside the bending mechanism. The bending machine is simple in structure, high in production and capable of reducing labor cost.

A material-forming device for a wire mesh includes a plurality of contact rods that are supported by the frame and configured to threadedly receive a sheet of wire mesh that moves through the plurality of contact rods in a downstream direction. An inner contact rod and an outer contact rod are each configured to engage a first side of the sheet of wire mesh, and a middle contact rod is positioned between the inner contact rod and the outer rod and configured to engage a second side of the sheet of wire mesh that opposes the first side. The shape of the outer contact rod and/or the inner contact rod is configured to bend the sheet of wire mesh around the middle contact rod as the sheet of wire mesh moves in the downstream direction.