A modular tooling die for an axle housing includes a plurality of separable and coaxially aligned die sets. Each die set may include a cam driver that is engageable with first and second cam slide assemblies. The cam slide assemblies move toward one another along an axis that extends perpendicularly to an axis along which the cam driver translates. Multiple die sets are provided for possible use in a single press depending on the particular axle housing geometry to be manufactured. A wide variety of different geometrical configurations may be formed by simply replacing one or more die sets and inserting a differently sized or shaped blank within the press. A method of manufacturing various axle housings and the associated modular tooling is described.

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.

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.

To reduce warping of vertical wall portions without causing buckling during pressing. Press-forming into a hat cross-sectional shape having one linear vertical wall portion and the other curved vertical wall portion and not having a flange portion is performed. A punch and a pad sandwiching a top sheet portion therebetween, bending blades, and stoppers are provided. The punch is supported by a first cushion component. 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 a set compression amount in the range of 2% or more and 6% or less of the heights of the vertical wall portions 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. 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. The clearance between the side surface of the punch and the bending blades is 90% or more of the sheet thickness of a material to be processed and less than the sheet thickness.

To reduce warping of vertical wall portions without causing buckling during pressing. Press-forming into a hat cross-sectional shape having one linear vertical wall portion and the other curved vertical wall portion and not having a flange portion is performed. A punch and a pad sandwiching a top sheet portion therebetween, bending blades, and stoppers are provided. The punch is supported by a first cushion component. 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 a set compression amount in the range of 2% or more and 6% or less of the heights of the vertical wall portions 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. 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. The clearance between the side surface of the punch and the bending blades is 90% or more of the sheet thickness of a material to be processed and less than the sheet thickness.

A method for manufacturing a press-molded article includes: preparing a patchwork blank in which a thickened portion is formed by welding patchwork to basework; bending only the thickened portion of the patchwork blank; and bending a portion other than the thickened portion in a step different from bending of the thickened portion.

A method for manufacturing a press-molded article includes: preparing a patchwork blank in which a thickened portion is formed by welding patchwork to basework; bending only the thickened portion of the patchwork blank; and bending a portion other than the thickened portion in a step different from bending of the thickened portion.

A lift mechanism of a die set apparatus includes a guide pin, a linear motion guide member, a first washer, a second washer, a first coil spring, and a second coil spring. A first positioning portion and a second positioning portion control a first end turn portion and a second end turn portion from moving in a radial direction of the guide pin in a state where a first gap is formed between the first coil spring and the guide pin. A third positioning portion and a fourth positioning portion control a third end turn portion and a fourth end turn portion from moving in the radial direction of the guide pin in a state where a second gap is formed between the second coil spring and the guide pin.

Provided are a non-oriented electrical steel sheet with which it is possible to improve steel sheet transferability even when punching is performed successively at high speed, and a method of manufacturing a stacked core using the same. The non-oriented electrical steel sheet contains, by mass percent, Si: 2.0 to 5.0%, Mn: 0.4 to 5.0%, Al≤3.0%, C: 0.0008 to 0.0100%, N≤0.0030%, S≤0.0030%, and Ti≤0.0060%, wherein the product of the contents of Mn and C is 0.004 to 0.05 mass %.sup.2, the yield strength in rolling direction is more than or equal to 600 MPa, and the Young's modulus is more than or equal to 200 GPa. In the method of manufacturing a stacked core, when manufacturing a stacked core using a progressive die, the steel sheet transfer speed V (m/s) satisfies expression (1). V: V.sub.MIN to V.sub.MAX (1) V.sub.MAX=( 1/25)√(t.sup.2×E×YS) (2) V.sub.MIN=( 1/25)√(t.sup.2×120000) (3) t: Steel sheet thickness (mm), E: Young's ratio (GPa), YS: Yield strength (MPa)

There is provided a die device capable of reliably releasing a workpiece from a die even when the workpiece has an undercut, and conveying the workpiece to a next process. A die device including: a lower die; and a lifter that lifts a pressed workpiece from the lower die, the lower die having an undercut region which is a portion that interferes with the workpiece when the workpiece is moved along a press direction, the lifter including: a vacuum cup that comes into contact with the workpiece; a rod part having a distal end provided with the vacuum cup; and a linear drive servomotor for causing the rod part to advance/retreat in an axial direction, and further including a rotary drive servomotor that turns the lifter in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction, wherein the lifter moves the workpiece by combining both movement along the press direction and movement in a direction inclined to the press direction.