A machine can form a work piece into a bowl subcomponent of a steel pan musical instrument. The machine includes a pressure lid and a die mold. The die mold may be formed of non-metal layers stacked between metal layers. In example operation, a blank or work piece is inserted between the lid and die mold. The lid is pressed down (e.g., by a hydraulic ram), forcing a portion of the blank into a face groove of the die mold for sealing. Pressurized water or other fluid introduced between the lid and the blank exerts pressure on the sealed portion of the blank and stretches the blank to conform to a bowl shape of the die mold. Note regions can be introduced by this machine-performed shaping and/or by subsequent manual operations to further prepare the work piece for incorporation into a steel pan musical instrument.

A device for coordinated movement and/or orientation of a tracking tool relative to a portable tool handled by an operator on a production station allows a tracking tool to track the movements of a portable tool handled by an operator, without the intervention of an additional operator. Also described is a smoothing method using the device, as well as a smoothing station for implementing the method.

A device for coordinated movement and/or orientation of a tracking tool relative to a portable tool handled by an operator on a production station allows a tracking tool to track the movements of a portable tool handled by an operator, without the intervention of an additional operator. Also described is a smoothing method using the device, as well as a smoothing station for implementing the method.

A method of forming an article for finish fabrication into a fan outlet guide vane of a turbofan engine is provided. The method includes steps of: providing first and second sides of a metallic workpiece, each side having a relatively thin central region and a relatively thick peripheral region, and each side being formed from a plurality of separate pieces which are assembled in position relative to each other to provide the respective side, the pieces of each side including a plate which at least partially forms the central region, and one or more thicker blocks which at least partially form the peripheral region; stacking the first and second sides so that a contact interface is formed between the sides; diffusion bonding the first and second sides together across the interface over regions of the interface other than a preselected region thereof corresponding with the thin central regions of the first and second sides; and hot creep forming the bonded first and second sides and inflating the workpiece at the preselected region to produce the article such that the first and second sides form opposite aerofoil surfaces of the fan outlet guide vane.

The invention relates to a production installation (1) for bending sheet metal comprising a bending press (3) with press beams (13, 16), a bending tool (4), a tool manipulation unit (30) for the bending tool (4), and a protective unit (29) with a protective element (32) and an adjusting device (33, 44). The protective element (32) of the protective unit (29) can be moved from a protective position which covers the bending tool (4) into a release position which releases the bending tool (4). The adjusting device (33) comprises at least two brackets (37) and at least two holding arms (38), the protective element (32) being mounted on the brackets (37) in an articulated manner by means of the holding arms (38). The adjusting device (44) can also comprise at least two linear guide arrangements (45) each having a plurality of guide rails (46, 47, 48), by means of which the protective element (32) can be displaced between the two positions.

The invention relates to a production installation (1) for bending sheet metal comprising a bending press (3) with press beams (13, 16), a bending tool (4), a tool manipulation unit (30) for the bending tool (4), and a protective unit (29) with a protective element (32) and an adjusting device (33, 44). The protective element (32) of the protective unit (29) can be moved from a protective position which covers the bending tool (4) into a release position which releases the bending tool (4). The adjusting device (33) comprises at least two brackets (37) and at least two holding arms (38), the protective element (32) being mounted on the brackets (37) in an articulated manner by means of the holding arms (38). The adjusting device (44) can also comprise at least two linear guide arrangements (45) each having a plurality of guide rails (46, 47, 48), by means of which the protective element (32) can be displaced between the two positions.

A vehicle floor panel is provided in which a honeycomb core made of metal sandwiched and adhered between two CFRP plates is one in which a large number of core units formed into a polygon shape are continuous within one plane so as to share a side of the polygon. Since closed-section parts formed by a hat-shaped cross section part formed along the side and one CFRP plate are continuous with each other at a vertex of the polygon of the adjacent core units, not only is it possible to lighten the weight by opening the interior of the polygon (P) shape core unit, but it is also possible to enhance the energy-absorbing performance by dispersing and transmitting a collision load inputted into one direction of the floor panel toward a plurality of other directions because the high strength load transmission path is continuous with other load transmission paths.

A vehicle floor panel is provided in which a honeycomb core made of metal sandwiched and adhered between two CFRP plates is one in which a large number of core units formed into a polygon shape are continuous within one plane so as to share a side of the polygon. Since closed-section parts formed by a hat-shaped cross section part formed along the side and one CFRP plate are continuous with each other at a vertex of the polygon of the adjacent core units, not only is it possible to lighten the weight by opening the interior of the polygon (P) shape core unit, but it is also possible to enhance the energy-absorbing performance by dispersing and transmitting a collision load inputted into one direction of the floor panel toward a plurality of other directions because the high strength load transmission path is continuous with other load transmission paths.

An abrasion strip and method of manufacturing the same. The abrasion strip being composed of INCONEL alloy 718SPF and being shaped by superplastic forming.

A machine can form a work piece into a bowl subcomponent of a steel pan musical instrument. The machine includes a pressure lid and a die mold. The die mold may be formed of non-metal layers stacked between metal layers. In example operation, a blank or work piece is inserted between the lid and die mold. The lid is pressed down (e.g., by a hydraulic ram), forcing a portion of the blank into a face groove of the die mold for sealing. Pressurized water or other fluid introduced between the lid and the blank exerts pressure on the sealed portion of the blank and stretches the blank to conform to a bowl shape of the die mold. Note regions can be introduced by this machine-performed shaping and/or by subsequent manual operations to further prepare the work piece for incorporation into a steel pan musical instrument.