A method and apparatus are disclosed which are suitable for use in the manufacture of two-piece metal containers. In particular, a way of making cups from metal sheet is disclosed using a combination of stretching and drawing operations. The resulting cups have the advantage of having a base thickness that is thinner relative to the ingoing gauge of the metal sheet.

SUMMARY

The invention relates to a method and a device for expanding at least a section of an initial tube blank (2) made of plastic or metal in such a way that an expanded tube blank (1) is obtained which tapers in the direction of an end of the tube blank that is not affected by the expansion process. The initial tube blank is fixed in a holding device (4) in a first position (6a), a first mandrel (3) is inserted into the initial tube blank, pressed therein and held in the pressed-in position for a predetermined heating time period, so that at least a part of the tube blank is expanded, and finally the first mandrel is pulled out of the expanded tube blank (1), wherein, when the first mandrel is pulled out of the tube blank, either compressed air is blown into the interior of the expanded tube blank through the first mandrel provided with at least one corresponding first air channel (5), or the expanded tube blank is mechanically stripped off.

A helically wound tubular structure formed from helically wound sheet metals is disclosed. The tubular structure has a first sheet metal helically wound about a longitudinal axis. A second sheet metal having voids disposed therein is helically wound about the longitudinal axis and coaxially about the first sheet metal. A third sheet metal is helically wound about the longitudinal axis and coaxially about the first sheet metal and the second sheet metal.

A tool head for manufacturing a separation disc includes a ball element configured to bear on a work piece to form the separation disc on a rotating mandrel; a holding device for holding the ball element; and a fixating element for detachably and rotatably arranging the ball element at the holding device. A method for manufacturing a separation disc uses a tool head.

A tool head for manufacturing a separation disc includes a ball element configured to bear on a work piece to form the separation disc on a rotating mandrel; a holding device for holding the ball element; and a fixating element for detachably and rotatably arranging the ball element at the holding device. A method for manufacturing a separation disc uses a tool head.

An apparatus for forming and sealing a duct member for use in an air handling system. At least one work station accommodates a work piece, which is generally a cylindrical tube.

An apparatus for forming and sealing a duct member for use in an air handling system. At least one work station accommodates a work piece, which is generally a cylindrical tube.

A near-isothermal hot spin forming method and a heat complementing method for a metal workpiece are provided. The forming method comprises: transferring and clamping a blank heated to a spin preheating temperature on a workbench, wherein the blank is located in an effective heat complementing zone provided by a heat complementing system; measuring a temperature of the blank to judge whether the temperature of the blank satisfies a pre-spinning temperature to determine whether the blank waits for temperature complement in the heat complementing system; and completing the near-isothermal hot spinning process in the heat complementing system according to the preset spinning program. During the spinning process, the heat complementing system continuously supplements the temperature of the blank and monitors the spinning temperature in real time to ensure that the fluctuation range of the spinning temperature does not exceed 20 C. from the beginning to the end of the spinning deformation.