Apparatus, systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are disclosed herein that flexibly form variable component geometries in a roll-forming process. An example roll-forming apparatus includes a forming unit to move along a stationary component to form a cross-section in the component, a first roll operatively coupled to the forming unit to engage the component, and a second roll operatively coupled to the forming unit to set a forming angle for movement along the component, the component formed between the first roll and the second roll.

A method of forming a vehicle panel includes deforming a sheet metal workpiece between stamping tools to form a first and second edges that converge at a corner of the workpiece's main surface. The first edge is defined by a junction of the main surface and a first flange. The second edge is defined the main surface and a second flange. Forming the first and second edges includes deforming the workpiece so that the second flange has a first region bent to a first angle relative to the main surface and an unwinding region bent to an angle that unwinds from the first region as the second flange approaches the corner. The method includes deforming the workpiece between a second set of stamping tools that deform the first flange and the unwinding region of the second flange until the first and second flanges are bent greater than 90.

A method and apparatus for forming and trimming an associated corner region formed from a flat plate. A die and a knife assembly includes a die that is movable in opposed reciprocating directions within a first plane. A support assembly for the corner region holds the corner region at oblique angle with respect to the plane.

Installations and methods for forming at least one corner region in metal plate are disclosed. According to one implementation, the corner region is formed in the intersection between a first section and a second section of the metal plate. The corner region is formed by a bending of the first section of the metal plate followed by a bending of the second section. During the bending of the second section at least the region of the first section closest to the corner region is held immobile. The region of the first section is released once the bending of the second section is complete.

A method of forming a vehicle panel includes deforming a sheet metal workpiece between stamping tools to form a first and second edges that converge at a corner of the workpiece's main surface. The first edge is defined by a junction of the main surface and a first flange. The second edge is defined the main surface and a second flange. Forming the first and second edges includes deforming the workpiece so that the second flange has a first region bent to a first angle relative to the main surface and an unwinding region bent to an angle that unwinds from the first region as the second flange approaches the corner. The method includes deforming the workpiece between a second set of stamping tools that deform the first flange and the unwinding region of the second flange until the first and second flanges are bent greater than 90?.

A method for forming a thin, board-like base material has a tensile transfer step and a forming step. In the tensile transfer step, the long, thin, board-like base material is transferred by pulling the thin, board-like base material in the transfer direction while holding both ends of the thin, board-like base material along the transfer direction and pulling the ends outward in the direction intersecting the transfer direction. In the forming step, predetermined forming operations are performed with respect to the thin, board-like base material.

A tool includes an upper tool having a clamping shaft and an upper main body that lie on a common positioning axis, a processing tool opposite the clamping shaft that has at least one processing edge that extends at least partially along a holding-down surface of the main upper body, a lower tool having a lower main body with a rest surface for the workpiece and a lower positioning axis oriented perpendicular to the rest surface, a counter tool body on the lower main body, the counter tool body having a counter roller with at least one counter edge opposite the at least one processing edge of the processing tool, and a processing device adjacent to the at least one counter edge that has at least one curved counter surface oriented in the longitudinal direction of the processing edge of the processing tool.

A roller hemming processing device that has first to fifth processing surfaces and that rolls the respective processing surfaces while pressing the respective processing surfaces against a hemming flange in such a posture that an axis of a roller is parallel to an outer panel is used. A pre-processed portion obtained by bending the hemming flange to form a right angle with an inner flange is molded by using the third, fifth and fourth processing surfaces in a stepwise manner such that the angle of inclination with respect to the axis decreases. The pre-processed portion is inclined toward an inner panel side by using the second processing surface. An inclined wall portion that is inclined to contact the inner panel, and a hem portion that is in close contact with the inner panel are molded by simultaneously using the first and second processing surfaces.

A device for flattening a battery cell electrode tab is provided, which includes a frame, a battery cell clamping mechanism provided on the frame, and a flattening unit provided on two sides of the battery cell clamping mechanism. The present disclosure can adjust an angle and position of a flattening component, which can adapt to different electrode tabs of an inner ring and outer ring of a battery cell coil and different sizes of the battery cell coil. It is more flexible to use, has better a forming effect for the electrode tab, wider application range, and more convenient to operate and adjust, thereby effectively improving a processing and forming efficiency of the electrode tab.

A hemming path planning method and a hemming system are provided. The hemming path planning method includes the following steps. An initial contour data of a target is scanned to obtain. A first segment of the hemming path is planned according to the initial contour data. The first segment corresponds to a first bending angle. A second segment of the hemming path is planned according to the initial contour data and an expected springback amount related to the first bending angle. The second segment corresponds to a second bending angle. The first segment and the second segment are combined to obtain a continuous hemming path.