Provided are a flat-member-feeding device with which it is possible to reduce power consumption and quickly supply a flat member, and a method for manufacturing the flat-member-feeding device. A method for attaching a motor for rotating a downstream roll to a flat-member-feeding device, the motor being provided with a hollow and substantially cylindrical stator and a hollow and substantially cylindrical rotor that is disposed in the space within the stator, includes: a step for disposing a sleeve so as to occupy part of the space inside the rotor, and mounting the sleeve on the rotor such that one end of the rotor is supported by one end of the sleeve and the other end of the rotor is supported by the other end of the sleeve; and a step for mounting the sleeve on a downstream roll shaft to which the downstream roll is fixed, and attaching the motor to the flat-member-feeding device.

An apparatus for the support and the controlled advancement of a sheet in a bending machine for forming a cylindrical or conical structure, in particular of a truncated cone structure, comprises a base structural frame adapted to be positioned upstream of said bending machine, with respect to an advancement direction of the sheet, a plurality of conveying modules which can be mounted, removable, on the structural frame so as to generate a plan of modular support and advancement which can be configured geometrically according to the shape and dimensions of the sheet to be produced; the modular support and advancement plane is geometrically configured to keep the sheet metal part supported by the plane in a flat condition; an lifting and tilting device configured to vary the position of the structural frame, supporting the conveying modules, from a horizontal lying position to an inclined lying position in which the support and advancement plane is inclined downwards towards the bending machine; repositioning and position correcting members configured to orient and arrange the sheet in a correct position before starting a bending cycle and configured to correct, during the bending cycle, the position of the sheet to impose it a predetermined advancement trajectory towards and through the bending machine. The relative method is also envisaged.

An apparatus for the support and the controlled advancement of a sheet in a bending machine for forming a cylindrical or conical structure, in particular of a truncated cone structure, comprises a base structural frame adapted to be positioned upstream of said bending machine, with respect to an advancement direction of the sheet, a plurality of conveying modules which can be mounted, removable, on the structural frame so as to generate a plan of modular support and advancement which can be configured geometrically according to the shape and dimensions of the sheet to be produced; the modular support and advancement plane is geometrically configured to keep the sheet metal part supported by the plane in a flat condition; an lifting and tilting device configured to vary the position of the structural frame, supporting the conveying modules, from a horizontal lying position to an inclined lying position in which the support and advancement plane is inclined downwards towards the bending machine; repositioning and position correcting members configured to orient and arrange the sheet in a correct position before starting a bending cycle and configured to correct, during the bending cycle, the position of the sheet to impose it a predetermined advancement trajectory towards and through the bending machine. The relative method is also envisaged.

A method of manufacturing a metal component includes performing a test stamping process on a test sheet metal blank, generating a strain map of the test sheet metal blank for the test stamping process, generating a lubrication program based on the strain map, applying lubrication to the sheet metal according to the lubrication program, and stamping the sheet metal to form the metal component. The lubrication program is configured to control a lubrication system to apply lubrication to sheet metal in a non-uniform distribution across the sheet metal. The non-uniform distribution correlates to the strain map.

A method of manufacturing a metal component includes performing a test stamping process on a test sheet metal blank, generating a strain map of the test sheet metal blank for the test stamping process, generating a lubrication program based on the strain map, applying lubrication to the sheet metal according to the lubrication program, and stamping the sheet metal to form the metal component. The lubrication program is configured to control a lubrication system to apply lubrication to sheet metal in a non-uniform distribution across the sheet metal. The non-uniform distribution correlates to the strain map.

The present invention is directed to a dual sided incremental sheet forming apparatus and method for incrementally forming sheet materials such as sheet metal by utilizing opposed primary and secondary forming tool assemblies and a sheet feeding assembly. The primary forming tool assembly includes a rigid tool and the secondary forming tool assembly includes a compressible and resilient backing layer having either a cylindrical or flat configuration. The sheet feeding assembly positions the sheet material between the two forming tools. The rigid tool applies force to one surface of the sheet material while the resilient backing tool applies counter force to the opposite surface of the work piece as it supports the work piece. This dual sided process localizes the forces on the sheet material so that stresses are advantageously controlled to produce accurately formed asymmetric shapes, without the need for expensive dies. The use of a rigid tool with an opposed resilient backing tool both having linear independent motion also avoids potential wrinkling and tearing of the resulting work piece and enables the formation of numerous, highly detained asymmetric products.

A method for feeding a material strip to the processing zone of a punch press, wherein the material strip is clamped between a pair of feed rollers and is fed intermittently by rotating the feed rollers at intervals, and wherein the following steps are carried out after each feed of the material strip and before the next feed of the material strip in a feed pause with the material strip stationary and clamped between the feed rollers: holding the material strip by fixing the feed rollers with a certain holding torque; temporarily reducing or eliminating the holding torque of the feed rolls; positioning the strip of material with the holding torque of the feed rollers reduced or removed by inserting one or more pilot pins into associated pilot holes in the strip of material, the strip of material being displaced by the pilot pin or pins and the feed rollers being rotated by the strip of material clamped between them as it is displaced, optionally overcoming the reduced holding torque; and re-extending the pilot pin(s) from the pilot holes of the material belt. This method makes it possible to achieve a highly precise strip feed even without complex intermediate lifting mechanisms.

Disclosed is a flattening device, comprising: a rack; a material-pressing component, which is provided on the rack and has a material-pressing part; a material-guiding component, which is provided on the rack and has a material-guiding part corresponding to the material-pressing part, the material-pressing part and the material-guiding part being configured to be able to bear against two sides of a sheet material respectively, so as to form a flattening channel between the material-guiding part and the material-pressing part; and an adjusting component, which drives at least one of the material-pressing component and the material-guiding component to move, so as to adjust the distance between the material-pressing part and the material-guiding part. Further disclosed are a material-conveying apparatus including the flattening device and a sheet material processing system comprising the material-conveying apparatus.

The present invention is directed to a dual sided incremental sheet forming apparatus and method for incrementally forming sheet materials such as sheet metal by utilizing opposed primary and secondary forming tool assemblies and a sheet feeding assembly. The primary forming tool assembly includes a rigid tool and the secondary forming tool assembly includes a compressible and resilient backing layer having either a cylindrical or flat configuration. The sheet feeding assembly positions the sheet material between the two forming tools. The rigid tool applies force to one surface of the sheet material while the resilient backing tool applies counter force to the opposite surface of the work piece as it supports the work piece. This dual sided process localizes the forces on the sheet material so that stresses are advantageously controlled to produce accurately formed asymmetric shapes, without the need for expensive dies. The use of a rigid tool with an opposed resilient backing tool both having linear independent motion also avoids potential wrinkling and tearing of the resulting work piece and enables the formation of numerous, highly detained asymmetric products.

A tab stock feeder assembly for a press includes a plurality of support elements, a plurality of rotating elements, and a number of operative elements. Each rotating element is rotatably coupled to an associated support element. Each operative element coupled to at least one of the support element or one of the rotating element and wherein each the operative element is structured to be engaged by a rotating element. The tab stock feeder assembly further includes a wear reduction assembly including a plurality of wear reducing elements. A plurality of support elements have at least one wear reduction assembly wear reducing element disposed between a rotating element and the associated support element.