A method is used to manufacture a tube having a hollow interior for housing an axle shaft. The tube is formed in a single machine having a fixed base and a single press structure movable toward the fixed base. The single machine includes first and second die assemblies coupled to the fixed base and first and second mandrels coupled to the single press structure. The method includes the steps of placing a billet into the first die assembly, pressing the billet into the first die assembly with the first mandrel to producing a pre-formed billet, and moving the pre-formed billet from the first die assembly to the second die assembly. THE method further includes the steps of pressing the pre-formed billet into the second die assembly with the second mandrel to elongate the pre-formed billet and form a hollow interior therein to produce an extruded tube.

The present invention relates to an extrusion press (10, 20, 30) with a press cylinder (111), the press cylinder (111) being driven with an electro-hydrostatic control system (104) for a power transmission and being connected to a separate drive (120, 400) for rapid traverse, with a container (115), wherein the container (115) is connected to a hydraulic cylinder (117) for a power transmission and to a further separate drive (119, 300) for rapid traverse, with a hydraulic cylinder (101) with a locking device (103) for driving a shearing tool (102), wherein the hydraulic cylinder (101) is connected to the electro-hydrostatic control system (104), and wherein the press cylinder (111) in the power transmission and the hydraulic cylinder (101) for driving a shearing tool (102) are controlled alternately via the common electro-hydrostatic control system (104).

A method is used to manufacture a tube having a hollow interior for housing an axle shaft. The tube is formed in a single machine having a fixed base and a single press structure movable toward the fixed base. The single machine includes first and second die assemblies coupled to the fixed base and first and second mandrels coupled to the single press structure. The method includes the steps of placing a billet into the first die assembly, pressing the billet into the first die assembly with the first mandrel to producing a pre-formed billet, and moving the pre-formed billet from the first die assembly to the second die assembly. THE method further includes the steps of pressing the pre-formed billet into the second die assembly with the second mandrel to elongate the pre-formed billet and form a hollow interior therein to produce an extruded tube.

A process for forming extruded products using a device having a scroll face configured to apply a rotational shearing force and an axial extrusion force to the same preselected location on material wherein a combination of the rotational shearing force and the axial extrusion force upon the same location cause a portion of the material to plasticize, flow and recombine in desired configurations. This process provides for a significant number of advantages and industrial applications, including but not limited to extruding tubes used for vehicle components with 50 to 100 percent greater ductility and energy absorption over conventional extrusion technologies, while dramatically reducing manufacturing costs.

A shear assisted extrusion process for producing cladded materials wherein a cladding material and a material to be cladded are placed in sequence with the cladded material positioned to contact a rotating scroll face first and the material to be cladded second. The two materials are fed through a shear assisted extrusion device at a preselected feed rate and impacted by a rotating scroll face to generate a cladded extrusion product. This process allows for increased through wall strength and decreases the brittleness in formed structures as compared to the prior art.

The present disclosure provides methods for preparing an extruded product from a solid billet. The methods can include providing an as-cast billet for extrusion; applying a simultaneous rotational shear and axial extrusion force to the as-cast billet to plasticize the as-cast billet; and extruding the plasticized as-cast billet with an extrusion die to form an extruded product. Methods for preparing extruded products from billets can also include: providing a billet for extrusion; while maintaining a majority of the billet below 100° C., applying a simultaneous rotational shear and axial extrusion force to one end of the billet to plasticize the one end of the billet; and extruding the plasticized one end of the billet with an extrusion die to form an extruded product. Methods for preparing an extruded product from a billet can also include providing a billet for extrusion; applying a simultaneous rotational shear and axial extrusion force to the billet to plasticize the billet; extruding the plasticized billet with an extrusion die to form an extruded product; and artificially aging the extruded product for less than the ASTM recommended amount of time.

A shear assisted extrusion process for producing cladded materials wherein a cladding material and a material to be cladded are placed in sequence with the cladded material positioned to contact a rotating scroll face first and the material to be cladded second. The two materials are fed through a shear assisted extrusion device at a preselected feed rate and impacted by a rotating scroll face to generate a cladded extrusion product. This process allows for increased through wall strength and decreases the brittleness in formed structures as compared to the prior art.

A process for forming extruded products using a device having a scroll face configured to apply a rotational shearing force and an axial extrusion force to the same preselected location on material wherein a combination of the rotational shearing force and the axial extrusion force upon the same location cause a portion of the material to plasticize, flow and recombine in desired configurations. This process provides for a significant number of advantages and industrial applications, including but not limited to extruding tubes used for vehicle components with 50 to 100 percent greater ductility and energy absorption over conventional extrusion technologies, while dramatically reducing manufacturing costs.

An apparatus for producing metal sheets from extruded profiles of small thickness or of hollow chamber plates of light metal, preferably of magnesium or magnesium alloys, comprises an extruder for producing an extruded profile which is open along a surface line. A separating device is provided for cutting the extruded profile to length corresponding to the length of the metal sheet to be produced, or the hollow chamber plate to be produced. A bending unit is used for deforming the extruded profile into a U-shaped profile. An expansion unit is provided for expanding the U-shaped profile into a flat metal sheet or a hollow chamber plate. A stacking unit is also provided. At least one expansion unit is arranged parallel to the extrusion line and thus the extrusion and expanding processes are decoupled from one another.

A butt retrieval system having a butt retrieval receptacle supported outside the main footprint of an extrusion press such that maintenance and/or repair of the system is simplified. The butt retrieval system includes a butt retrieval receptacle moveable between a butt retrieving position and a butt unloading position. The butt retrieval receptable has a cantilevered arm extending from a base portion of the butt retrieval receptacle in a direction towards the centerline of the associated extrusion press.