A press forming method for an automotive outer panel according to the present invention is a method for press forming a metal sheet 51 into an automotive outer panel 61 having a character line 63 and panel surface portions 65a and 65b by using a punch 3, a die 5, and a blank holder 7. The press forming method includes: a step of providing an elastic body 9 protruding toward the punch 3 side on a die-side forming surface portion 5b forming the panel surface portion 65a, and bringing the elastic body 9 into contact with the metal sheet 51 prior to the die 5; and a step of press forming while crushing the elastic body 9 and pressing the metal sheet 51, and the elastic body 9 is caused to protrude from the die-side forming surface portion 5b so that a frictional force of the crushed elastic body 9 and the metal sheet 51 is equal to or greater than an absolute value of a difference between tensions acting on. both sides of a portion 53 corresponding to the character line 63.

A method for press forming an automotive outer panel includes: providing an elastic body to a punch such that the elastic body abuts against a metal sheet away from a portion corresponding to a character line in the metal sheet; abutting a contact surface portion of the protruding elastic body against the metal sheet; and forming the character line with the ridgeline and the valley line by relatively moving the die toward the punch while abutting the contact surface portion against the metal sheet to deform the elastic body such that the elastic body becomes flush with the punch-side forming surface portion at a bottom dead center of forming. A protrusion amount of the elastic body from the punch-side forming surface portion is set such that the elastic body contacts the metal sheet before the ridgeline contacts the metal sheet to cause the metal sheet to become plastically deformed.

A guided keeper assembly for metal forming dies includes a base having a mounting face and a fastener aperture to mount the base to an associated die shoe, as well as a central guide aperture. A guide pin having a central portion is closely received in the central guide aperture for precisely guiding reciprocal motion between the die pad and the die shoe. The guide pin has an enlarged head at one end which abuts the base to positively limit travel between the die shoe and the die pad, and a shoulder at an opposite end with an alignment mechanism that precisely locates the guide pin on the die pad. A fastener extends through the fastener aperture in the base to securely connect the same with the die shoe. Another fastener securely connects the second end of the guide pin with the die pad.

A guided keeper assembly for metal forming dies includes a base having a mounting face and a fastener aperture to mount the base to an associated die shoe, as well as a central guide aperture. A guide pin having a central portion is closely received in the central guide aperture for precisely guiding reciprocal motion between the die pad and the die shoe. The guide pin has an enlarged head at one end which abuts the base to positively limit travel between the die shoe and the die pad, and a shoulder at an opposite end with an alignment mechanism that precisely locates the guide pin on the die pad. A fastener extends through the fastener aperture in the base to securely connect the same with the die shoe. Another fastener securely connects the second end of the guide pin with the die pad.

A balanced panel punch drive system. The system includes a main hydraulic drive including an outer casing forming an internal housing and a main piston slidably disposed within the internal housing. A main fluid chamber, a first output chamber and a second output chamber are formed within the internal housing. A pump is fluidly connected to the main fluid chamber by an input line. A first die hydraulic cylinder and a second die hydraulic cylinder each have an outer casing forming an internal housing and a die piston slidably disposed within the internal housing. An opening is formed through an end of the outer casing sized to receive a distal end of the die piston therethrough. A first output line fluidly connects the first output chamber to the first die hydraulic cylinder and a second output line fluidly connects the second output chamber to the second die hydraulic cylinder.

A press mold includes: a lower die; an upper die; a lower holding unit including lower main pads and lower sub-pads respectively installed to be movable in an upper-lower direction on the lower body through first and second cushion springs, respectively, at an edge of a lower forming steel; an upper holding unit including upper main pads integrally connected to an edge of an upper forming steel in correspondence with the lower main pads and upper sub-pads installed to be respectively movable in the upper body in the upper-lower direction through third cushion springs at the edge of the upper forming steel in correspondence with the lower sub-pads; and a gap control assembly installed in a lower main block connected to the lower main pads to form a gap set between the lower main blocks and the upper sub-blocks connected to the upper sub-pads.

A press mold includes: a lower die; an upper die; a lower holding unit including lower main pads and lower sub-pads respectively installed to be movable in an upper-lower direction on the lower body through first and second cushion springs, respectively, at an edge of a lower forming steel; an upper holding unit including upper main pads integrally connected to an edge of an upper forming steel in correspondence with the lower main pads and upper sub-pads installed to be respectively movable in the upper body in the upper-lower direction through third cushion springs at the edge of the upper forming steel in correspondence with the lower sub-pads; and a gap control assembly installed in a lower main block connected to the lower main pads to form a gap set between the lower main blocks and the upper sub-blocks connected to the upper sub-pads.

A forming die with a flexible blank holder is provided. The forming die includes an upper die set, a lower die set, and a blank holder with a flexible pad. The upper die set has an upper die base and an upper die insert provided on the upper die base and has a cavity surface. The lower die set has a lower die base, an elastic member on the lower die base, and a lower die punch on the lower die base. Guide posts are provided between the upper die set and the lower die set to define relative positions of the two die sets. Through relative movement of the upper and the lower die sets, a blank placed on the blank holder there between is formed by forming. During the forming, the flexible pad is tightly pressed against the blank under the pressing force of the elastic member.

A producing method of the press formed product includes a preparation step of preparing a metal sheet as a starting material; and a press working step of performing press working on the starting material. The press working step includes: during a time period from when pushing-in of the starting material into the die by the punch is started or immediately thereafter until the pushing-in of the punch with respect to the die reaches a predetermined distance short of a bottom dead point for the pushing-in, holding the pad at a position distant from the punch by the predetermined distance; when the pushing-in of the punch with respect to the die reaches the predetermined distance short of the bottom dead point, receiving the pad in the die; and continuing the pushing-in of the punch with respect to the die and the pad to the bottom dead point.

A producing method of the press formed product includes a preparation step of preparing a metal sheet as a starting material; and a press working step of performing press working on the starting material. The press working step includes: during a time period from when pushing-in of the starting material into the die by the punch is started or immediately thereafter until the pushing-in of the punch with respect to the die reaches a predetermined distance short of a bottom dead point for the pushing-in, holding the pad at a position distant from the punch by the predetermined distance; when the pushing-in of the punch with respect to the die reaches the predetermined distance short of the bottom dead point, receiving the pad in the die; and continuing the pushing-in of the punch with respect to the die and the pad to the bottom dead point.