METHOD FOR MACHINING A SHEET-METAL PROFILE

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for machining a sheet-metal profile 1, wherein the sheet-metal profile 1 is trimmed in a multi-stage cutting process and a cutting edge 2 is produced. Here, pre-cutting is firstly performed on the sheet-metal profile 1, whereby a free space 3 is generated. Stamping of the sheet-metal profile 1 is subsequently performed, wherein the thickness d of the sheet-metal profile 1 along the cutting edge 2 to be produced is reduced. Subsequently, the cutting finishing of the sheet-metal profile 1 is performed, wherein, in particular, cutting is performed in the opposite direction to the stamping of the outline of the finished contour, and the cutting edge 2 is generated.

Claims

1-6. (canceled)

7. A process of machining a sheet-metal profile, the process comprising: trimming the sheet-metal profile in a multi-stage cutting process forming a cutting edge, pre-cutting a free space in the sheet-metal profile, stamping of the free space formed in the precutting of the sheet-metal profile, wherein a thickness of the sheet-metal profile along the cutting edge is reduced by the stamping, and cutting finishing the sheet-metal profile, wherein the cutting edge is formed such that the stamping and the cutting finishing are performed in opposite directions.

8. A process according to claim 7, wherein the pre-cutting and the stamping are performed in opposite directions.

9. A process according to claim 7, wherein the pre-cutting is performed along a pre-cutting edge, wherein the pre-cutting edge has a spacing to the cutting edge, which spacing is dimensioned to be between 30% and 75% of the thickness of the sheet-metal profile.

10. A process according to claim 7, wherein the thickness of the sheet-metal profile is reduced by 15% to 50%, due to the stamping.

11. A process according to claim 7, wherein during the stamping, a portion of the sheet-metal profile in a stamping zone is molded into the free space substantially at right angles with respect to the stamping direction.

12. A process according to claim 7, wherein the sheet-metal profile is deformed before, during and after the cutting process.

13. A process according to claim 7, wherein the thickness of the sheet-metal profile is reduced by 20% to 40%, due to the stamping.

14. A process according to claim 7, wherein the thickness of the sheet-metal profile is reduced by 30%, due to the stamping.

15. A process according to claim 9, wherein the spacing is dimensioned to be between 40% and 60% of the thickness of the sheet-metal profile.

16. A process according to claim 9, wherein the pre-cutting is performed along the pre-cutting edge, wherein the pre-cutting edge has the spacing is dimensioned to be between 45% and 55% of the thickness of the sheet-metal profile.

17. A process according to claim 9, wherein the pre-cutting is performed along the pre-cutting edge, wherein the pre-cutting edge has the spacing is dimensioned to be 50% of the thickness of the sheet-metal profile.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] For an understanding of embodiments of the disclosure, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows the pre-cutting of a sheet-metal profile;

[0029] FIG. 2 shows the subsequent stamping at the cut contour of the sheet-metal profile, and

[0030] FIG. 3 shows the cutting finishing of the sheet-metal profile.

[0031] In the figures, the same reference numerals are used for identical or similar components, even though a repeated description is omitted for reasons of simplification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The method according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure for machining a sheet-metal profile 1 includes a three-stage cutting process for generating at least one cutting-edge 2, in the course of the production of holes, recesses and similar trimming contours on the sheet-metal profile 1. A sheet-metal profile 1 may be a planar sheet-metal blank, a preformed sheet-metal blank, a semifinished part or a fully shaped molded component, composed in each case of metal.

[0033] The cutting process comprises the process steps: [0034] pre-cutting (in this regard, see FIG. 1), [0035] stamping (in this regard, see FIG. 2), and [0036] cutting finishing (in this regard, see FIG. 3).

[0037] Pre-cutting: to create a free space 3 for the subsequent stamping operation, trimming is performed, using standard methods, with a spacing a of 0.5 times the sheet-metal thickness d in relation to the (final) cutting edge 2 to be produced.

[0038] Stamping: the outline of the finished contour is stamped to a depth of 0.3 times the sheet-metal thickness. The displaced material flows in this case at an angle of 90 into the free space 3 produced previously. No accumulations of material form.

[0039] Cutting finishing: in the opposite direction to the stamping, the outline of the finished contour is now cut on the sheet-metal profile 1, wherein the cutting edge 2 is generated.

[0040] The stamping and the cutting finishing are performed in opposite directions. The directions of action are indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3 by the arrows P and F.

[0041] The pre-cutting and the stamping are also performed in opposite directions. This is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 by the labeling of the directions of action using the arrows V and P.

[0042] During the pre-cutting, the sheet-metal profile 1 is clamped between a lower tool part 4 and an upper tool part 5. The pre-cutting is performed by means of a pre-cutting punch 6. For the pre-cutting, the pre-cutting punch 6 is, in the plane of the image of FIG. 1, moved from top to bottom in accordance with the arrow V. Here, a portion 8 is separated out of the sheet-metal profile 1 along a pre-cutting-edge 7.

[0043] The pre-cutting-edge 7 is situated with a spacing (a) to the cutting edge 2 to be produced. The spacing a amounts to 0.5 times the sheet-metal thickness d, that is to say 50% of the sheet-metal thickness. It is basically possible for the spacing to be dimensioned to be between 30% and 75%, between 40% and 60%, or between 45% and 55%, of the sheet-metal thickness (d).

[0044] During the stamping, the pre-cut sheet-metal profile 1 is fixed between the lower tool part 4 and an upper counterholder 9. The stamping is performed using a stamping tool 10 which, in the plane of the image, is moved from bottom to top in accordance with the arrow P. Here, the stamping zone 11 between the pre-cutting edge 7 and the cutting edge 2 to be produced is stamped, that is to say the outline of the finished contour is stamped to a depth of 0.3 times the sheet-metal thickness d. Here, the displaced material flows into the free space 3 substantially at right angles, or at an angle of 90 with respect to the stamping direction or direction of action P.

[0045] As discussed above, the outline of the finished contour and the thickness d of the sheet-metal profile 1 is reduced during the stamping by 0.3 times the sheet-metal thickness d, that is to say 30%. In practice, depending on the sheet-metal profile 1 and the cut contour or cutting edge 2 to be produced, a reduction of the thickness d by 15% to 50%, or between 20% and 40%, may be performed.

[0046] During the cutting finishing, the sheet-metal profile 1 is clamped between the lower tool part 4 and an upper tool part 12. The upper tool part 12 may also be the upper tool part 5 or the upper counterholder 9 as illustrated in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. For the cutting process for the cutting finishing, the upper tool part 5 or the upper counterholder 9 is then displaced into the component-specific cutting finishing position. The cutting finishing is performed using a cutting punch 13 which, in the plane of the image of FIG. 3, moves from top to bottom in accordance with the arrow F. Here, the stamped material of the stamping zone 11 is separated off from the sheet-metal profile 1 along the cutting edge 2.

[0047] The method according to the disclosure for producing a cut edge 2 on or in a sheet-metal profile 1 leads to high cut surface quality. The cutting process can also be integrated into a deformation process. It is therefore possible for the sheet-metal profile 1 to be deformed before, during or after the cutting process.

[0048] The foregoing description of some embodiments of the disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The specifically described embodiments explain the principles and practical applications to enable one ordinarily skilled in the art to utilize various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.