Production line and tool arrangement for producing a hot formed component from a blank

Abstract

A tool arrangement is disclosed for integration in a production line for producing a hot formed component from a blank which is produced from a hot forming steel strip. The tool arrangement includes a housing, which delimits an interior of the tool arrangement relative to a surroundings of the tool arrangement, a tempering station for tempering the blank and a hot forming station for hot forming the blank. The tempering station and the hot forming station are jointly arranged in the interior.

Claims

1. A progressive tool arrangement for integration in a production line to produce a hot formed component from a blank, which is produced from a hot forming steel strip, the progressive tool arrangement comprising: a housing that surrounds an interior of the progressive tool arrangement, the housing including a first lock at a first end and a second lock at a second end, the first lock and the second lock configured to lock to seal the housing relative to a surroundings of the progressive tool arrangement, the first lock configured to unlock to open the housing to receive the hot forming steel strip and the second lock configured to unlock to open the housing to remove the hot formed component; a tempering station positioned within the housing for tempering the blank; and a hot forming station positioned within the housing for hot forming the blank; wherein the tempering station and the hot forming station are jointly arranged in the interior of the housing.

2. The tool arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the housing shields the progressive tool arrangement relative to the surroundings in an air-tight manner.

3. The tool arrangement according to claim 2, further comprising a protective gas device for generating a protective gas atmosphere in the housing.

4. The tool arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a transport device connecting the tempering station and the hot forming station for transporting the blank, wherein a transport path between the tempering station and the hot forming station covered by the transport device is exclusively arranged in the housing.

5. The tool arrangement according to claim 4, further comprising a transport belt for transporting the hot forming steel strip, wherein the blank produced from the hot forming steel strip is arranged spaced from a further blank by a gap and is transported on the transport belt.

6. The progressive tool arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the hot forming station comprises a hardening device for hardening the blank formed into the hot formed component.

7. The progressive tool arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the tempering station comprises a heat source which is configured as one of an inductive heat source, a resistive heat source or a conductive heat source.

8. The progressive tool arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the tempering station includes a plurality of regions and each region is configured to temper the blank by sections.

9. The progressive tool arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the tempering station has a single region that is configured to temper the blank completely.

10. The progressive tool arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the progressive tool arrangement further comprises a cutting station for cutting the blank out of the hot forming steel strip, wherein the cutting station is arranged in the interior of the progressive tool arrangement.

11. The progressive tool arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the progressive tool arrangement further comprises a cold forming station for cold forming and/or trimming the blank, wherein the cold forming station is arranged in the housing of the progressive tool arrangement.

12. A production line comprising: a progressive tool arrangement to produce a hot formed component from a blank, which is produced from a hot forming steel strip, the progressive tool arrangement including: a housing that surrounds an interior of the progressive tool arrangement, the housing including a first lock at a first end and a second lock at a second end, the first lock and the second lock configured to lock to seal the housing relative to a surroundings of the progressive tool arrangement, the first lock configured to unlock to open the housing to receive the hot forming steel strip and the second lock configured to unlock to open the housing to remove the hot formed component a tempering station positioned within the housing for tempering the blank; and a hot forming station positioned within the housing for hot forming the blank; the blank, the blank having a width, wherein the tempering station and the hot forming station are jointly arranged in the interior of the housing and a transport path between the tempering station and the hot forming station has a length is less than or equal to the width of the blank and a width of the gap.

13. The production line according to claim 12, wherein the production line further comprises the hot formed component, wherein the hot formed component is produced from the blank, wherein the blank has a charging state when the tempering station is charged with the blank and wherein the blank has an output state when the blank is output as the hot formed component from the hot forming station, wherein the blank in the charging state has a first component temperature which corresponds to an ambient temperature of the progressive tool arrangement and wherein the blank as the hot formed component in the output state has a second component temperature, wherein the second component temperature is elevated relative to the first component temperature by no more than 50%.

14. The production line according to claim 12, wherein the production line comprises the hot forming steel strip.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present disclosure will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a tool arrangement with multiple production stations for integration in a production line for producing a hot formed component from a blank, wherein the production stations are arranged in an interior of the tool arrangement;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the production line from FIG. 1, in which the hot formed component is produced from the blank, wherein the blank is previously cut out of a hot forming steel strip; and

(4) FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through a modified tool arrangement in an overall representation as a progressive tool, wherein the production stations are arranged within the progressive tool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background of the invention or the following detailed description.

(6) FIG. 1 shows a tool arrangement 1, which is configured to integration in a production line 2. The production line 2 is configured to producing a hot formed component 5 (FIG. 2) from a blank 4 (FIG. 2). The blank 4 is produced from a hot forming steel strip 3 (FIG. 2), in particular cut out of the hot forming steel strip 3. The blank 4 or the hot forming steel strip 3 are formed from an uncoated or coated steel alloy. The hot formed component 5 produced in the production line 2 is designed as a steel sheet component, for example vehicle component, in particular as a body component of a vehicle.

(7) The tool arrangement 1 includes a housing 1 which delimits the tool arrangement 1 relative to a surroundings 8 of the tool arrangement 1. The housing 6 surrounds an interior 7 of the tool arrangement 1 is hermetically locked and/or lockable from the surroundings 8 by the housing 6. In particular, the arrangement 1 is locked and/or lockable relative to the surroundings 8 by the housing 6 in an airtight manner. The tool arrangement 1 includes a protective gas device, which is formed for example by the housing 6. Because of this, a protective gas atmosphere is present in the interior 7 with closed housing 6 to avoid scaling of the blank 4 during the transport between a tempering station 13 and a hot forming station 14, which are arranged in the interior 7.

(8) The housing 6 includes a first lock 9a and a second lock 9b, by way of which the tool arrangement 1 can be opened. The hot forming steel strip 3 is introduced into the tool arrangement 1 through the first lock 9a. Through the second lock 9b, the hot formed component 6 (FIG. 2) is output from the tool arrangement 1.

(9) The tool arrangement 1 includes a provisioning station 10, a cutting station 11, optionally a cold forming station 12, the tempering station 13 and the hot forming station 14. The hot forming station 14 includes a hardening device 14a and optionally a separating device 14b.

(10) On the provisioning station 10, the hot forming steel strip 3 (FIG. 2) is provided in the form of a roll, in particular in the form of a so-called coil. The cutting station 11 cuts the blank 4 (FIG. 2) out of the hot forming steel strip 3. The blank 4 is formed, for example trimmed, stamped and/or bent on the cold forming station 12.

(11) In the tempering station 13, the blank 4 is tempered, in particular heated in sections or completely. To this end, the tempering station 13 includes an inductive, resistive or conductive operating heat source. In particular, the blank 4 is tempered, in particular heated in the tempering station 13 in sections or completely to at least 400 degrees Celsius, in particular to at least 700 degrees Celsius, specifically to at least 900 degrees Celsius and/or to 1,000 degrees Celsius.

(12) In the case of tempering the blank 4 in sections, at least one first section 4a (FIG. 2) in the blank 4 is heated to a first temperature and at least one second section 4b (FIG. 2) of the blank 4 to a second temperature, wherein both temperatures deviate from one another. To this end, the tempering station 13 includes for example a first and a second temperature control element 20, 21 (FIG. 3). Because of this, different structures and/or crystal states are formed in the steel alloy of the blank 4 in the first and second section 4a, 4b. In the subsequent hot formed component 5, sections of different hardness are thus formed. It is also possible that the tempering station 13 includes a cooling device 20, 21 as the first or second temperature control element, which cools one of the sections 4a, 4b whereas the other section is heated.

(13) The hot forming station 14 is configured to example as a hot forming press. It forms the tempered blank 4 into the hot formed component 5, for example in a deep-drawing operation. It is particularly important that the blank 4 has the temperature that is suitable for the hot forming. Because of the hermetic locking of the interior 7 of the tool arrangement 1 by way of the housing 6, a heat loss during the transport of the blank 4 from the tempering station 13 to the hot forming station 14 can be significantly reduced. This is advantageous in particular for thin blanks 4 for example with a thickness of less than 1.0 mm, since these cool more rapidly than blanks 4 with a greater thickness.

(14) By way of the hardening device 14a integrated in the hot forming station, the hot formed component 5 is hardened by way of cooling. To this end, the hardening device 14a includes a cooling device 22 (FIG. 3). The separating device 14b separates the blanks 4 from at least one blank connection 17, via which the blank 4 is connected to at least one transport device 14, in particular when the transport device 15 is formed by the hot forming steel strip 3.

(15) The aforementioned stations 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 are connected one behind the other and/or arranged in a row. Here, the provisioning unit 10 is arranged outside the interior 7 and the other stations 11, 12, 13, 14, 14a, 14b in the interior 7 of the tool arrangement 1. The hot forming steel strip 3 provided in the provisioning station 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 is conducted through the first lock 9a to the cutting station 11. To this end, the stations 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 are connected to one another by the at least one transport device 15 (FIG. 2) of the tool arrangement 1. Because of this, the blank 4 can be transported from the provisioning station 10 to the cutting station 11 via the cold forming station 12 and the tempering station 13 as far as to the hot forming station 14. The transport paths covered by the transport device 15 between the respective stations 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 are designed as short as possible to shorten a cycle time of the tool arrangement 1 and thereby save costs.

(16) The transport device 15 can be formed by a conventional conveyor belt or chain belt. FIG. 2 shows the transport device 15 as a transport belt formed by the hot forming steel strip 3. The hot forming steel strip 3 is introduced from the provisioning station 10 as pre-blank 3a into the cutting station 11 for trimming and for forming the blank 4. The individual blanks 4 are arranged on the transport belt 15 spaced from one another by a gap 23. At its edges 16, the blank 4 is optionally connected to the transport belt formed by the hot forming steel strip 3 via at least one blank connection 17. Optionally, the hot forming station 14 includes a separating device 14b for separating the hot formed component 5 formed from the blank 4 from the blank connection 17.

(17) FIG. 2 shows the production line 2 with the hot forming steel strip 3, the blank 4 and the hot formed component 5. The production line 2 includes, as shown in FIG. 1, the tool arrangement 1 with the aforementioned stations 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 14a, 14b and the transport device 15.

(18) The hot forming steel strip 3 is provided and unwound as roll or so-called coil on the provisioning station 10. An open end and the pre-blanks 3a of the hot forming steel strip 3 following thereon is transported into the cutting station 11 where it is cut into the blank 4.

(19) If the optional cold forming station 12 is present, the blank 4 is transported to the same by the transport device 15. There, the blank 4 is cold-formed, for example trimmed, stamped and/or bent.

(20) By way of the transport device 15, the blank 4 is transported further to the tempering station 13. In the tempering station 13, the blank 4 is tempered, in particular heated to a temperature or in sections to multiple different temperatures to make possible the subsequent hot forming of the blank 4.

(21) A heating of the blank 4 by sections is shown in FIG. 1, in the case of which the first section 4a of the blank 4 has a temperature other than that of the second section 4b of the blank 4. The tempering station 13 includes at least one first heat transfer region which heats the first section 4a in that the first heat transfer region contacts the firsts section 4a for example completely and because of this completely transfers the heat energy that is available in this region to the blank 4. For heating the second section 4b to the other temperature, the tempering station 13 includes at least one heat transfer region that is insulated and/or arranged spaced from the second section, so that the originally available heat energy in this region is not completely transferred to the blank 4. Once the blank 4 has been heated by sections or completely, the transport device 15 directly transports the blank 4 to the hot forming station 14.

(22) The transport path W between the tempering station 13 and the hot forming station 14 has a length which maximally corresponds to twice a width, preferably maximally 1.5 times a width and in particular to a maximum width of the blank 4. The width B of the blank 4 extends in throughput direction R, when the blank 4 is transported on the transport device 15. If the transport device 15 has been created as a transport belt formed by the hot forming steel strip 3, the transport path W is preferably obtained from the blank width B and the gap 23. It is advantageous, in particular, that the transport path W between tempering station 13 and the hot forming station 14 is reduced since thereby cooling of the blank 4 during the transport can be restricted and because of this up to 30% of the energy costs for the tool arrangement 1 can be saved.

(23) The tempered blank 4 is formed in the hot forming station 14 into the hot formed component 5, in particular deep-drawn and/or pressed. Following this, the hot formed component 5 is hardened in the hardening device 14a of the hot forming station 14 in that it is greatly cooled down there. The blank connection 17 is separated in the separating station 14b. Following this, the hardened and/or cooled hot formed component 5 is output from the hot forming station 14 and from the tool arrangement 1 by way of the lock 9.

(24) When the hot forming station 14 is charged with the tempered blank 4, the same has a first component temperature. When the hot formed component 5 produced from the blank 4 is output from the hot forming station 14, the same has a second component temperature. The same corresponds to or approximately equals an ambient temperature of the surroundings 8. In particular, the second component temperature is elevated maximally by 50%, preferably by maximally 35%, specifically by maximally 20% relative to the first component temperature. Because of the component temperature adapted to the ambient temperature, handling of the hot formed component 5 following the output from the tool arrangement 1 can be accomplished easily and safely. Furthermore, the ambient temperature is not undesirably heated through the output of the hot formed components 5 from the tool arrangement 1.

(25) FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section through the tool arrangement 1 as a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The tool arrangement 1 is designed as a progressive tool. The tool arrangement 1 includes an upper tool 18 and a lower tool 19. Together with the locks 9a, 9b, the upper tool 18 and the lower tool 19 include the interior 7. The housing 6 is formed towards the top and towards the bottom in particular by the upper tool 18 and by the lower tool 19. At the face ends, the first and second lock 9a, 9b form the bulkhead. Optionally complementary, longitudinal sides of the tool arrangement 1 are sealed off by way of offsetting elements, in particular when the longitudinal sides are exposed by the tool stroke.

(26) The interior 7 is sealed off air-tight, in particular hermetically relative to the surroundings 8. The provisioning station 10 is arranged in the surroundings 8 outside the interior 7. All remaining stations 11, 12 (optional), 13, 14, 14a, 14b are arranged in the interior 7. The first lock 9a, by way of which the hot forming steel strip 3 is initially introduced into the cutting station 11 influence the air-tight sealing and if applicable the protective gas atmosphere in the interior 7.

(27) The tempering station 13 according to FIG. 3 is divided into two stages to obtain the tempering time of two cycles. However, embodiment with one stage and more than two stages is also possible. In the first stage shown in FIG. 3, the tempering station 13 includes the first temperature control element 20 for pre-tempering the blank 4 or regions thereof. In the second stage, the tempering station 13 includes the second temperature control element 21 for tempering the blank 4 or regions thereof to the required end temperature. The hot forming station 14 and the hardening station 14a are accommodated in one stage.

(28) While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.