Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Oakland University

The Penn State Research Foundation

Sergey Fedorovich Golovashchenko

John Joseph Francis Bonnen

Scott Alwyn Dawson

Alan John Gillard

Andrey M Ilinich

Alexander Mamutov

Vladimir Dmitriev

Albert Krause

Andrei Viktorovich Vlassov

Sergey Sergeyevich Kolesov

Lloyd Douglas Maison

James deVries

Chatchai Wanintradul

Clay Wesley Maranville

John Timothy Roth

Laurent Bernard Chappuis

Douglas Piccard

Vladimir Kondratenko

Dennis Cedar

Michael Dean Blodgett

Andrew Michael Sherman

Rodrigue Narainen

Yuriy V Batygin

Andrew DiVeto

Patrick Canfield

Vyacheslav Mamutov

A system and apparatus is disclosed for controlling a restraining force applied to a panel. The apparatus includes a die, a binder supporting the panel against the die, and a punch used to draw the panel into the die. A restraining element is disposed on one of the die and the binder that engages a surface of the panel and applies a restraining force onto the panel. A strain gauge is disposed inside at least one of the die and the binder that engages a surface of the panel to measure the restraining force applied to the panel. The level of restraining force applied by the restraining element onto the panel is controlled based upon the restraining force measured by the strain gauge.

System for controlling the restraining force applied to a panel during a drawing operation

A method for measuring localized stretching of a manufactured part or in a test sample of various materials to identify the fracture strain or strain distribution. The method begins by etching or printing a grid of a plurality of cells on a surface of a blank. Dots of paint are then applied to the surface of the blank that are measured in a pre-forming condition and identified as to the location of the dots relative to the grid. The blank is then formed into a formed part and the dots are measured in one or more cells in a post-forming condition. The size of the dots in the pre-forming condition is compared to the size of the dots in the post-forming condition to determine the extent of stretching in localized areas of the formed part. The method may be repeated for successive operations with different colored dots.

Method of measuring localized strains in sheet metal stampings

An apparatus for de-stacking sheet metal blanks uses electro-magnetic pulses to separate sheet metal blanks from a stack of blanks. A fixture supports an electromagnetic attraction device that includes one or more multi-turn electrical coils and one or more insulated metal screens. The coil is electrically connected to a bank of capacitors. The metal screen is disposed in an electrical insulation material and is retained by the fixture between the coil and the top blank of the stack of blanks. Suction cups perform the primary lifting function and are connected to a vacuum source. The suction cups may be supported by the same fixture or another associated fixture that cooperates with the coil and insulated screen.

Sheet metal blank destacker

One or more electro-hydraulic forming tools are operated by a press and provide formed parts to a trimming operation. A locking mechanism holds the die against the chamber during the electro-hydraulic forming (EHF) discharge. The lock may be a pin or clamp. One method of manufacturing an article includes providing three EHF tools that feed a single trimming press on a line. An alternative embodiment discloses a single EHF tool that supplies parts on a production line to an electro-hydraulic (EH) trimming tool. An electro-hydraulic pulse generator may be used to provide a stored charge to the EHF tool and the EH trimming tool.

Method for electro-hydraulic forming

A system for electro-hydraulically forming a sheet metal part in an electro-hydraulic forming (EHF) machine. The part in a first shape is placed in the EHF machine between a one-sided forming die and a chamber that is filled with a liquid. An electrode is discharged in the chamber to form the part toward the forming die. The electrode is advanced within the chamber toward the part and a subsequent discharge is provided in the chamber to form the part. A gap discharge EHF machine and a wire discharge EHF machine may be used in the system.

Electro-hydraulic forming machine with electrodes that advance within a fluid chamber toward a workpiece

A pulsed joining tool includes a tool body that defines a cavity that receives an inner tubular member and an outer tubular member and a pulse joining cartridge. The tubular members are nested together with the cartridge being disposed around the outer tubular member. The cartridge includes a conductor, such as a wire or foil, that extends around the outer tubular member and is insulated to separate a supply segment from a return segment. A source of stored electrical energy is discharged through the conductor to join the tubular members with an electromagnetic force pulse.

Pulse joining cartridges

A cartridge assembly for a tool includes a cartridge body or casing that contains a conductor. A conductor is connected to a pulse generator or source of stored charge that is discharged to vaporize the conductor and create an electro-hydraulic or electro-magnetic shockwave that is used to impact or pulse weld two parts together.

Electrode cartridge for pulse welding

A draw die set defines a die cavity. A die entry area is provided at the location where a blank is drawn into the die cavity. A plurality of rolling elements such as cylindrical rollers or spherical balls are retained in pockets formed at the die entry area. A punch may be provided with rolling elements that engage a blank on the opposite side from the rollers in the die entry area. The rollers in the die entry area and on the punch may be arranged in rows that form a tangent surface that engages the sheet metal blank as it is drawn into the die cavity.

Draw die set with rolling elements on punch and draw die cavity

A method of forming a part that has areas of high strain and predicted areas of low strain from a blank and method of designing a die for forming such a part. Predicted areas of low strain are identified that are adjacent to predicted areas of high strain. A pre-forming die is designed to form the blank to provide a donor pocket in an intermediate part in a predicted low strain area that is adjacent to the predicted high strain area. The donor pocket of the intermediate part is drawn into the predicted high strain area while forming the intermediate part into the part.

Method and apparatus for making a part by first forming an intermediate part that has donor pockets in predicted low strain areas adjacent to predicted high strain areas

A method of joining parts with an electromagnetic joining process and an assembly made according to the process. Seals are assembled to a first part and a second part is assembled over the first part and the seals. A lubricant is applied to the first part between the seals to preoccupy or partially fill the area within the joint to prevent moisture from penetrating into the joint and causing corrosion. A portion of the second part is deformed into recesses formed in the first part to join the first and second parts.

Assembly including parts made of dissimilar metals and the method of manufacturing the assembly

A hydromechanical forming tool is disclosed that may include electro-hydraulic forming chambers in which a stored charge circuit may be discharged through electrodes to improve the level of detail that may be formed in a blank. The hydromechanical forming tool may include a liquid chamber at the entrance to the draw chamber to reduce friction, as the blank is drawn into the draw chamber. The draw chamber may have a movable bottom wall that is moved in tandem with the punch to reduce the amount of liquid in the draw chamber and reduce the need to pump liquid into and out of the draw chamber during a hydromechanical forming tool cycle.

Hydromechanical drawing process and machine

A tool and method of hemming a panel wherein the tool engages a flange to apply a compressive force with a stop initially preventing a distal end of the flange from moving inwardly. The hemming tool bends the intermediate portion of the flange between the flange bend and the distal end toward the panel. The stop is withdrawn to allow the flange to be progressively formed toward the panel until the distal end is aligned with the intermediate portion.

Hemming a flange with compression to form a sharp edge

A method of riveting two metal parts through a hole with an electro-hydraulic riveting tool. The electro-hydraulic riveting tool includes a tube that is inserted in the hole and an electrode that is inserted within the tube. A liquid is contained within the tube and the electrode is immersed in the liquid. A stored charge is discharged through the electrode to create a shockwave within the fluid that forms the tube into a rivet structure and creates solid state weld between the rivet flanges and the parts that are joined.

Electro-hydraulic rivet and method of riveting and welding parts

A cartridge assembly is disclosed for a pulse welding a first tube supported on a mandrel to a second tube. An outer tool is assembled over the second tube and a stored charge is discharged in the cartridge assembly. The cartridge comprises an annular conductor and a solid casing enveloping the conductor. The stored charge is electrically connected to the conductor and discharged through the conductor to compress the second tube and pulse weld the second tube to the first tube.

Growing community of inventors

Beverly Hills, MI, United States of America

Sergey Fedorovich Golovashchenko