Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100092796 | Microforming method and apparatus - Method of forming depressions (e.g. dimples) in a sheet material to form a textured surface thereon involves pressing one or more tool tips into a metallic or non-metallic sheet material while the sheet material is supported by a support layer that is relatively softer (e.g. having a lower Young's modulus) than the sheet material so as to allow plastic deformation and reduce pile-up of raised displaced material of the sheet material at the edges of the depressions. | 04-15-2010 |
20120055217 | ELECTRICAL-ASSISTED DOUBLE SIDE INCREMENTAL FORMING AND PROCESSES THEREOF - A process for forming a sheet metal component using an electric current passing through the component is provided. The process can include providing a double side incremental forming machine, the machine operable to perform a plurality of double side incremental deformations on the sheet metal component and also apply an electric direct current to the sheet metal component during at least part of the forming. The direct current can be applied before or after the forming has started and/or be terminated before or after the forming has stopped. The direct current can be applied to any portion of the sheet metal. The electrical assistance can reduce the magnitude of force required to produce a given amount of deformation, increase the amount of deformation exhibited before failure and/or reduce any springback typically exhibited by the sheet metal component. | 03-08-2012 |
20120164384 | Deformation-based micro surface texturing system - A compact deformation-based micro-texturing apparatus and method employ flexure bearing houses for rotatably supporting opposite ends of each of a first (e.g. upper) roll and a second (e.g. lower) roll to provide a working roll gap between the rolls, wherein at least one of the rolls has one or more micro surface features to plastically deform a surface of a workpiece deformed by rolling action in the roll gap. An electrical current may be passed through the workpiece to assist micro deformation. A roll gap adjusting device is operably associated with the first and second flexure bearing houses for adjusting the roll gap dimension to the final depth of the micro surface features to be imparted to the surface of the workpiece by the rolling action. | 06-28-2012 |
20130103177 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACCUMULATIVE DOUBLE SIDED INCREMENTAL FORMING - A forming system includes first and second tools, moving assemblies, and a control unit. The moving assemblies move the first tool and the second tool relative to the sheet. The control unit is configured to control movement of the first tool and the second tool by the one or more moving assemblies by moving at least one of the first tool or the second tool in a first deformation direction to deform the sheet, then moving the first and second tools laterally relative to the sheet to a subsequent location while engaging the sheet, then moving at least one of the first tool or the second tool in the first deformation direction or an opposite second deformation direction to deform the sheet, and then continue moving the first and second tools to deform the sheet in order to create a three-dimensional component from the sheet. | 04-25-2013 |
20130291613 | Forming Tools Having Textured Surfaces - A manufacturing method forms components having a desired shape. A contoured surface is defined for a forming tool for forming a metal blank into the desired shape, wherein respective portions of the metal blank flow over the contoured surface during forming. An intrinsic material flow pattern resulting from the contoured surface is compared to a desired flow in order to identify regions of the contoured surface having an insufficient flow that creates areas in the formed metal blank receiving less than a desired amount of metal. A surface microtexture is applied onto the contoured surface in a pattern selected to increase metal flow along the identified regions by providing a friction in the identified regions that is reduced relative to adjacent regions of the contoured surface. | 11-07-2013 |
20140150510 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INCREMENTAL FORMING - A system includes a frame configured to hold a workpiece and first and second tool positioning assemblies configured to be opposed to each other on opposite sides of the workpiece. The first and second tool positioning assemblies each include a toolholder configured to secure a tool to the tool positioning assembly, a first axis assembly, a second axis assembly, and a third axis assembly. The first, second, and third axis assemblies are each configured to articulate the toolholder along a respective axis. Each axis assembly includes first and second guides extending generally parallel to the corresponding axis and disposed on opposing sides of the toolholder with respect to the corresponding axis. Each axis assembly includes first and second carriages articulable along the first and second guides of the axis assembly, respectively, in the direction of the corresponding axis. | 06-05-2014 |
20140260680 | Methods And Apparatus For Monitoring Microrolling Processes Using Embedded Sensing - A method of determining a spatial and temporal pressure distribution profile on an outer surface of a rotating apparatus includes producing one or more pressure indications in response to pressure applied to the outer surface of the rotating apparatus. The producing is carried out by a transducer assembly embedded within the rotating apparatus at a distance d from the outer surface of the rotating apparatus. The method further includes sampling, by an acquisition assembly, the one or more pressure indications from the transducer assembly and storing the sampled one or more pressure indications. The method also includes processing the one or more pressure indications to produce the pressure distribution profile describing the pressure applied to the outer surface. | 09-18-2014 |
20140311271 | TRANSLATIONAL PARALLEL MANIPULATORS AND METHODS OF OPERATING THE SAME - In one aspect, a translational parallel manipulator is provided and includes a fixed platform including three guide members. The three guide members include first ends and second ends, and the first ends of the three guide members are all coupled to each other and the second ends of the three guide members are all spaced-apart from each other. The manipulator also includes a movable platform spaced-apart from the fixed platform and three serial subchains coupled between the three guide members and the movable platform. In one aspect, a translational parallel manipulator is provided and includes a fixed platform, a movable platform spaced-apart from the fixed platform, and a plurality of subchains coupled between the fixed platform and the movable platform. At least one of the plurality of subchains includes no more than four one degree-of-freedom joints. | 10-23-2014 |
20140345351 | APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL-ASSISTED INCREMENTAL FORMING AND PROCESS THEREOF - A process and apparatus for forming a sheet metal component using an electric current passing through the component. The process can include providing an incremental forming machine, the machine having at least one arcuate tipped tool and at least electrode spaced a predetermined distance from the arcuate tipped tool. The machine is operable to perform a plurality of incremental deformations on the sheet metal component using the arcuate tipped tool. The machine is also operable to apply an electric direct current through the electrode into the sheet metal component at the predetermined distance from the arcuate tipped tool while the machine is forming the sheet metal component. | 11-27-2014 |