Combined heating and transfer of work-piece blanks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12012641-B2
Application number	US-202017101243-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 23, 2020
Priority date	Nov 23, 2020
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

A method of forming a component includes providing a work-piece blank from a formable material. The method also includes engaging the work-piece blank with a transfer device. The method additionally includes austenitizing the work-piece blank in the transfer device via heating the blank to achieve austenite microstructure therein. The method also includes transferring the austenitized blank to a forming press using the transfer device. The method additionally includes forming the component via the forming press from the austenitized blank and quenching the formed component. A work-piece blank transfer system includes a transfer device having clamping arm(s) for engaging, holding, transferring, and releasing the work-piece blank. The transfer device also includes a heating element configured to austenitize the work-piece blank via heating the blank to achieve austenite microstructure therein. The transfer system additionally includes an electronic controller programmed to regulate the heating element and the clamping arm(s).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a component, the method comprising:
providing a work-piece blank from a formable material;
engaging the work-piece blank with a transfer device;
austenitizing the work-piece blank in the transfer device via heating the work-piece blank to achieve austenite microstructure therein, wherein:
the transfer device includes a heating element and at least one clamping arm configured to hold the work-piece blank in the transfer device when the work-piece blank is being austenitized;
austenitizing the work-piece blank in the transfer device is accomplished via the heating element;
the heating element encircles the work-piece blank in a predetermined plane; and
austenitizing the work-piece blank is accomplished via induction heating;

transferring the austenitized work-piece blank to a forming press using the transfer device;
forming the component via the forming press from the austenitized work-piece blank; and
quenching the component formed from the austenitized work-piece blank.

2. The method of forming the component of claim 1 , further comprising releasing the austenitized work-piece blank via the at least one clamping arm following transferring the austenitized work-piece blank to the forming press and prior to forming the component.

3. The method of forming the component of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one clamping arm includes a plurality of clamping arms;
the heating element is operatively connected to each of the plurality of clamping arms to direct electrical current to the work-piece blank through the plurality of clamping arms, and
austenitizing the work-piece blank is accomplished via resistive heating;
the method further comprising directing electrical current to the work-piece blank through the plurality of clamping arms.

4. The method of forming the component of claim 1 , wherein the heating element includes an induction coil.

5. The method of forming the component of claim 1 , wherein austenitizing the work-piece blank includes maintaining a predetermined temperature of the work-piece blank via the heating element for a predetermined period of time.

6. The method of forming the component of claim 5 , wherein the formable material is press hardened steel, and wherein the predetermined temperature is in a range of 800° C. (1472° F.) to 1000° C. (1832° F.).

7. The method of forming the component of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined period of time is in a range of 5 seconds to 1 minute, including a predetermined time increase for every millimeter of thickness of the work-piece blank.

8. The method of forming the component of claim 1 , wherein the transfer device is configured as one of a linear transfer mechanism, a robotic arm, and a gantry robot, further comprising regulating each of the heating element and the at least one clamping arm via an electronic controller.

9. A work-piece blank transfer system comprising:
a transfer device having:
at least one clamping arm configured to engage, hold, transfer, and release a work-piece blank; and
a heating element configured to austenitize the work-piece blank via heating the work-piece blank to achieve austenite microstructure therein, wherein the heating element includes an induction coil encircling the work-piece blank in a predetermined plane and configured to austenitize the work-piece blank via induction heating; and

an electronic controller programmed to regulate each of the heating element and the at least one clamping arm.

10. The work-piece blank transfer system of claim 9 , wherein:
the at least one clamping arm includes a plurality of clamping arms; and
the heating element is operatively connected to each of the plurality of clamping arms to direct electrical current to the work-piece blank through the plurality of clamping arms and configured to austenitize the work-piece blank via resistive heating.

11. The work-piece blank transfer system of claim 9 , wherein the electronic controller is additionally programmed to maintain a predetermined temperature of the work-piece blank via the heating element for a predetermined period of time.

12. The work-piece blank transfer system of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined temperature (depending on the grade of steel) is in a range of 800° C.(1472° F.) to 1000° C. (1832° F.).

13. The work-piece blank transfer system of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined period of time is in a range of 5 seconds to 1 minute, including a predetermined time increase for every millimeter of thickness of the work-piece blank.

14. The work-piece blank transfer system of claim 9 , wherein the transfer device is configured as one of a linear transfer mechanism, a robotic arm, and a gantry robot.

15. A method of forming a component, the method comprising:
providing a work-piece blank from press hardened steel (PHS);
engaging the work-piece blank with a transfer device having a heating element and at least one clamping arm;
holding the work-piece blank via the at least one clamping arm;
austenitizing, via induction heating using the heating element, the work-piece blank in the transfer device via heating the work-piece blank to achieve austenite microstructure therein, wherein:
austenitizing the work-piece blank includes maintaining a predetermined temperature of the work-piece blank for a predetermined period of time in a range of 5 seconds to 1 minute, including a predetermined time increase for every millimeter of thickness of the work-piece blank, via the heating element for a predetermined period of time;

transferring the austenitized work-piece blank to a forming press using the transfer device;
releasing the austenitized work-piece blank via the at least one clamping arm following transferring the austenitized work-piece blank to the forming press;
forming the component via the forming press from the austenitized work-piece blank; and
quenching the component formed from the austenitized work-piece blank.

16. The method of forming the component of claim 6 , wherein each of the heating element and the at least one clamping arm is regulated by an electronic controller programmed with an algorithm to control the transfer device.

17. The method of forming the component of claim 16 , wherein maintaining the predetermined temperature of the work-piece blank via the heating element for the predetermined period of time is programmed into and accomplished via the electronic controller.

18. The method of forming the component of claim 15 , wherein each of the heating element and the at least one clamping arm is regulated by an electronic controller programmed with an algorithm to control the transfer device, wherein the predetermined temperature is in a range of 800° C. (1472° F.) to 1000° C. (1832° F.), and wherein maintaining the predetermined temperature of the work-piece blank via the heating element is programmed into and accomplished via the electronic controller.

19. The method of forming the component of claim 15 , wherein:
the at least one clamping arm includes a plurality of clamping arms; and
the heating element includes an induction coil configured to encircle the work-piece blank in a predetermined plane.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Anderson Shane M
• Enloe Charles
• Lu Qi
• Coryell Jason J
• Hodges Adam D

Classifications

• B21D43/105

  Manipulators, i.e. mechanical arms carrying a gripper element having several degrees of freedom · CPC title

• B21D22/022 Primary

  by heating the blank or stamping associated with heat treatment (C21D takes precedence) · CPC title

• B21D26/053

  characterised by the material of the blanks · CPC title

• B25J15/0028

  with movable, e.g. pivoting gripping jaw surfaces · CPC title

• B25J15/0052

  multiple gripper units or multiple end effectors · CPC title