Devices and methods configured to manipulate friction between a working piece and a deep drawing tool in a deep drawing process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023166313-A1
Application number	US-202117912949-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 22, 2021
Priority date	Mar 23, 2020
Publication date	Jun 1, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for making a metal product, comprising —a lubrication source (225) for applying a first lubricant (235) on a punch side of a sheet metal blank (205); —a controllable current source (250) for applying different amounts of current; and —a punch (215) and a die (220) for drawing the sheet metal blank (205) into a metal product, wherein the controllable current source (250) is electrically coupled to one or more of the punch (215), the die (220), or a contact point for applying current through the first lubricant (235) while the sheet metal blank (205) is drawn by the punch (215) and the die (220) into the metal product and while the metal product is being ejected from the punch (215). The application further relates to a method for making a metal product with a such system. The invention relates also to a container manufacturing system (700), comprising —a cylindrical ram (720) comprising a ram body (722) and a ram nose on a distal end of the ram body (722), the ram nose engageable with abase of a container preform; —a die (730) comprising an opening concentrically aligned with the cylindrical ram (720), the opening sized and shaped for receiving the container preform in response to the ram nose engaging with the base of the container preform and the cylindrical ram (720) driving the container preform through the die opening; and —an ultrasonic device (740) coupled with the die (730), wherein the ultrasonic device causes the die (730) to vibrate while the cylindrical ram (720) drives the container preform through the die opening. The application further relates to a method for forming an aluminium container with such system and a die (730) for forming an aluminium container.

First claim

1 . A method of making a metal product, comprising:
applying a first lubricant on a punch side of a sheet metal blank; applying a second lubricant on a die side of the sheet metal blank; drawing the sheet metal blank using a punch and a die to form the sheet metal blank into a metal product while controlling one or both of a first coefficient of friction between the punch side of the sheet metal blank or a second coefficient of friction between the die side of the sheet metal blank and the die such that the first coefficient of friction is greater than the second coefficient of friction; and ejecting the metal product from the die while controlling a third coefficient of friction between the metal product and the punch to be less than the first coefficient of friction.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the first coefficient of friction comprises applying a first electric current through the first lubricant or applying the first electric current through the second lubricant, and wherein controlling the third coefficient of friction comprises applying a second electric current through the first lubricant.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first electric current has a magnitude of from 0.01 mA to 12 A or wherein the second electric current has a magnitude of from 0.01 mA to 12 A, wherein the first electric current or the second electric current, but not both, has a magnitude of 0 A, wherein the first electric current is applied using a voltage of from 0.05 V to 6 V or wherein the second electric current is applied using a voltage of from 0.05 V to 6 V.

4 .- 6 . (canceled)

7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first electric current is applied between the punch and the die or between the punch and the sheet metal blank or wherein the second electric current is applied between the punch and the die or between the punch and the metal product.

8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first electric current flows from the punch to the die through at least the first lubricant, from the die to the punch through at least the first lubricant, from the punch to the sheet metal blank through at least the first lubricant, from the sheet metal blank to the punch through at least the first lubricant, from the punch to the die through at least the second lubricant, from the die to the punch through at least the second lubricant, from the die to the sheet metal blank through at least the second lubricant, or from the sheet metal blank to the die through at least the second lubricant.

9 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the second electric current flows from the punch to the die through at least the first lubricant, from the die to the punch through at least the first lubricant, from the punch to the metal product through at least the first lubricant, or from the metal product to the punch through at least the first lubricant.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first lubricant and the second lubricant are different lubricants, wherein the first lubricant and the second lubricant are a same lubricant, wherein the first lubricant comprises an ionic liquid, or wherein the second lubricant comprises one or more of an ionic liquid, an aqueous lubricant, an oil-based lubricant, a wax-based lubricant, a petroleum-based lubricant, or a conductive lubricant.

11 .- 18 . (canceled)

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet metal blank comprises an aluminum alloy.

20 .- 21 . (canceled)

22 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal product comprises a metal cup, a redrawn metal cup, or a metal bottle preform.

23 . A system for making a metal product, comprising:
a lubrication source for applying a first lubricant on a punch side of a sheet metal blank; a controllable current source for applying different amounts of current; and a punch and a die for drawing the sheet metal blank into a metal product, wherein the controllable current source is electrically coupled to one or more of the punch, the die, or a contact point for applying current through the first lubricant while the sheet metal blank is drawn by the punch and the die into the metal product and while the metal product is being ejected from the punch.

24 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the controllable current source is configured to apply a first current through the first lubricant during drawing of the sheet metal blank and to apply a second current through the first lubricant during ejection of the metal product.

25 .- 26 . (canceled)

27 . A container manufacturing system, comprising:
a cylindrical ram comprising a ram body and a ram nose on a distal end of the ram body, the ram nose engagable with a base of a container preform; a die comprising an opening concentrically aligned with the cylindrical ram, the opening sized and shaped for receiving the container preform in response to the ram nose engaging with the base of the container preform and the cylindrical ram driving the container preform through the die opening; and an ultrasonic device coupled with the die, wherein the ultrasonic device causes the die to vibrate while the cylindrical ram drives the container preform through the die opening.

28 . The container manufacturing system of claim 27 , wherein the die is a first die and the container manufacturing system further comprises a second die having an opening for receiving the container preform and concentrically aligned with the opening of the first die and the cylindrical ram.

29 . The container manufacturing system of claim 28 , wherein the ultrasonic device is a first ultrasonic device and the container manufacturing system further comprises a second ultrasonic device coupled with the second die causing the second die to vibrate while the cylindrical ram drives the container preform through the second die opening.

30 .- 33 . (canceled)

34 . A method of forming an aluminum container, comprising:
receiving, on a ram, a container preform comprising a base and sidewalls, the base of the container preform engaged with a distal end of the ram; vibrating a die using an ultrasonic device connected to the die, the die having an opening concentrically aligned with the ram and sized and shaped for receiving the container preform; and driving the container preform through the die opening by moving the ram in a linear direction through the die opening.

35 . (canceled)

36 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the ultrasonic device vibrates the die in an axial direction or wherein the ultrasonic device vibrates the die in a radial direction.

37 . (canceled)

38 . The method of claim 34 , further comprises retracting the ram through the die opening, wherein the ultrasonic device vibrates the die in a first direction when driving the container preform through the die opening and vibrates the die in a second direction when retracting the ram.

39 .- 40 . (canceled)

41 . A die for forming an aluminum container, comprising:
a body defining a die opening sized and shaped for receiving a container preform in response to the container preform being driven by a ram through the die opening; and an ultrasonic device coupled with the die for causing the die to vibrate while the container preform is being driven through the die opening by the ram.

42 .- 43 . (canceled)

44 . The die of claim 41 , wherein the ultrasonic device is a first ultrasonic device and the die furthe

Assignees

• Novelis Inc

Inventors

• Kiefer Winfried Wilhelm
• Malpica Julio
• Nobrega Carlos
• Park Jaesuk
• Timms Courtney

Classifications

• B21D22/286

  with lubricating or cooling means · CPC title

• B21D35/008

  involving vibration, e.g. ultrasonic · CPC title

• B21D37/18

  Lubricating {, e.g. lubricating tool and workpiece simultaneously (lubricating workpieces for deep-drawing B21D22/201)} · CPC title

• B21D22/08

  with die parts on rotating carriers · CPC title

• B21D22/201 Primary

  Work-pieces; preparation of the work-pieces, e.g. lubricating, coating · CPC title