Method and apparatus for impacting metal parts for aerospace applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8997545-B1
Application number	US-201314031690-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 19, 2013
Priority date	Sep 19, 2013
Publication date	Apr 7, 2015
Grant date	Apr 7, 2015

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for changing physical characteristics of a workpiece which may have been pre-loaded before being further processed. The workpiece is supported in a fixed position during processing. A driven member applies multiple impacts to one surface of the workpiece. The driven member is operated within adjustable parameters. A controller, having the adjustable parameters, is operatively connected to the driven member for causing the driven member to apply multiple impacts against a surface of the workpiece while under the control of the pre-adjustable parameters for changing physical characteristics of the workpiece.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for changing physical characteristics of a metal workpiece having a surface, the apparatus comprising:
a support for the workpiece;
a driven member for applying multiple impacts to a surface of the workpiece; and
a controller having adjustable parameters operatively connected to the driven member to operate the driven member for applying multiple impacts against the surface of the workpiece within a range of the adjustable parameters for changing physical characteristics of the metal workpiece;
wherein the support further includes elongated clamps for holding the workpiece on the support for the workpiece.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support for the workpiece has a surface and wherein the workpiece has a second surface which bears against the surface of the support.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the support for the workpiece includes clamps bearing against the surface of the workpiece and the support further includes at least one additional clamp bearing against the second surface of the workpiece.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the support includes further clamps, the further clamps bear against the second surface of the workpiece and directly oppose the clamps bearing against the surface of the workpiece.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support for the workpiece includes a raised surface, the raised surface providing an anvil for opposing the impacts of the driven member against the workpiece.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the support further includes biased clamps for securing the workpiece on the support and for securing the workpiece against the raised surface of the support.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the support for the workpiece includes an anvil bearing against the second surface of the workpiece in opposition to the driven member applying impacts to the surface of the workpiece, the anvil being moveable in X, Y, and Z directions for opposing the impacts against the workpiece from the driven member.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the apparatus includes at least one pair of clamps for bearing against the surface and the second surface of the workpiece during the applying of the multiple impacts to the surface of the workpiece from the driven member.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the support includes an air bladder anvil bearing against the second surface of the workpiece, and the apparatus further includes a pair of spaced clamps bearing against the surface of the workpiece.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the air bladder anvil is a preformed and shaped air bladder anvil.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes a crank mechanism for driving the driven member, the crank mechanism having a continuous reciprocally moving ram, the ram creating energy transformed into impact energy by the driven member, the impact energy moving as a stress wave from the driven member into the surface of the workpiece.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the adjustable parameters include energy levels of the impacts from the driven member on the workpiece, a rate of application of the impacts by the driven member on the workpiece, and a coverage area of the impacts on the workpiece by the driven member for changing physical characteristics of the metal workpiece.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the energy levels of the impacts are in the range of 1-35 Joules.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 including a controller, a manipulator and an end effector wherein the controller operates the manipulator and the end effector to have the driven member apply the multiple impacts against the surface of the workpiece within the range of the adjustable parameters.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 including a fixture for pre-loading the workpiece before the driven member applies impacts to the workpiece.

16. A method for changing physical characteristics of a metal workpiece having a surface, the method comprising the steps of:
supporting the workpiece;
providing a controller;
providing the controller with adjustable parameters for changing physical characteristics of the workpiece;
applying multiple impacts to the surface of the workpiece;
controlling the applying step with the controller having the adjustable parameters for changing physical characteristics of the workpiece; and
holding the workpiece on the support using elongated clamps.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the method further includes securing the workpiece during the supporting step.

18. The method of claim 16 including the further steps of providing a second surface on the workpiece and clamping the surface of the workpiece and of clamping the second surface of the workpiece for directly opposing the clamping of the surface of the workpiece.

19. The method of claim 16 including the step of providing a second surface on the workpiece and providing an anvil bearing against the second surface of the workpiece for opposing the multiple impacts to the surface of the workpiece.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the method further includes the step of providing biasing clamps for securing the workpiece while supporting the workpiece during the changing of physical characteristics of the workpiece.

21. The method of claim 16 including the step of providing a second surface on the workpiece and providing an anvil for bearing against the second surface of the workpiece in opposition to the multiple impacts to the surface of the workpiece, the anvil being moveable in x, y and z directions for directly opposing the impacts against the workpiece.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the workpiece has a second surface and the method includes the step of providing an air bladder anvil bearing against the second surface of the workpiece, the method further including the step of clamping the workpiece against the surface of the workpiece.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein the adjustable parameters for changing physical characteristics of the workpiece are energy levels for the impacts on the workpiece, a rate of application of the impacts on the workpiece, and a coverage area of the impacts on the workpiece.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein energy levels are in the range of 1-35 Joules.

25. The method of claim 16 wherein the workpiece has multiple surfaces.

26. A method for changing physical characteristics of a metal workpiece having multiple surfaces until a final metal component is achieved, the method comprising the steps of:
pre-loading the workpiece for forming a preliminary contour on the workpiece;
supporting the workpiece having the preliminary contour;
providing a controller;
providing the controller with adjustable parameters for changing physical characteristics of the workpiece having the preliminary contour;
applying multiple impacts to a surface of the workpiece; and
controlling the applying step with the adjustable parameters for changing physical characteristics of the workpiece until the final metal component is achieved.

27. The method of claim 26 including the step of selecting a surface of the workpiece for the pre-loading step as being a concave side of the workpiece, and providing a fixture for the workpiece during pre-loading.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Lundquist Lauren K
• Pillers James E
• Kunz Mckay A
• Mcgraw Michael Delos
• Ramsey Gregory L
• Speer Nate

Classifications

• B21D31/06 Primary

  Deforming sheet metal, tubes or profiles by sequential impacts, e.g. hammering, beating, peen forming (forging hammers B21J7/00) · CPC title

• B23P9/04

  Treating or finishing by hammering or applying repeated pressure · CPC title

• C21D7/04

  of the surface · CPC title

• Y10S72/705

  Vehicle body or frame straightener · CPC title