Hybrid stamping system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9770749-B2
Application number	US-201414454981-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2014
Priority date	Aug 8, 2014
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

A hybrid stamping system for forming a work-piece includes a stamping press. The press includes first and second dies that have respective first and second die bases formed from a first material. The system also includes first and second inlays. Each inlay is formed from a second material and has opposing die and work-piece sides. The second material hardness is greater than the first material hardness. The die side of the first inlay is cast into the first base and the work-piece side of the first inlay is contoured to form one side of the work-piece. The die side of the second inlay is cast into the second base and the work-piece side of the second inlay is contoured to form another side of the work-piece. The first and second dies are mounted in the press opposite one another to form the work-piece between the first and second inlays.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A hybrid stamping system for forming a work-piece, the system comprising:
a stamping press;
a first die having a first die base formed from a die base material and configured to be mounted in the stamping press;
a second die having a second die base formed from the die base material and configured to be mounted in the stamping press opposite the first die;
a first inlay formed from an inlay material, the first inlay having a die side and a work-piece side, wherein the die side of the first inlay is cast-in and incorporated into the first die base and the work-piece side of the first inlay is contoured to form one side of the work-piece; and
a second inlay formed from the inlay material, the second inlay having a die side and a work-piece side, wherein the die side of the second inlay is cast-in and incorporated into the second die base and the work-piece side of the second inlay is contoured to form another side of the work-piece;
wherein:
the die base material is characterized by a first hardness and the inlay material is characterized by a second hardness that is greater than the first hardness;
the first and second dies are mounted in the stamping press, such that, when the stamping press is operated, the work-piece is formed between the work-piece side of the first inlay and the work-piece side of the second inlay;
the first inlay includes a first and a second segment and the second inlay includes a first and a second segment, wherein the first segment of the first inlay abuts the second segment of the first inlay, and wherein the first segment of the second inlay abuts the second segment of the second inlay; and
the first segment of the first inlay is linked with the second segment of the first inlay via a first interlock and the first segment of the second inlay is linked with the second segment of the second inlay via a second interlock.

2. The hybrid stamping system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second segments of the first and second inlays includes a footing configured to support each segment in the respective first and second die bases.

3. The hybrid stamping system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first interlock and the second interlock each includes a dovetail connection.

4. The hybrid stamping system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first interlock and the second interlock each includes an epoxy adhesive bond providing a continuous transition between the first and second segments of the respective first and second inlays.

5. The hybrid stamping system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the die base material is a Kirksite alloy and the inlay material is tool-grade steel.

6. The hybrid stamping system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second segments of at least one of the first and second inlays is formed via a three-dimensional (3D) printing process.

7. The hybrid stamping system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second segments of at least one of the first and second inlays is formed via at least one of a casting process and a machining process.

8. The hybrid stamping system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a binder element having a binder base formed from the die base material, wherein:
the binder element is mounted in the stamping press and configured to be displaced relative to the first die for ejecting the work-piece therefrom;
the binder element includes a binder inlay formed from the inlay material; and
the binder inlay has a die side and a work-piece side, and wherein the die side of the binder inlay is cast-in and incorporated into the binder base.

9. A method of manufacturing a hybrid stamping system for forming a work-piece, the method comprising:
providing a first inlay from an inlay material, the first inlay having a die side and a work-piece side, wherein the work-piece side of the first inlay is contoured to form one side of the work-piece, wherein the first inlay includes a first and a second segment, and wherein said providing the first inlay includes having the first segment of the first inlay abut the second segment of the first inlay and includes linking the first segment of the first inlay with the second segment of the first inlay via a first interlock;
positioning the first inlay in a first casting mold;
casting a first die base from a die base material in the first casting mold and thereby fixing the die side of the first inlay to the first die base to form a first die, wherein the die base material is characterized by a first hardness and the inlay material is characterized by a second hardness that is greater than the first hardness;
providing a second inlay from the inlay material, the second inlay having a die side and a work-piece side, wherein the work-piece side of the second inlay is contoured to form another side of the work-piece, wherein the second inlay includes a first and a second segment, and wherein said providing the second inlay includes having the first segment of the second inlay abut the second segment of the second inlay and includes linking the first segment of the second inlay with the second segment of the second inlay via a second interlock;
positioning the second inlay in a second casting mold;
casting a second die base from the die base material in the second casting mold and thereby fixing the die side of the second inlay to the second die base to form a second die; and
mounting the first die, and mounting the second die opposite the first die in a stamping press.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein each of the first and second segments of the first and second inlays includes a footing, and wherein said fixing the die side of the first inlay to the first die base and said fixing the die side of the second inlay to the second die base includes supporting the first and second segments of the first and second inlays in the respective first and second die bases via the respective footing.

11. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the first interlock and the second interlock each includes a dovetail connection.

12. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the first interlock and the second interlock each includes an epoxy adhesive bond, the method further comprises providing a continuous transition between the first and second segments of the respective first and second inlays via the epoxy adhesive bond.

13. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the die base material is a Kirksite alloy and the inlay material is tool-grade steel.

14. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein providing at least one of the first and second inlays includes forming at least one of the first and second segments of the respective inlay via a three-dimensional (3D) printing process.

15. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein providing at least one of the first and second inlays includes forming at least one of the first and second segments of the respective inlay via at least one of a casting process and a machining process.

16. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein:
said providing the first inlay includes providing a binder inlay;
said casting the first die base includes casting a binder base from the die base material in the first casting mold and thereby fixing the die side of the binder inlay to the binder base to form a binder element; and
said mounting the first die includes mounting the binder element in the stamping press such that the binder element is arranged to be displaced relative to the first die for ejecting the work-piece therefrom.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Wu Dai-Yun
• Arinez Jorge F

Classifications

• B21D22/02 Primary

  Stamping using rigid devices or tools · CPC title

• B21D37/01

  Selection of materials · CPC title

• B21D37/205

  Making cutting tools · CPC title

• B21D35/007

  Layered blanks (B21D22/203 takes precedence; joining superposed plates B21D39/031, B21D39/034, B21D39/035) · CPC title

• B21D37/20

  Making tools by operations not covered by a single other subclass · CPC title