Method for manufacturing a metal tubular blank, a tubular blank, and a product produced from said tubular blank

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a metal tubular blank suitable for forming into a product comprising the steps of: providing an essentially planar blank, said planar blank having a first surface and a second surface; and producing the tubular blank from the planar blank whereby the second surface of the planar blank becomes the outside of the tubular blank; wherein a first layer with a first friction influencing function is applied to at least part of the first side of the planar blank and/or a second layer with a second friction influencing function is applied to at least part of the second side of the planar blank prior to forming the planar blank into a tubular blank, so as to influence the friction between the tubular blank and forming tools which can be used to form the tubular blank into the product, and wherein the first and/or second layer are applied in the form of a foil, a dry lubricant, a wax or an oil. Also disclosed is a tubular blank and a product produced from such a tubular blank.

1 . A method for manufacturing a metal tubular blank suitable for forming into a product comprising the steps of: 
 providing an essentially planar blank, said planar blank having a first surface and a second surface;    producing the tubular blank from the planar blank whereby the second surface of the planar blank becomes the outside of the tubular blank;    wherein a first layer with a first friction influencing function is applied to at least part of the first side of the planar blank and/or a second layer with a second friction influencing function is applied to at least part of the second side of the planar blank prior to forming the planar blank into a tubular blank, so as to influence the friction between the tubular blank and forming tools which can be used to form the tubular blank into the product, and wherein the first and/or second layer are applied in the form of a foil, a dry lubricant, a wax or an oil.    
   
   
       2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the blank is produced from a coil and wherein the first and/or second layer is applied to the coil prior to producing the blank.  
   
   
       3 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the foil is a hydrocarbon or a fluorocarbon.  
   
   
       4 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the foil is a polyethylene or a polytetrafluorethylene.  
   
   
       5 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the planar blank is essentially quadrangular.  
   
   
       6 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the planar blank has an essentially quadrangular shape selected from the group consisting of essentially rectangular and essentially tapered.  
   
   
       7 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the planar blank comprises at least a first blank portion and a second blank portion and wherein the first blank portion has different geometrical dimensions than the second blank portion and/or wherein the first blank portion is made from a different material than the second blank portion and/or wherein the material of the first blank portion has different properties than the material of the second blank portion.  
   
   
       8 . Method according to  claim 2 , wherein the planar blank comprises at least a first blank portion and a second blank portion and wherein the first blank portion has different geometrical dimensions than the second blank portion and/or wherein the first blank portion is made from a different material than the second blank portion and/or wherein the material of the first blank portion has different properties than the material of the second blank portion.  
   
   
       9 . Method according to  claim 3 , wherein the planar blank comprises at least a first blank portion and a second blank portion and wherein the first blank portion has different geometrical dimensions than the second blank portion and/or wherein the first blank portion is made from a different material than the second blank portion and/or wherein the material of the first blank portion has different properties than the material of the second blank portion.  
   
   
       10 . Method according to  claim 4 , wherein the planar blank comprises at least a first blank portion and a second blank portion and wherein the first blank portion has different geometrical dimensions than the second blank portion and/or wherein the first blank portion is made from a different material than the second blank portion and/or wherein the material of the first blank portion has different properties than the material of the second blank portion.  
   
   
       11 . Method according to  claim 5 , wherein the planar blank comprises at least a first blank portion and a second blank portion and wherein the first blank portion has different geometrical dimensions than the second blank portion and/or wherein the first blank portion is made from a different material than the second blank portion and/or wherein the material of the first blank portion has different properties than the material of the second blank portion.  
   
   
       12 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the layers with a friction influencing function decreases the friction between the tubular blank and the forming tools which can be used to form the tubular blank into a product.  
   
   
       13 . Method according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the layers with a friction influencing function decreases the friction between the tubular blank and the forming tools which can be used to form the tubular blank into a product.  
   
   
       14 . Method according to  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the layers with a friction influencing function decreases the friction between the tubular blank and the forming tools which can be used to form the tubular blank into a product.  
   
   
       15 . Method according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the layers with a friction influencing function decreases the friction between the tubular blank and the forming tools which can be used to form the tubular blank into a product.  
   
   
       16 . Method according to  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the layers with a friction influencing function decreases the friction between the tubular blank and the forming tools which can be used to form the tubular blank into a product.  
   
   
       17 . Method according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the layers with a friction influencing function decreases the friction between the tubular blank and the forming tools which can be used to form the tubular blank into a product.  
   
   
       18 . Method according to  claim 12 , wherein at least the second layer with a friction influencing factor decreases the friction between the tubular blank and the forming tools which can be used to form the tubular blank into a product.  
   
   
       19 . Tubular blank obtained using the method in accordance with  claim 1 .  
   
   
       20 . Product obtained by hydroforming a tubular blank according to  claim 10.