Apparatus and method for producing a tailored sheet metal strip or metal profile

Abstract

An apparatus for producing a tailored sheet metal strip, comprising at least one welding station, by means of which at least two sheet metal strips can be welded to one another along their longitudinal edges, and at least two strip feeding devices for respectively feeding one of the sheet metal strips into the at least one welding station, wherein the at least two strip feeding devices and the at least one welding station define a production line. A further-processing station for further processing is integrated in the production line downstream of the at least one welding station in the strip running direction and is equipped with tools for applying reinforcing material, to local points of at least one of the sheet metal strips which are connected to one another, for punching holes and/or for forming at least one of the sheet metal strips which are connected to one another.

1 . An apparatus for producing a tailored sheet metal strip, comprising at least one welding station, by means of which at least two sheet metal strips can be welded to one another along their longitudinal edges, and at least two strip feeding devices for respectively feeding one of the sheet metal strips into the at least one welding station, wherein the at least two strip feeding devices and the at least one welding station define a production line, wherein at least one further-processing station for further processing is integrated in the production line, is arranged downstream of the at least one welding station in the strip running direction and is equipped with means, in particular tools, for applying additional material, in particular reinforcing material, to local points of at least one of the sheet metal strips which are connected to one another, for punching holes and/or for forming at least one of the sheet metal strips which are connected to one another, wherein an accumulator device for receiving a strip loop of the tailored sheet metal strip produced from the at least two sheet metal strips is arranged between the welding station, by means of which the at least two sheet metal strips can be welded to one another along at least one of their longitudinal edges, and the at least one further-processing station. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one further-processing station is equipped with a handling appliance and/or a robot for applying additional material, in particular reinforcing material. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one further-processing station is equipped with a welding tool, a punching tool and/or a clinching tool for connecting reinforcing material to at least one of the sheet metal strips. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the welding tool, the punching tool and/or the clinching tool is held by means of a movably mounted carrier and can be moved back and forth in the strip running direction by means of the carrier. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one further-processing station has a multiplicity of pairs of rollers for roll forming the tailored sheet metal strip produced from the at least two sheet metal strips. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a coiling device for coiling the tailored sheet metal strip produced from the at least two sheet metal strips is arranged downstream of the at least one further-processing station in the strip running direction. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one further-processing station has a multiplicity of pairs of rollers for roll forming the tailored sheet metal strip produced from the at least two sheet metal strips in the form of a closed profile, wherein at least one further welding station for producing a tube longitudinal weld seam is arranged downstream of the pairs of rollers in the strip running direction. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a separating device for cutting the tailored sheet metal strip or profile produced from the at least two sheet metal strips to length is arranged downstream of the at least one further-processing station in the strip running direction. 
     
     
         9 . A method for producing a tailored sheet metal strip or metal profile, in which method at least two sheet metal strips are fed to a welding station by means of at least two strip feeding devices and welded to one another along their longitudinal edges, wherein the at least two strip feeding devices and the at least one welding station define a production line, wherein at least two sheet metal strips welded to one another are further processed in the production line using an apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein at least two sheet metal strips are welded in the welding station with a continuous strip feed, in that the sheet metal strips welded to one another are guided downstream of the welding station, in the strip running direction, in such a manner that they form a strip loop, and in that the welded sheet metal strips are moved further intermittently downstream of the strip loop, in the strip running direction, wherein at least one of the sheet metal strips wherein at least one of the sheet metal strips is processed in the at least one further-processing station during a standstill phase of a portion of the tailored sheet metal strip. 
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein at least two sheet metal strips are welded in the welding station and also at least one of the sheet metal strips welded to one another is processed in the at least one further-processing station in each case with a continuous strip feed, wherein a welding tool, a punching tool and/or a clinching tool for processing the at least one of the sheet metal strips welded to one another in the further-processing station is/are concomitantly moved with the sheet metal strips welded to one another. 
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein reinforcements in the form of sheet metal blanks are applied to at least one of the sheet metal strips welded to one another in the production line and are connected to the at least one sheet metal strip by joining. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the sheet metal strips welded to one another are formed to give an open or closed profile by means of roll forming in the production line. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein sheet metal strips of differing thickness, quality and/or surface condition are used to produce the tailored sheet metal strip or metal profile. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein sheet metal strips of differing metal types, in particular aluminum strip and magnesium strip, are used to produce the tailored sheet metal strip or metal profile.