Thermally assisted flanging and hemming of aluminum castings and extrusions as an enabler to lower cost and weight

Abstract

A process and assembly for flanging or hemming an edge of an aluminum casted article, including positioning each of a heating element and a holding pad in proximity to an extending edge of the casted article, heating the edge of the casted article corresponding to the placement of the heating element, and then applying a roller or flattening tool having a contact portion for engaging and bending the heated edge until reformed into a final bent or folded profile. Additional steps include repositioning the at least one heating element or positioning at least one additional heating element at a further location of the casted article, following which a subsequent trimming or final fabricating step is employed to complete the article.

1 . A process for flanging or hemming an edge of an aluminum casted article, comprising the steps of:
 positioning each of a heating element and a holding pad in proximity to an extending edge of the casted article;   heating the edge of the casted article corresponding to the placement of the heating element; and   applying any of a roller or flattening tool having a contact portion for engaging and bending the heated edge until reformed into a final bent or folded profile.   
     
     
         2 . The process as described in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of either repositioning the at least one heating element or positioning at least one additional heating element at a further location of the casted article, following which a subsequent trimming or final fabricating step is employed to complete the article. 
     
     
         3 . An assembly for flanging or hemming an edge of an aluminum casted article, comprising:
 at least one heating element placed along an extending location of the blank article in order to heat the extending location;   a holding pad placed at a further location of the article in proximity to the heating element; and   any of a roller or flattening tool having a contact portion for engaging and bending the heated edge until reformed into a final bent or folded profile.   
     
     
         4 . The assembly as described in  claim 3 , further comprising at least one additional heating element positioned at a further location of the casted article, following which a subsequent trimming or final fabricating step is employed to complete the article