Press system and method of manufacturing hot stamped structural component

Abstract

A press system and a method of manufacturing a hot stamped structural component from a sheet blank within a press system is provided. The press system comprises a controlled atmosphere system and a press tool apparatus. The press tool apparatus comprises a lower body member, an upper body member, an upper die member, a lower die member, and a heating device configured to heat a sheet blank. The upper die member and the lower die member are configured to perform hot blanking with stamping and in-die quenching on the heated sheet blank in the atmosphere controlled by the controlled atmosphere system to form the hot stamped structural component. By controlling the atmosphere during formation of the hot stamped structural component generation of oxides scales are suppressed.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A press system ( 200 ) comprising:
 a controlled atmosphere system ( 170 ); and   a press tool apparatus ( 100 ) for manufacturing hot stamped structural component ( 111 ), the press tool apparatus ( 100 ) comprising:
 a lower body member ( 106 ); 
 an upper body member ( 104 ) corresponding to lower body member ( 106 ), wherein the upper body member ( 104 ) and the lower body member ( 106 ) are configured to move with respect to one another; 
 a press-tool chamber ( 118 ) defined between the lower body member ( 106 ) and the upper body member ( 104 ); 
 an upper die member ( 120 ) and a lower die member ( 122 ) disposed within the press-tool chamber ( 118 ), wherein the upper die member ( 120 ) is coupled to the upper body member ( 104 ) and the lower die member ( 122 ) is coupled to the lower body member ( 106 ); 
 a heating device ( 102 ) disposed within the press-tool chamber ( 118 ), wherein the heating device ( 102 ) is configured to heat a sheet blank ( 110 ); and 
 wherein the upper die member ( 120 ) and the lower die member ( 122 ) are configured to perform hot blanking with stamping and in-die quenching on the heated sheet blank ( 110 ) in the atmosphere controlled by the controlled atmosphere system ( 170 ) to form the hot stamped structural component ( 111 ). 
   
     
     
         2 . The press system ( 200 ) claimed in the  claim 1 , wherein controlling the atmosphere during formation of the hot stamped structural component ( 111 ) suppresses generation of scales on the hot stamped structural component ( 111 ). 
     
     
         3 . The press system ( 200 ) claimed in the  claim 1 , wherein the controlled atmosphere system ( 170 ) encloses the press tool apparatus ( 100 ). 
     
     
         4 . The press system ( 200 ) claimed in the  claim 1 , wherein the controlled atmosphere system ( 170 ) is disposed between the lower body member ( 106 ) and the upper body member ( 104 ). 
     
     
         5 . The press system ( 200 ) claimed in the  claims 1 to 4 , wherein the controlled atmosphere system ( 170 ) comprises an enclosure ( 172 ) having at least one door ( 174 ), and an atmosphere control means ( 176 ). 
     
     
         6 . The press system ( 200 ) claimed in the  claims 3 and 5 , wherein the enclosure ( 172 ) encloses the press tool apparatus ( 100 ), and the atmosphere control means ( 176 ) controls the atmosphere within the enclosure ( 172 ). 
     
     
         7 . The press system ( 200 ) claimed in the  claim 6 , wherein the enclosure ( 172 ) is a room. 
     
     
         8 . The press system ( 200 ) claimed in the  claims 5 to 7 , wherein the atmosphere control means ( 176 ) is configured to control the atmosphere by controlling the air flow rate. 
     
     
         9 . The press system ( 200 ) claimed in the  claims 5 to 7 , wherein the atmosphere control means ( 176 ) is configured to control the atmosphere by filling with any medium which reduces oxygen content, wherein the medium is any one of a solid medium, a liquid medium, or a gaseous medium. 
     
     
         10 . The press system ( 200 ) claimed in the  claims 5 to 7 , wherein the atmosphere control means ( 176 ) is configured to control the atmosphere by filling with an inert gas selected from any one of nitrogen gas, helium gas or argon gas. 
     
     
         11 . The press system ( 200 ) as claimed in the  claim 1 , wherein the upper body member ( 104 ) and the lower body member ( 106 ) are moved relative to the one another via any one of a mechanical arrangement or a hydraulic arrangement. 
     
     
         12 . The press system ( 200 ) claimed in the  claims 4 and 5 , wherein the enclosure ( 172 ) encloses the press-tool chamber ( 118 ) and the atmosphere control means ( 176 ) controls the atmosphere within the press tool chamber ( 118 ). 
     
     
         13 . The press system ( 200 ) claimed in the  claim 12 , wherein the controlled atmosphere system ( 170 ) is configured to isolate the press-tool chamber ( 118 ) from the surrounding atmosphere. 
     
     
         14 . The press system ( 200 ) claimed in the  claims 3 to 13 , wherein the press system ( 200 ) comprises a sheet blank raw material unit ( 202 ) and a finished product collection unit ( 204 ). 
     
     
         15 . The press system ( 200 ) claimed in the  claims 3, 4, and 14 , wherein the controlled atmosphere system ( 170 ) is equipped with the sheet blank raw material unit ( 202 ) on one side and the finished product collection unit ( 204 ) on the other side, wherein the sheet blank raw material unit ( 202 ) is configured to provide sheet blanks ( 110 ) to the press tool apparatus ( 100 ) and the finished product collection unit ( 204 ) is configured to receive the hot stamped structural component ( 111 ) from the press tool apparatus ( 100 ). 
     
     
         16 . The press system ( 200 ) as claimed in the  claim 1 , wherein the heating device ( 102 ) is a resistance heating device using joules heating principle. 
     
     
         17 . The press system ( 200 ) as claimed in the  claim 16 , wherein the heating device ( 102 ) comprises a power source ( 116 ), and a plurality of electrodes ( 114 ) including a first electrode ( 114   a ), a second electrode ( 114   b ), a third electrode ( 114   c ) and a fourth electrode ( 114   d ). 
     
     
         18 . The press system ( 200 ) as claimed in the  claims 1 and 17 , wherein the press tool apparatus ( 100 ) comprises at least one clamping device ( 130 ) configured to selectively engage or disengage at least one of the plurality of electrodes ( 114 ). 
     
     
         19 . The press system ( 200 ) as claimed in the  claim 18 , wherein the press tool apparatus ( 100 ) comprises two clamping devices ( 130 ) including a first pneumatic cylinder ( 130   a ), and a second pneumatic cylinder ( 130   b ), wherein the first pneumatic cylinder ( 130   a ) is configured to selectively engage or disengage the third electrode ( 114   c ) with the first electrode ( 114   a ) and the second pneumatic cylinder ( 130   b ) is configured to selectively engage or disengage the fourth electrode ( 114   d ) with the second electrode ( 114   b ). 
     
     
         20 . The press system ( 200 ) as claimed in the  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of electrodes ( 114 ) are copper electrodes. 
     
     
         21 . The press system ( 200 ) as claimed in the  claims 1 to 20 , wherein the sheet blank ( 110 ) is uncoated boron steel sheet blank. 
     
     
         22 . The press system ( 200 ) as claimed in the  claims 1 to 21 , wherein the sheet blank ( 110 ) is of thickness ranging between 0.6 mm to 3.0 mm. 
     
     
         23 . The press system ( 200 ) as claimed in the  claim 1 , wherein the upper die member ( 120 ) and the lower die member ( 122 ) are configured to operate at predetermined temperatures. 
     
     
         24 . The press system ( 200 ) as claimed in the  claim 11 , wherein the upper body member ( 104 ) and the lower body member ( 106 ) are moved relative to the one another via the hydraulic arrangement. 
     
     
         25 . The press system ( 200 ) as claimed in the  claim 1 , wherein the heating device ( 102 ) is an induction heating device. 
     
     
         26 . The press system ( 200 ) as claimed in the  claims 1 to 25 , wherein the press system ( 200 ) comprise a control system ( 251 ), and a closed loop feedback system ( 252 ), wherein the closed loop feedback system ( 252 ) is configured to monitor and communicate the information relating to the controlled atmosphere system ( 170 ) and the press-tool apparatus ( 100 ) to the control system ( 251 ) configured to control the press system ( 200 ). 
     
     
         27 . A method ( 300 ) of manufacturing a hot stamped structural component ( 111 ) from a sheet blank ( 110 ) within a press system ( 200 ) comprising:
 a controlled atmosphere system ( 170 ) comprising an enclosure ( 172 ) having at least one door ( 174 ), and an atmosphere control means ( 176 ); and   a press tool apparatus ( 100 ) comprising:
 a lower body member ( 106 ); 
 an upper body member ( 104 ) corresponding to lower body member ( 106 ), wherein the upper body member ( 104 ) and the lower body member ( 106 ) are configured to move with respect to one another; 
 a press-tool chamber ( 118 ) defined between the lower body member ( 106 ) and the upper body member ( 104 ); 
 an upper die member ( 120 ) and a lower die member ( 122 ) disposed within the press-tool chamber ( 118 ), wherein the upper die member ( 120 ) is coupled to the upper body member ( 104 ) and the lower die member ( 122 ) is coupled to the lower body member ( 106 ); and 
 a heating device ( 102 ) disposed within the press-tool chamber ( 118 ), wherein the heating device ( 102 ) comprises a plurality of electrodes ( 114 ) coupled to a power source ( 116 ), 
   wherein the method ( 300 ) comprises:
 transferring the sheet blank ( 110 ) onto the plurality of electrodes ( 114 ); 
 closing the at least one door ( 174 ) of the enclosure ( 172 ) and controlling the atmosphere within the enclosure ( 172 ) via the atmosphere control means ( 176 ); 
 clamping the sheet blank ( 110 ) between the plurality of electrodes ( 114 ) via at least one clamping device ( 130 ); 
 heating the sheet blank ( 110 ) to a first predetermined temperature by supplying power to the plurality of electrodes ( 114 ) from the power source ( 116 ); 
 unclamping the heated sheet blank ( 110 ) by retracting the at least one clamping device ( 130 ); 
 moving the upper body member ( 104 ) with respect to the lower body member ( 106 ); and 
 performing hot blanking with stamping and in-die quenching on the heated sheet blank ( 110 ) by the upper die member ( 120 ) and the lower die member ( 122 ) in controlled atmosphere to form the hot stamped structural component ( 111 ). 
   
     
     
         28 . The method ( 300 ) as claimed in the  claim 27 , wherein the first predetermined temperature ranges from about 350° C. to 950° C. 
     
     
         29 . The method ( 300 ) as claimed in the  claim 28 , wherein the first predetermined temperature ranges from about 750° C. to 950° C. 
     
     
         30 . The method ( 300 ) as claimed in the  claim 29 , wherein the first predetermined temperature is 900° C. 
     
     
         31 . The method ( 300 ) as claimed in the  claim 27 , wherein controlling the atmosphere during formation of the hot stamped structural component ( 111 ) suppresses generation of scales on the hot stamped structural component ( 111 ), wherein suppression of scales reduces tool pollution and tool wear. 
     
     
         32 . The method ( 300 ) as claimed in the  claim 27 , wherein the press system ( 200 ) comprises a non-contact pyrometer ( 253 ) to detect the temperature of the sheet blank ( 110 ). 
     
     
         33 . The method ( 300 ) as claimed in the  claims 27 and 32 , wherein the press system ( 200 ) comprise a control system ( 251 ), and a closed loop feedback system ( 252 ), wherein the closed loop feedback system ( 252 ) is configured to monitor and communicate the information relating to the controlled atmosphere system ( 170 ) and the press-tool apparatus ( 100 ) to the control system ( 251 ) configured to control the press system ( 200 ).