US20090071220A1 - Equipment for producing a closed-section cross-member, comprising an adaptable-length punch and/or matrix, and corresponding production method - Google Patents

Equipment for producing a closed-section cross-member, comprising an adaptable-length punch and/or matrix, and corresponding production method Download PDF

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Publication number
US20090071220A1
US20090071220A1 US12/089,134 US8913406A US2009071220A1 US 20090071220 A1 US20090071220 A1 US 20090071220A1 US 8913406 A US8913406 A US 8913406A US 2009071220 A1 US2009071220 A1 US 2009071220A1
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United States
Prior art keywords
cross
closed
tooling
manufacturing
length
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
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US12/089,134
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English (en)
Inventor
Vincent Gillet
Julien Berson
Ludovic Ribay
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Auto Chassis International SNC
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Auto Chassis International SNC
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Filing date
Publication date
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Assigned to AUTO CHASSIS INTERNATIONAL SNC reassignment AUTO CHASSIS INTERNATIONAL SNC ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: RIBAY, LUDOVIC, BERSON, JULIEN, GILLET, VINCENT
Publication of US20090071220A1 publication Critical patent/US20090071220A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D53/00—Making other particular articles
    • B21D53/88—Making other particular articles other parts for vehicles, e.g. cowlings, mudguards
    • B21D53/90—Making other particular articles other parts for vehicles, e.g. cowlings, mudguards axle-housings
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D22/00—Shaping without cutting, by stamping, spinning, or deep-drawing
    • B21D22/02—Stamping using rigid devices or tools
    • B21D22/025—Stamping using rigid devices or tools for tubular articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D53/00—Making other particular articles
    • B21D53/88—Making other particular articles other parts for vehicles, e.g. cowlings, mudguards

Definitions

  • the field of the invention is that of motor vehicles. More specifically, the invention relates to non-rigid axles for motor vehicles.
  • a non-rigid axle is the term generally used to denote an axle designed to form a torsion element between two wheels.
  • a non-rigid axle comprises two longitudinal arms each carrying a support for mounting a wheel, and which are connected by a transverse connecting element known as a cross-member or profile.
  • axle design there are two parameters which, amongst others, are considered in order to assess the quality of the axle. These are bending and torsion.
  • axle design toward solutions that involve introducing a torsional stiffness between the two trailing arms, this commonly being known as an “anti-roll bar” or “ARB”, with a view to limiting vehicle body roll under cornering while at the same time maintaining good vertical flexibility in the axle assembly as this is guaranteed to filter out the transmission to the body of irregularities in the road surface.
  • ARB anti-roll bar
  • the connecting element or cross-member, therefore forms one of the components that is the trickiest to develop, particularly from the endurance and behavioral standpoints.
  • the cross-member that connects the longitudinal arms is produced using two different technologies.
  • the cross-member is produced from a sheet metal element that is bent (or pressed) to give it a U-shaped, V-shaped or L-shaped cross section.
  • These cross-members generally have to be combined with an anti-roll bar to provide the axle with torsional stiffness.
  • the second technology involves incorporating the anti-roll stiffness function into the cross-member.
  • the cross-member is manufactured from a tube generally of circular cross section, the tube being subjected at least in its central part to a deformation step (at the outcome of which a portion of the wall is crushed against another portion of the wall) in order to obtain the desired torsional and flexural stiffnesses (examples: Ford 806 (trade name) or Opel Zafira (trade name)).
  • anti-roll stiffnesses needed to suit the requirements is provided by altering the cross-sectional shape of the cross-member and/or by changing the thickness of the tube.
  • the invention applies to cross-members produced using this second technology, these correspondingly being known by the names of “closed-profile cross-members” or “closed-section cross-members”.
  • the cross-member tube is deformed only in a transverse portion in order to reduce its torsional stiffness and maintains cross sections of higher torsional inertia (for example circular cross sections) at the ends, to make it easier to weld to the suspension arms.
  • the cross-member of a non-rigid axle is characterized by a high flexural stiffness and a low torsional stiffness, it being necessary for the latter to be gaged precisely (associated with the anti-roll stiffness of the axle).
  • the problem is that of reducing the sensitivity of axle anti-roll stiffness to spread on tube thickness.
  • a first solution is to work with tube suppliers to gain control over tube thickness spread (which results from a rolling and welding process), using a sorting method.
  • a second solution is to use tubes from a rolling and welding process which are then re-drawn in order to improve the tolerance on the thickness.
  • the sheet metal of the tube, at each end of the cross-member is connected using a method of “clinching” (in which one metal sheet is driven into the other by punching).
  • This solution provides better control over the spread on the actual length of the working section (the section with the lowest torsional inertia), but does not in any way compensate for spread on the tube thickness.
  • Another objective of the invention is to provide a technique such as this which is simple in design and easy to implement.
  • Another objective of the invention is to propose a method of manufacture corresponding to such a technique.
  • the subject of which is tooling for manufacturing a closed-section cross-member intended to connect two longitudinal arms of a motor vehicle non-rigid axle, said tooling comprising at least one die intended to collaborate with a punch to form, on said closed section of said cross-member, a length of torsion zone, and means for holding said cross-member in position, characterized in that said die and/or said punch are length-adjustable so that said length of said torsion zone can be adapted.
  • Such variation in the length of the torsion zone can be obtained simply by adjusting the dimensions of the die and of the punch of the shaping tooling, and to do so in a way integrated into the tooling as will become more clearly apparent later.
  • said die and said punch each comprise at least two parts that can be moved away from/toward each other.
  • said two parts of said die and/or of said punch can be actuated by at least one actuating cylinder.
  • said two parts of said die and/or of said punch are held in the continuation of one another using screwing means.
  • the tooling preferably comprises a set of shims which can be interposed between said two parts of said die and/or of said punch.
  • the set of shims may then comprise a variety of shims of different thicknesses capable of covering a given range with the desired precision.
  • said holding means comprise at least one variable-travel clamp.
  • Clamps such as this contribute to the modular nature of the tooling, allowing it to be adapted to suit both the thickness of the cross-member and the length thereof.
  • the invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a closed-section cross-member intended to connect two longitudinal arms of a motor vehicle non-rigid axle, using tooling comprising at least one die intended to collaborate with a punch to form, on said closed section of said cross-member, a length of torsion zone, and means for holding said cross-member in position, characterized in that it comprises a step of adjusting the length of said die and/or of said punch so as to adapt said length of said torsion zone.
  • the method comprises a prior step of calculating said length of said torsion zone according to the desired torsional stiffness of said cross-member and according to the wall thickness of said section.
  • the method comprises a step of adjusting the travel of two clamps that form said holding means.
  • FIGS. 1 to 3 are each a view of one step in the manufacture of a closed-section cross-member according to the prior art
  • FIGS. 4 a , 4 b , 5 and 6 are views illustrating the influence of the torsion zone of a cross-member on the torsional stiffness thereof;
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the overall principle of the invention.
  • FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • FIGS. 9 to 11 are graphs illustrating one example of a tolerance band on the torsional stiffness that is obtained by virtue of the invention, as a function of a given spread on thickness and a given variation on working length.
  • a closed-section cross-member is manufactured according to the prior art from a tube 1 which has its cross section deformed using a press in order to produce a torsion zone.
  • the conventional tooling comprises a punch 2 and a die 3 which are actuated by a press and are intended to collaborate with one another to form the torsion zone, and clamps 4 intended to press against the ends of the tube 1 .
  • the tube is placed in the press, and the clamps are brought up against the tube in order to immobilize it, then the press is closed.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates the step of forming the torsion zone on a given and fixed length, the die 3 and the punch 2 crushing the tube between them.
  • the press is opened (the die 3 and the punch 2 therefore being moved away from each other) and the clamps are retracted from the tube ( FIG. 3 ).
  • the torsion zone of a closed-section cross-member is the name given to the zone L corresponding to the central part of the cross-member.
  • the geometric profile of the cross section of the tube, the tube thickness and the length of the torsion zone are key factors in obtaining the torsional stiffness of the cross-member.
  • the variation in the length ⁇ L of the torsion zone varies the torsional stiffness R of the cross-member in the following way: if L increases, P decreases, and vice versa.
  • the cross-member when the length of the torsion zone L is minimal, the cross-member has maximum torsional stiffness ( FIG. 5 ). Conversely, when the length of the torsion zone L is maximal, the cross-member has minimal torsional stiffness ( FIG. 6 ).
  • the principle of the invention illustrated by FIG. 7 lies in making the punch 2 and the die 3 length-adjustable so that they will allow variations in length ⁇ L corresponding to the length of the torsion zone required.
  • the punch 2 and the die 3 each have two parts, 2 a , 2 b and 3 a , 3 b , respectively, that can be moved towards or away from one another in order to vary ⁇ L.
  • the separation between the parts 2 a , 2 b on the one hand, and the parts 3 a , 3 b on the other hand, is obtained by interposing one or more shims 6 between them.
  • the number and the thickness of the shims are chosen to suit the desired ⁇ L.
  • the parts 2 a , 2 b of the punch are held together with the shims 6 using threaded rods 5 .
  • clamps 4 are controlled by hydraulic cylinder actuators (not depicted) that perform the translational movement of the clamps.
  • the lengths of the punch and of the die can be altered hydraulically, for example using on-board cylinder actuators, according to another conceivable embodiment.
  • the adaptive adjustment of the tooling which has just been described is performed between each production run (a run being defined by a batch of tubes that are characterized by a particular mean tube thickness), on the press, with or without partial disassembly of the tooling.
  • the length of the torsion zone is calculated according to the tube thickness, this being for a stiffness laid down in the technical specification.
  • FIGS. 9 to 11 are graphs illustrating an example of a torsional stiffness tolerance band obtained by virtue of the invention as a function of a given spread on thickness and a given variation in working length.
  • the graph of FIG. 9 indicates a spread (of between 3.35 mm and 3.55 mm) in tube thickness across a batch of tubes.
  • the graph of FIG. 10 indicates variations in working length (corresponding to the length of the torsion zone).
  • the graph of FIG. 11 indicates the output data relating to the torsional stiffness.
  • the variation in working length (denoted L in FIG. 4 a ) between 618 and 700 mm makes it possible to comply with a stiffness tolerance band of ⁇ 2 m.daN/° for a tube thickness tolerance of ⁇ 0.1 mm.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)
  • Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)
  • Perforating, Stamping-Out Or Severing By Means Other Than Cutting (AREA)
  • Mounting, Exchange, And Manufacturing Of Dies (AREA)
  • Casting Or Compression Moulding Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
  • Shaping Metal By Deep-Drawing, Or The Like (AREA)
US12/089,134 2005-10-04 2006-10-04 Equipment for producing a closed-section cross-member, comprising an adaptable-length punch and/or matrix, and corresponding production method Abandoned US20090071220A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR0510131 2005-10-04
FR0510131A FR2891480B1 (fr) 2005-10-04 2005-10-04 Outillage de fabrication d'une traverse a section fermee comprenant une matrice et/ou un poincon de longueur adaptable, et procede de fabrication correspondant.
PCT/FR2006/050990 WO2007039703A1 (fr) 2005-10-04 2006-10-04 Outillage de fabrication d'une traverse a section fermee comprenant une matrice et/ou un poincon de longueur adaptable, et procede de fabrication correspondant

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20090071220A1 true US20090071220A1 (en) 2009-03-19

Family

ID=36540250

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US12/089,134 Abandoned US20090071220A1 (en) 2005-10-04 2006-10-04 Equipment for producing a closed-section cross-member, comprising an adaptable-length punch and/or matrix, and corresponding production method

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US20090071220A1 (de)
EP (1) EP1933999B1 (de)
JP (1) JP2009509774A (de)
AT (1) ATE444129T1 (de)
DE (1) DE602006009531D1 (de)
FR (1) FR2891480B1 (de)
PL (1) PL1933999T3 (de)
WO (1) WO2007039703A1 (de)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8505941B2 (en) 2009-04-01 2013-08-13 Jfe Steel Corporation Torsion beam manufacturing method and torsion beam
CN103736832A (zh) * 2013-12-30 2014-04-23 四川蓝星机械有限公司 一种扁圆管成型装置及其制造方法
CN104093503A (zh) * 2012-02-01 2014-10-08 麦格纳国际公司 横向支撑件和形成横向支撑件的方法
US9884359B2 (en) * 2012-06-15 2018-02-06 Magna International Inc. Adjustable twist beam tube forming die
CN109070676A (zh) * 2016-05-10 2018-12-21 新日铁住金株式会社 扭力梁制造方法、扭力梁制造装置以及扭力梁
US10618363B2 (en) 2016-03-30 2020-04-14 Nippon Steel Corporation Torsion beam manufacturing method and torsion beam manufacturing apparatus
US11498107B2 (en) * 2017-10-04 2022-11-15 Nippon Steel Corporation Torsion beam manufacturing method and torsion beam manufacturing apparatus

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102007039352A1 (de) * 2007-08-21 2009-02-26 Benteler Automobiltechnik Gmbh Als Querträger einer Verbundlenkerachse eines Kraftfahrzeuges einsetzbarer Profilstab
ATE496270T1 (de) * 2008-08-07 2011-02-15 Giannoni S P A Bithermaler wärmetauscher und seine herstellung
NL2002482C2 (en) * 2009-02-03 2010-08-04 Weweler Nv Manufacturing of a vehicle axle.
KR101009494B1 (ko) 2010-05-20 2011-01-19 이형광 자동차의 크로스멤버용 컵의 제조방법
DE102014109453A1 (de) * 2014-07-07 2016-01-07 Benteler Automobiltechnik Gmbh Verfahren zum Herstellen eines Torsionsprofils aus einem rohrförmigen Hohlprofil sowie Torsionsprofil
DE102015122507A1 (de) * 2015-12-22 2017-06-22 Familie Burger GbR (vertretungsberechtigte Gesellschafter: Mercedes Burger, 87484 Nesselwang; Georg Burger, 87484 Nesselwang; Bernhard Burger, 87484 Nesselwang; Manuel Burger, 87484 Nesselwang; Christina Burger, 87484 Nesselwang; Diana Burger, 87484 Nesselwang) Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung eines Hinterachsträgers für ein Kraftfahrzeug
DE102017110096B4 (de) * 2017-05-10 2024-02-08 Benteler Automobiltechnik Gmbh Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Herstellen eines hülsenförmigen Durchzugs
JP6856057B2 (ja) * 2018-08-21 2021-04-07 Ｊｆｅスチール株式会社 トーションビームの製造方法

Citations (3)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3845651A (en) * 1971-12-13 1974-11-05 J Vau Method and device for the precision shaping of a metal part
US4815312A (en) * 1986-07-22 1989-03-28 La Telemecanique Electrique Device for adjusting the relative position of two parts of the same piece by deformation, by means of a conical screw, of an intermediate zone connecting these two parts together
US6550303B2 (en) * 2000-01-26 2003-04-22 Dieco Manufacturing, Inc. Die for pipe bending apparatus

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JPH0647445A (ja) * 1992-07-29 1994-02-22 Kanto Auto Works Ltd 可変式プレス金型
DE19653959C1 (de) * 1996-12-21 1998-02-05 Benteler Werke Ag Querträger und Verfahren zum Herstellen eines Querträgers
FR2805479B1 (fr) * 2000-02-25 2002-05-03 Renault Procede de fabrication d'une traverse de train de vehicule automobile et traverse obtenue par un tel procede
JP3750521B2 (ja) * 2000-03-09 2006-03-01 トヨタ自動車株式会社 異形断面筒状体の製造方法及びトーションビーム用アクスルビーム
JP2002192267A (ja) * 2000-12-28 2002-07-10 Toyoda Gosei Co Ltd プレス成型品及びその成形装置
KR100554310B1 (ko) * 2004-09-21 2006-02-24 주식회사화신 자동차 후륜 현가계용 토션빔의 빔 제조장치

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3845651A (en) * 1971-12-13 1974-11-05 J Vau Method and device for the precision shaping of a metal part
US4815312A (en) * 1986-07-22 1989-03-28 La Telemecanique Electrique Device for adjusting the relative position of two parts of the same piece by deformation, by means of a conical screw, of an intermediate zone connecting these two parts together
US6550303B2 (en) * 2000-01-26 2003-04-22 Dieco Manufacturing, Inc. Die for pipe bending apparatus

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8505941B2 (en) 2009-04-01 2013-08-13 Jfe Steel Corporation Torsion beam manufacturing method and torsion beam
CN104093503A (zh) * 2012-02-01 2014-10-08 麦格纳国际公司 横向支撑件和形成横向支撑件的方法
US9884359B2 (en) * 2012-06-15 2018-02-06 Magna International Inc. Adjustable twist beam tube forming die
CN103736832A (zh) * 2013-12-30 2014-04-23 四川蓝星机械有限公司 一种扁圆管成型装置及其制造方法
US10618363B2 (en) 2016-03-30 2020-04-14 Nippon Steel Corporation Torsion beam manufacturing method and torsion beam manufacturing apparatus
CN109070676A (zh) * 2016-05-10 2018-12-21 新日铁住金株式会社 扭力梁制造方法、扭力梁制造装置以及扭力梁
US11498107B2 (en) * 2017-10-04 2022-11-15 Nippon Steel Corporation Torsion beam manufacturing method and torsion beam manufacturing apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP2009509774A (ja) 2009-03-12
ATE444129T1 (de) 2009-10-15
EP1933999B1 (de) 2009-09-30
DE602006009531D1 (de) 2009-11-12
PL1933999T3 (pl) 2010-07-30
WO2007039703A1 (fr) 2007-04-12
FR2891480A1 (fr) 2007-04-06
EP1933999A1 (de) 2008-06-25
FR2891480B1 (fr) 2008-04-04

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Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:GILLET, VINCENT;BERSON, JULIEN;RIBAY, LUDOVIC;REEL/FRAME:021623/0907;SIGNING DATES FROM 20080520 TO 20080524

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