DE102014213063A1 - Method and tool device for producing a seam connection - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a seam connection between a first sheet-metal component (10) and at least one second sheet-metal component (20), comprising the following steps: - providing a first sheet-metal component (10) having a folded edge (11) and at least one second Sheet metal component (20) having a folding flange (21); - Positioning of the sheet metal components (10, 20); - Performing a folding operation in which the fold edge (11) of the first sheet metal part (10) by means of a folding tool (40) bent in one operation and on the folding flange (21) of the second sheet metal component (20) is pressed, including the folding tool (40 ) executes a pivoting movement (A) and at the same time by linear displacement (B) the bending folded edge (11) is tracked successively, in order to avoid a sliding movement between the folding tool (40) and the fold edge (11). The invention further relates to a tool device suitable for carrying out this method.

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing a seam connection between a first sheet-metal component and at least one second sheet-metal component.

The invention further relates to a tool device for producing a rabbet joint.

The joining of sheet metal components by producing a rabbet joint is known from the prior art. To produce a seaming connection, a seaming edge provided on the first (outer) sheet metal component is bent over with the aid of a suitable seaming tool and pressed onto the seaming flange of at least one second sheet metal component to form a folding pocket. Various methods and devices are known from the prior art for this purpose.

The prior art is based on the patents DE 10 2005 012 310 B3 . DE 20 2008 003 687 U1 . DE 198 40 617 A1 . DE 603 12 506 T2 and DE 101 11 374 A1 pointed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method for producing a rabbet joint.

This object is achieved by an inventive method for producing a rabbet joint according to the features of claim 1. With a sibling claim, the invention also extends to a tool device according to the invention, which is suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention. Preferred developments and refinements emerge analogously for both subject matters of the invention both from the dependent claims and from the following explanations.

• – Bereitstellen eines ersten Blechbauteils, das einen Falzrand aufweist, und wenigstens eines zweiten Blechbauteils, das einen Falzflansch aufweist (die bereitgestellten Blechbauteile können auch mehrere Falzränder oder Falzflansche aufweisen);
• – Positionieren der Blechbauteile, wobei die mittels Falzverbindung zu fügenden Blechbauteile zueinander positioniert und ausgerichtet werden;
• – Ausführen eines Falzvorgangs, bei dem der Falzrand des ersten Blechbauteils mit Hilfe eines Falzwerkzeugs in einem Arbeitsgang (unter Ausbildung einer Falztasche) umgebogen und auf den Falzflansch des zweiten Blechbauteils gedrückt wird, wozu das Falzwerkzeug eine Schwenkbewegung ausführt und hierbei gleichzeitig durch lineare Verschiebung dem sich umbiegenden Falzrand sukzessive bzw. kontinuierlich nachgeführt wird, um eine Gleitbewegung zwischen dem Falzwerkzeug und dem Falzrand zu vermeiden.

The method according to the invention for producing a folded connection between a first sheet-metal component and at least one second sheet-metal component comprises at least the following steps:

• Providing a first sheet metal component having a folded edge, and at least one second sheet metal component having a folding flange (the sheet metal components provided may also have a plurality of seam edges or folding flanges);
• - Positioning of the sheet metal components, wherein the sheet metal components to be joined by means of seaming are positioned and aligned with each other;
• - Performing a folding operation in which the seaming edge of the first sheet metal component by means of a seaming tool in a single operation (forming a folding pocket) is bent and pressed onto the seaming flange of the second sheet metal component, for which the seaming tool performs a pivoting movement and this simultaneously by linear displacement of itself bending edge is successively tracked or continuously, in order to avoid a sliding movement between the folding tool and the seaming edge.

According to the invention, the entire folding process is performed with a folding tool in a single operation, d. H. the fold edge of the first component is folded or bent in a folding step or in a folding step up to its end position or end shape, instead of this, as usual in the art, several folding steps (eg., Pre-folding and Fertigfalzen) and / or multiple folding tools to use. This allows a short cycle time can be achieved.

The bending movement and elongation of the seaming edge (i.e., the leg length changes, which is also described in the prior art as "bending shortening") would result in significant sliding movement between the seaming tool and the seaming edge. In order to avoid this, it is further provided according to the invention that the folding tool not only performs a pivoting movement during the folding operation to produce the bending deformation, but is also linearly displaced, so that this follows the folding seam edge up to its end position and in this way a sliding movement between the folding tool and the edge of the fold is avoided. The folding tool accompanies, as it were, the seam edge and in this case performs a superimposed pivoting-sliding movement or a pivoting movement without fixed or fixed pivot point. By this non-linear guide movement damage to the sheet surface (in particular abrasion) and / or the folding tool (in particular wear and / or cold welding) can be avoided, which has an advantageous effect on the quality of the produced rabbet joint and on the life of the seaming tool. The non-linear guiding movement further optimizes the introduction of stress into the sheet-metal component to be folded, which makes it possible to prevent the formation of cracks in the case of crack-sensitive materials (such as, for example, aluminum sheets, sandwich sheets and the like). The invention is therefore particularly suitable for aluminum alloys and other novel materials.

The process according to the invention is particularly suitable for producing optically appealing seaming connections and for processing sensitive sheet metal materials. It is preferably provided that at least the first sheet metal component, and preferably also the second sheet metal component, is / are formed from an aluminum sheet. The second component can also be formed of a non-metallic material (eg. CFK or GFRP).

Preferably, a folding jaw is used as the folding tool, which, after it has been applied to the fold edge of the first sheet metal component, the folded edge during the entire folding operation surface touches and is moved in such a way that it presses perpendicular to the seam edge at any time of the folding operation. The folding jaw is thus always moved so that, while maintaining the flat contact and avoiding sliding movements (as explained above), the forming or bending forces introduced into the folded seam edge always act vertically (i.e., in the surface normal direction) on the seam edge. As a result, the introduction of pure bending forces is ensured and compression force components, which can lead to buckling, cracks and / or work hardening in the sheet material are avoided. By eliminating such and similarly disadvantageous influencing factors, the folding process can be carried out in an advantageously defined manner.

Preferably, the folded edge of the provided first sheet metal component is already angled and in particular employed at an angle of 90 ° or bent (whereby other angular dimensions are possible). The pivot angle executed by the seaming tool and in particular the folding jaw during the folding operation is thus approximately 90 °.

The sheet metal components can additionally be glued to one another at the hinge connection, for which purpose an adhesive, in particular a so-called structural adhesive, is applied to the seam edge of the first sheet metal component and / or to the seam flange of the second sheet metal component before the folding operation. The one-step folding process favors an advantageous distribution of the adhesive. The bond can serve to increase the strength and / or seal the seam connection.

The folding tool and in particular the folding jaw is preferably attached to a robot arm of a robot and is moved by means of the robot in the manner according to the invention. The pivoting movement of the folding tool can thus be generated by means of a robot, to which the robot controller is programmed.

The folding tool and in particular the folding jaw can also be arranged in a tool device and moved by means of a tool kinematics in the manner according to the invention. A tool kinematics is understood to mean a set of interacting drive components, transmission components, power transmission components and the like with which the pivoting and sliding movement of the seaming tool can be produced or accomplished. A tooling device may comprise a plurality of folding tools.

A tool device according to the invention for producing a seam connection between a first sheet metal component and at least one second sheet metal component comprises at least one seaming tool for bending a seaming edge on the first sheet metal component and at least one tool kinematics moving the seaming tool, wherein the tool kinematics is designed or designed such that the seaming tool defines a Execute pivoting movement (to bend over the seam edge) and at the same time be successively tracked by linear displacement of the bending seam edge. The folding tool is preferably a folding jaw. The tool kinematics may comprise a non-linear gearbox, in particular a multi-link gearbox. The multi-link transmission preferably comprises as few components as possible in order to keep the gear play low. Preferably, it is a four-bar linkage. A four-bar linkage can be made compact.

The invention will now be described by way of example and not by way of limitation with reference to the drawings. The features shown in the drawing and / or explained below may, regardless of specific feature combinations, be general features of the invention.

The 1 to 3 The drawing shows in schematic and not to scale sectional representations of the sequence of a folding operation according to the invention and illustrate schematically and also not to scale the case here using a tool kinematics executed movements of the seaming tool.

1a shows a first outer sheet metal component 10 with a raised or parked fold edge 11 and a second inner sheet metal component 20 with a folding flange 21 , The sheet metal components 10 and 20 are already positioned and aligned with each other and are, for example, on a folding table, not shown (table-top method). With 30 is an applied and not yet cured adhesive called.

By folding the seam edge 11 of the first sheet metal component 10 In a manner known per se, a positive fold connection between the components is achieved 10 and 20 created, including the seam 11 in the direction of the seaming flange 21 bent over and on the seaming flange 21 of the second sheet metal component 20 is pressed so that the seam edge 11 of the first sheet metal component 10 in its fold end the folding flange 21 of the second sheet metal component 20 encloses, as in 3a shown. This process is called folding. During the folding process, the adhesive spreads 30 within the seam connection to be produced. After the glue 30 is cured, creates a material bond between the first sheet metal component 10 and the second sheet metal component 20 (so-called Falznahtklebung).

In the embodiment shown, the entire folding operation according to the invention in one operation by means of a movement-guided folding jaw 40 carried out. This is the folding jaw 40 from the outside to the edge of the fold 11 of the first sheet metal component 10 created, so that this the seam edge 11 flat touched, as in 1a shown. The folding jaw 40 now performs a pivotal movement A, as in 2a shown, and is at the same time by linear displacement B the bending seam edge 11 successively tracked to a sliding movement between the folding jaw 40 and the seam 11 to avoid. The movement of the folding jaw 11 is a combination of rotation A and displacement B, wherein the displacement direction B changes continuously in response to the pivot position. (The pivot position is, for example, based on the between the edge of the fold 11 and the seam flange 21 enclosed angle determined.) The in the fold edge to be folded 11 initiated forming or bending forces F act always or at any time of the folding process, ie in each pivot position, perpendicular to the seam edge 11 a (see also 3a ).

The folding jaw 40 is arranged in a tool device, not shown, and is moved by means of a belonging to this tool device tool kinematics. The tool kinematics can have a four-bar linkage. The 1b . 2 B and 3b show such a four-bar linkage 50 and illustrate the thus accomplished movement of the folding jaw 40 according to the in 1a . 2a and 3a shown positions of the folding jaw 40 , The tool design of the tool device is within the skill of the art.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

 first (outer) sheet metal component

11

 seaming

20

 second (inner) sheet metal component

21

 seaming flange

30

 adhesive

40

 seamclosing jaw

50

 tool kinematics

A

 Pivoting movement (rotational movement)

B

 shift

F

 Forming or bending forces

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102005012310 B3 [0004]
• DE 202008003687 U1 [0004]
• DE 19840617 A1 [0004]
• DE 60312506 T2 [0004]
• DE 10111374 A1 [0004]

Claims (10)

Method for producing a seam connection between a first sheet-metal component ( 10 ) and at least one second sheet metal component ( 20 ), comprising the steps of: - providing a first sheet metal component ( 10 ), which has a folded edge ( 11 ), and at least one second sheet metal component ( 20 ), which has a folding flange ( 21 ) having; - Positioning of sheet metal components ( 10 . 20 ); - Performing a folding operation in which the seam edge ( 11 ) of the first sheet metal component ( 10 ) with the aid of a folding tool ( 40 ) bent in one operation and on the folding flange ( 21 ) of the second sheet metal component ( 20 ) is pressed, including the folding tool ( 40 ) performs a pivoting movement (A) and at the same time by linear displacement (B) the bending seam edge ( 11 ) is successively tracked to a sliding movement between the folding tool ( 40 ) and the seam edge ( 11 ) to avoid. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that as folding tool ( 40 ) a folding jaw is used, the fold edge ( 11 ) is contacted flat during the folding process and which is moved during the folding process so that these at any time vertically (F) on the seam edge ( 11 ) presses. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the folded edge ( 11 ) of the provided first sheet metal component ( 10 ) is set at a 90 ° angle. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sheet metal components ( 10 . 20 ) are glued to each other at the fold connection. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the first sheet metal component ( 10 ) is formed of an aluminum sheet. Method according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the folding tool ( 40 ) is arranged in a tool device and by means of a tool kinematics ( 50 ) is moved. Method according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the folding tool ( 40 ) is attached to a robotic arm of a robot and is moved by means of the robot. Tool device for producing a seam connection between a first sheet metal component ( 10 ) and at least one second sheet metal component ( 20 ) comprising a method according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 6, comprising at least one folding tool ( 40 ) for bending a folded edge ( 11 ) on the first sheet metal component ( 10 ) and at least one the folding tool ( 40 ) moving tool kinematics ( 50 ), with the tool kinematics ( 50 ) is formed such that the folding tool ( 40 ) perform a pivoting movement (A) and at the same time by linear displacement (B) the bending seam edge ( 11 ) can be tracked successively. Tool device according to claim 8, characterized in that it is in the folding tool ( 40 ) is a folding jaw. Tooling device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the tool kinematics ( 50 ) has a Mehrgelenktriebe and in particular a four-bar linkage.

Images