EP3771502B1 - Method and forming device for manufacturing a metal sheet component comprising flanges - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a component from sheet metal, preferably sheet steel or aluminum, in which a sheet metal blank is formed into a component having flanges by reshaping, for example deep drawing, and in which a calibration process is carried out to achieve a predetermined dimensional accuracy of the flanges , according to the preamble of claim 1.

The invention further relates to a forming device for producing a component having flanges from sheet metal, in particular a forming device for carrying out a method of the aforementioned type, according to the preamble of claim 5.

The flanges of the component produced by forming can also be referred to as wings or flanks.

When producing a component with flanges from sheet metal, for example a body component with a U-shaped cross-section made from high-strength sheet steel, by forming, in particular deep-drawing, a sheet metal blank suitable for this purpose, the flanges produced by the forming process often spring open or spring back. The component then often does not have the required dimensional accuracy. Insufficient dimensional accuracy of the component can lead to further production problems if, after the forming process, component flanges of two components, for example a right and a left sheet metal shell, are welded to one another to form a tubular hollow body, especially butt-welded. Serious dimensional deviations of the component flanges can cause failure of the component or welded connection, especially with butt welding.

The cracking behavior of such sheet metal components depends in particular on the chemical composition and the thickness of the metal sheet used, which are limited by certain tolerance ranges depending on the type of steel or metal. But even if the tolerance ranges for a typical steel or metal coil are adhered to, different, changing cracking behavior can occur over the entire length of the coil in the case of component flanges produced by forming, in particular deep drawing.

the JP 2014 4618 A discloses an apparatus for forming high-strength steel blanks into components with a U-shaped cross-sectional profile. The steel blanks clamped between a punch and an upper hold-down device are first formed by an essentially vertical downward movement of die parts, whereupon the die parts are then shifted along inclined sliding surfaces by cams in the direction of the die. Any cracking of the components formed in this way should be compensated for by overbending.

the JP 2005 305 493 A shows a forming device with a multi-part die, which is arranged on a displaceable die table and has a first die part for bending and a second die part for overbending. The overbending after the bending is intended to compensate for the component produced by means of the forming device jumping open and to achieve a high level of dimensional accuracy.

With these known forming devices, a high degree of dimensional accuracy can only be achieved in the components produced with them if the steel coils used for this purpose have a homogeneous chemical composition and a constant sheet metal thickness over their entire coil length. In practice, however, these prerequisites are often not met, especially not in the case of high-strength stainless steels, which steel manufacturers cannot produce with a narrow range of mechanical properties, so that the desired Dimensional accuracy of the components is not always easily achieved by means of such forming devices. If the chemical composition and / or the sheet thickness change over the coil length, the operation of the respective forming press line may have to be stopped in order to achieve the required dimensional accuracy of the components, in order to readjust the forming and / or calibration tools or to replace them with other forming and / or calibration tools to exchange. This is associated with considerable labor and material costs.

the US 2011/0132208 A1 , which forms the basis for the preambles of claims 1 and 5, describes a control for a servo press which is able to optimally shape in order to handle the variability of the sheet metal thickness and the material properties of a workpiece. In particular, there is described a control device for controlling a servo press in accordance with sliding movement data. The apparatus includes measuring equipment, attached to a die for molding a workpiece, for measuring a molding state of the workpiece; a measurement result receiving section for receiving a measurement result sent from the measurement equipment; and a sliding movement data changing section for changing sliding movement data for forming the same workpiece at the scheduled measurement time according to the measurement result received from the measurement result receiving section.

the U.S. 4,430,879 A describes a control for a press brake that enables precise sequential bending of sheet metal by a press brake. The controller includes a microprocessor arrangement for operating a press brake in response to manual input to control a measurement stop and generate output control signals relating to the relative positioning of the punch and die of the press brake, the positioning causing a bend angle in a workpiece. The control is provided with a detection device for detecting the actual bending angle in the workpiece and with means for comparing the actual bending angle with a desired angle. Such a comparison eliminates the need to manually enter complex variables that are required to accurately position the punch and die relative to each other pretend unnecessary. Furthermore, a feedback with regard to a springback of the workpiece material causes subsequent post-processing by means of the press brake, as a result of which the accuracy of the angles generated is improved.

Proceeding from this, the present invention is based on the object of creating a method and a forming device of the type mentioned above, with which a predetermined dimensional accuracy of the components produced by forming can be ensured in an economical manner even if the chemical composition and / or change the thickness of the steel or metal sheet over the length of the steel or metal coil used, although it is / are within the tolerance band of the steel manufacturer.

This object is achieved by a method with the features specified in claim 1 or by a shaping device with the features specified in claim 5. Advantageous configurations of the solution according to the invention are the subject of the subclaims.

• Erfassen einer Ist-Stellung der Flansche nach Durchführung eines Umformprozesses,
• Vergleichen von Daten der erfassten Ist-Stellung mit Daten einer Soll-Stellung der Flansche des herzustellenden Bauteils,

The method according to the invention for producing a component from sheet metal, preferably sheet steel, in which a metal or sheet steel blank is reshaped by reshaping into a component having flanges, for example in a chassis or body component with a U-shaped cross-section, and in which to achieve a predetermined dimensional accuracy a calibration process is carried out on the flanges, comprises the following process steps:

• Acquisition of the actual position of the flanges after a forming process has been carried out,
• Comparing data of the recorded actual position with data of a target position of the flanges of the component to be manufactured,

Calculation of a deviation of the actual position from the target position of the flanges, and automatic control of at least one calibration tool as a function of the calculated deviation in order to calibrate the flanges of the component and thereby bring them into the specified dimensional accuracy.

The method according to the invention is characterized in that the calibration tool used is a calibration tool which has one or more height-adjustable devices for setting a driver stroke and / or a slide stroke. In this way, the lifting movement of a forming device can advantageously be converted into a lifting movement for calibrating the component flanges.

The method according to the invention makes it possible to economically ensure a high degree of dimensional accuracy for components having flanges which are produced by forming sheet metal, in particular high-strength sheet steel. The method according to the invention makes it possible to compensate for different degrees of cracking, which usually occurs in the forming process of high-strength sheet metal, during a cycle duration of the production without interrupting the operation of the forming press line. In this way, scrap, loss of time and costs incurred by adapting conventional forming tools with the aim of avoiding cracking can be largely reduced.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the forming of the sheet metal blank into a component having flanges and the calibration of the flanges of the component are carried out by means of a forming device or forming press having a forming tool, the calibrating tool being carried out by means of the forming device in the cycle of the forming device or in time the press is driven. This allows the component flanges to be calibrated in order to achieve the required dimensional accuracy of the component in a way that is inexpensive and energy-efficient in terms of production technology.

Another advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the actual position of the flanges is detected by means of an optical system, preferably a laser system. In this way, the actual position of the component flanges can be recorded quickly and reliably after a forming process has been carried out.

In order to achieve high dimensional accuracy of relatively long and / or complexly shaped components which have flanges and are produced by forming sheet metal, in particular high-strength sheet steel, a further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that a calibration tool is used as the calibration tool, which several independently has mutually controllable slide for calibrating the flanges, so that the flanges can be calibrated independently in different areas. In this way, the flanges of such components can be calibrated with a very precise fit.

• eine Erfassungsvorrichtung zum Erfassen einer Ist-Stellung der Flansche nach Durchführung eines Umformprozesses,
• eine Auswertevorrichtung zum Vergleichen von Daten der erfassten Ist-Stellung mit Daten einer Soll-Stellung der Flansche des herzustellenden Bauteils,
• einen Prozessor zum Berechnen einer Abweichung der Ist-Stellung von der Soll-Stellung der Flansche, und
• eine Steuerungsvorrichtung zum automatischen Steuern des Kalibrierwerkzeuges in Abhängigkeit der berechneten Abweichung, um die Flansche des Bauteils zu kalibrieren und dadurch in die vorgegebene Maßhaltigkeit zu bringen.

The forming device according to the invention for producing a component having flanges from sheet metal, in particular for carrying out the method according to the invention, comprises a forming tool for forming a sheet metal blank into a component having flanges and at least one calibration tool for calibrating the flanges in order to bring the flanges into a predetermined dimensional accuracy,

• a detection device for detecting an actual position of the flanges after a forming process has been carried out,
• an evaluation device for comparing data of the recorded actual position with data of a target position of the flanges of the component to be manufactured,
• a processor for calculating a deviation of the actual position from the desired position of the flanges, and
• a control device for automatically controlling the calibration tool as a function of the calculated deviation in order to calibrate the flanges of the component and thereby bring them into the specified dimensional accuracy.

The forming device according to the invention is characterized in that the calibration tool has one or more height-adjustable devices for setting a driver stroke and / or a slide stroke (cam stroke). The respective height-adjustable device can for example have bodies which are displaceable relative to one another and which are assigned to one another Have contact surfaces that are essentially on a plane inclined to the direction of movement of the driver stroke. An essentially stepless or finely graduated calibration of the component flanges can be carried out by means of such displaceable bodies.

The shaping device according to the invention, the calibration tool of which can also be referred to as a self-adapting calibration tool, offers the same advantages that are specified above with regard to the method according to the invention. In particular, the forming device according to the invention can be designed in accordance with the method according to the invention. An advantageous embodiment of the forming device according to the invention is thus characterized, for example, in that the calibration tool is driven by means of the forming device in the cycle with which the forming device or a press having the forming device works, that is, without stopping the production line.

Another embodiment of the forming device according to the invention provides that the detection device is an optical detection device, preferably a camera or laser system. The detection device can also be referred to as a measuring device or inspection device. The detection device is preferably mounted on a robot or robot system.

The method according to the invention and the forming device according to the invention are designed, for example, in such a way that data of an actual position of the flanges of the manufactured component recorded after a forming process has been carried out is compared with data of a target position of the flanges of the component to be manufactured and, by means of a processor, a possibly existing position Deviation of the actual position from the target position of the flanges is calculated.

When calculating the deviation, for example, an amount is a height-adjustable device of the respective calibration tool is calculated, the calculated height corresponding to a dimension that is suitable or necessary for setting a driver stroke and / or a slide stroke and thus to achieve a predetermined dimensional accuracy of the component flanges.

In a further embodiment of the forming device according to the invention, the mutually associated contact surfaces of the bodies which can be displaced relative to one another preferably have tooth surfaces (toothings) corresponding to one another in the manner of straight toothed racks.

The tooth surfaces (teeth) of the displaceable body preferably have a relatively small pitch. The height difference between the tooth tips of two immediately adjacent teeth of the contact surface of the height-adjustable device, which is inclined to the direction of movement of the driver stroke, is also relatively small. For example, the division of the tooth surfaces, i. H. the distance between two immediately adjacent teeth is approx. 6 mm, the height difference between the tooth tips of two immediately adjacent teeth being approx. 0.2 mm.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the forming device according to the invention has a coupling or lifting device by means of which the bodies which can be displaced relative to one another can be brought out of contact before a displacement and in contact with one another after the displacement has taken place. This embodiment is particularly expedient if the mutually associated contact surfaces of the bodies that can be displaced relative to one another have tooth surfaces (teeth) corresponding to one another in the manner of straight toothed racks.

The coupling or lifting device has, for example, resilient elements such. B. compression springs which push apart the relative to one another displaceable body before a displacement or with the forming device open. Subsequently, the closing of the forming device, in particular after the bodies have been displaced relative to one another, causes said bodies to come into force-locking and / or form-locking contact again, the resilient elements being compressed.

Another advantageous embodiment of the forming device according to the invention is characterized in that at least one of the displaceable bodies is coupled to a servomotor. The servomotor is preferably a servomotor, i. H. an electric motor that allows control (control) of the angular position of its shaft as well as the speed of rotation and its acceleration. The servomotor or servomotor is preferably provided with a sensor for determining the position of the motor shaft. This allows the height-adjustable device for calibrating the component flanges to be controlled very precisely. The servomotor or servomotor can also be referred to as an electric stepper motor.

It is also advantageous if, according to a further embodiment, the calibration tool of the forming device according to the invention has a plurality of independently controllable slides for calibrating the component flanges. As a result, the component flanges can be calibrated with a particularly precise fit during operation of the forming device, in accordance with the component-specific dimensional accuracy requirements, with locally different calibration operations being able to take place from component to component, if necessary.

Furthermore, the slides can be segmented.

The processor and / or the evaluation device of the forming device according to the invention converts, for example, a signal proportional to the calculated height of the height-adjustable device of the calibration tool, which can also be referred to as a height signal, into a number of teeth of the above-mentioned tooth surfaces. The number of teeth obtained in this way is then converted into a number of steps for controlling the servomotor or servomotor, a single step corresponding to an angle of rotation of the motor shaft of, for example, 1.8 °. One complete revolution of the motor shaft then corresponds to 200 steps.

The processor and / or the evaluation device are preferably designed in such a way that he or she can carry out this signal conversion for each of the height-adjustable devices or for each of the independently controllable slides of the calibration tool.

The processor and / or the evaluation device is assigned, for example, a programmable logic controller to which the data resulting from the signal conversion are transmitted. These data include, for example, at least pulse signals and direction of rotation signals. The programmable logic controller controls the respective servomotor (stepper motor) as a function of the received data, so that its motor shaft assumes the position determined by the processor or the evaluation device.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the or more of the slides are arranged so that they jointly act on the flange in question to calibrate one of the flanges of the component, an acting force of the respective slider being variably adjustable. The force of action of the slider can thus be variably adjusted to one another.

Fig. 1

ein erfindungsgemäßes Kalibrierwerkzeug mit einem darin eingelegten, Flansche aufweisenden Bauteil, das durch Umformen eines Metallblechzuschnittes hergestellt wurde, in einer vertikalen Schnittansicht, wobei sich höhenverstellbare Vorrichtungen zur Einstellung eines vertikalen Treiberhubes und eines horizontalen Schieberhubes des Kalibrierwerkzeugs in Fig. 1a in einer ersten Stellung und in Fig. 1b in einer zweiten Stellung befinden;

Fig. 2

einen vergrößerten Abschnitt einer der höhenverstellbare Vorrichtungen aus Fig. 1a sowie eine weiter vergrößerte Detaildarstellung einer Verzahnung der der höhenverstellbaren Vorrichtung;

Fig. 3

eine Kupplungs- oder Hebeeinrichtung, mittels der die relativ zueinander verschiebbaren Körper der höhenverstellbaren Vorrichtung vor einer Verschiebung außer Kontakt und nach erfolgter Verschiebung in Kontakt miteinander gebracht werden können, in einer vertikalen Schnittansicht;

Fig. 4

einen Abschnitt eines Tisches der Umformvorrichtung mit mehreren darauf montierten Kalibrierwerkzeugen der in Fig. 1 schematisch dargestellten Art, in Draufsicht; und

Fig. 5

Komponenten zur automatischen Steuerung eines Kalibrierwerkzeuges einer erfindungsgemäßen Umformvorrichtung.

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of a drawing showing exemplary embodiments. They show schematically:

Fig. 1

a calibration tool according to the invention with an inserted component having flanges, which was produced by forming a sheet metal blank, in a vertical sectional view, with height-adjustable devices for setting a vertical driver stroke and a horizontal slide stroke of the calibration tool in Fig. 1a in a first position and in Figure 1b are in a second position;

Fig. 2

an enlarged section of one of the height-adjustable devices Fig. 1a and a further enlarged detail view of a tooth system of the height-adjustable device;

Fig. 3

a coupling or lifting device, by means of which the relative to one another displaceable body of the height-adjustable device can be brought out of contact before a displacement and after the displacement in contact with one another, in a vertical sectional view;

Fig. 4

a section of a table of the forming device with a plurality of calibration tools mounted thereon of the in Fig. 1 type shown schematically, in plan view; and

Fig. 5

Components for the automatic control of a calibration tool of a forming device according to the invention.

In the Figures 1a and 1b a calibration tool 1 is shown schematically, which is or will be integrated into a (not shown) forming device or press for producing a component B having flanges F1, F2 from sheet steel, preferably high-strength sheet steel. The forming device has a table 2 and an upper part 3 that can be raised and lowered. On the press table 2 is a lower one Forming tool (not shown) mounted to which an upper forming tool (not shown) is assigned, which is mounted on the underside of the upper part 3.

The component B produced from a sheet steel blank by forming, for example deep drawing, has two opposing flanges F1, F2 connected in one piece by a central web. Viewed in cross section, the component B has an essentially U-shaped cross-sectional profile.

The table 2 is preferably provided with two lower forming tools (not shown) and the upper part 3 with two upper forming tools (not shown) assigned to the lower forming tools, so that two components B1, B2, each of the flanges F1 , F2 can be produced at the same time. The two components B1, B2, for example a left and a right or an upper and a lower sheet steel shell, are connected to one another by welding, for example by arc welding, in a subsequent operation at the flange edges E1, E2 which run essentially parallel to the respective central web, so that a tubular or hollow column-like component, for example a chassis or body component, results. The connection of the two components B1, B2 is preferably carried out by welding, the flange edges E1, E2 preferably being butt-welded to one another.

As in Fig. 4 shown, several calibration tools are mounted on the table 2, by means of which, for example, two, namely an upper component B1 and a lower component B2, each having flanges F1, F2 and are to be connected to one another at their flange edges E1, E2 by welding, before Connection operation (joining operation) can be calibrated.

The component flanges F1, F2 are calibrated during a press cycle. For this purpose, a detection device, for example a camera or laser system, detects the flange position and after the forming operation, preferably deep-drawing operation transmits the measurement data to an evaluation device 4. The detection device can have several sensors 5, preferably optical sensors, for example CCD sensors (cf. Fig. 5 ). The sensors 5 are arranged, for example, in the area of the forming tools, in the area of a transfer device by means of which the respective component B1, B2 produced in the forming process and having flanges is transported to one of the calibration tools 1, and / or in the area of the respective calibration tool 1.

The evaluation device 4 compares the measurement data, which correspond to the actual position of the flanges F1, F2, with data of a desired position of the flanges of the component to be manufactured. The evaluation device 4 is provided with a processor which calculates a (possible) deviation of the actual position from the target position of the flanges F1, F2.

The evaluation device 4 and / or the processor are connected to a control device 6 by means of which the respective calibration tool 1 is automatically controlled as a function of the calculated deviation in order to calibrate the flanges F1, F2 of the respective component B1, B2 and thereby achieve a predetermined dimensional accuracy bring to. For this purpose, the respective calibration tool 1 has, for example, a stamp-shaped carrier 11 on which the three-dimensionally shaped component B is placed with its central web, so that the flanges F1, F2 of the component point downward. A hold-down device 12 is assigned to the carrier 11, which is connected to the upper part 3 of the forming device and, in the closed state of the forming device, presses the central web of the component B against the carrier 11. The sides 11.1, 11.2 of the carrier 11 are slightly undercut or converge towards the top of the table 2 of the forming device so that the respective flange F1, F2 of the component B can be bent by a certain amount in the direction of the carrier side 11.1, 11.2 if necessary (see. Figures 1a and 1b ).

Furthermore, the respective calibration tool 1 has at least one horizontally movable cam or slide 8, which can be displaced against the force of a resilient element (not shown), for example a tension or compression spring, by means of a vertically movable driver 10. The slides 8 are provided, for example, with exchangeable molding tools 8.2 which face the sides 11.1, 11.2 of the carrier 11.

The driver 10, which can also be referred to as a cam driver, has a contact surface (driver surface) 10.1, which lies in a plane that is inclined to its direction of movement, and on a contact surface (sliding surface) 8.1 of the slide 8, which is correspondingly inclined to the direction of movement of the driver 10 is applied. The two adjacent contact surfaces 8.1, 10.1 define a displacement angle a with the horizontal or the plane of movement of the slide 8. The respective driver 10 is connected to the upper part 3 of the forming device, so that it is moved together with the upper part 3 in the same direction.

Furthermore, the respective calibration tool 1 comprises one or more height-adjustable devices 14 for setting the vertical driver stroke and thus the horizontal slide stroke. As in particular in Fig. 2 As shown, the respective height-adjustable device 14 has bodies 14.1, 14.2 which are displaceable relative to one another and which have mutually associated contact surfaces 14.11, 14.21 which are essentially located on a plane inclined to the direction of movement of the driver stroke. The two bodies 14.1, 14.2 thus represent self-adaptive elements for setting the vertical driver stroke. The bodies (self-adaptive elements) 14.1, 14.2 of the respective height-adjustable device 14 are designed in the manner of straight toothed racks, with their mutually corresponding tooth surfaces 14.11, 14.21 are formed essentially in a plane lying obliquely to the direction of movement of the driver stroke. There is thus a height difference Z between immediately adjacent tooth tips and immediately adjacent tooth valleys (cf. in Fig. 2 enlarged Detailed display). The adjustable height of the height-adjustable device 14 is denoted by h.

At least one of the displaceable bodies 14.1, 14.2, for example the lower body 14.1, is coupled to a servomotor M, preferably a servomotor. The motor shaft drives, for example, a spindle shaft on which a spindle nut sits, which is positively and rotatably mounted in a holder 14.10 connected to the displaceable body 14.1. When the motor M moves the body 14.1 coupled to it, there is a relative movement between the two bodies 14.1, 14.2.

The self-adaptive body (elements) 14.1, 14.2 are provided with a coupling or lifting device 20, by means of which the bodies 14.1, 14.2, which are displaceable relative to one another, can be brought out of contact before a displacement and again in contact with one another after the displacement has taken place, so that their Tooth surfaces disengage and then re-engage. The coupling or lifting device 20 has, for example, compression springs 21 which push the bodies 14.1, 14.2, which are displaceable relative to one another, apart before displacement or when the press is open. After a relative movement of the two bodies along the inclined plane has been carried out and the tooth surfaces are in engagement again, the height h of the height-adjustable device 14 made up of the bodies 14.1, 14.2 has changed. By changing the height of the height-adjustable device 14, the vertical stroke of the driver 10 is varied and a certain displacement path of the slide 8 is effected in accordance with the slide contact surface angle α.

In Fig. 4 it can be seen that the forming device or the calibration tool 1 has several independently controllable slides 8 for calibrating the component flanges F1, F2. The or more of the slides 8 are preferably arranged in such a way that they are used to calibrate one of the flanges F1, F2 of the Component B1, B2 act jointly on the flange F1 or F2 in question, an effective force of the respective slide 8 being variably adjustable.

At least one slide per component flange F1, F2 is preferably arranged in the forming device for each component B. When two components B1, B2 each have two flanges F1, F2 are formed at the same time, at least four slides 8 are thus arranged in the forming device.

The shaped surface 8.3 of the slide 8 facing the flange F1, F2 of the component B1, B2 essentially corresponds to a section of the flange profile of the component B1, B2. For example, one of the two component flanges F1, F2 and the associated shaped surface 8.3 of the slide (s) 8 have a curved profile in the xy direction, that is to say in the horizontal. The other of the two component flanges F1, F2 and the shaped surface 8.3 of the slide 8 assigned to it, on the other hand, can have an essentially straight course in the xy direction (cf. Fig. 4 ).

The control device 6 of the forming device according to the invention is preferably equipped with a programmable logic controller which controls the movements of the respective servomotor M. Furthermore, the evaluation device 4 and / or the control device 6 can be provided with a man-machine interface 30, via which a user or operating personnel from the outside with components of the forming device, for example with the evaluation device 4, the processor and / or the programmable memory Control 6 can communicate.

Claims (13)

1. Method of producing a component (B; B1, B2) from sheet metal, in which a sheet metal blank is formed by forming into a component (B; B1, B2) having flanges (F1, F2), and in which a calibration process is carried out to achieve a predetermined dimensional accuracy of the flanges (F1, F2),
   comprising the process steps:

   detecting an actual position of the flanges (F1, F2) after a forming process has been carried out,

   comparing data of the detected actual position with data of a nominal position of the flanges (F1, F2) of the component (B; B1, B2) to be produced,

   calculating a deviation of the actual position from the nominal position of the flanges (F1, F2), and

   automatically controlling at least one calibrating tool (1) as a function of the calculated deviation in order to calibrate the flanges (F1, F2) of the component (B; B1, B2) and thereby bring them into the predetermined dimensional accuracy,

   characterized in that as calibrating tool (1) a calibrating tool is used which has one or more height-adjustable devices (14) for setting a driver stroke and/or a slider stroke.
2. Method according to claim 1,
   characterized in that the forming of the metal sheet blank into a component (B; B1, B2) having flanges (F1, F2) and the calibrating of the flanges (F1, F2) of the component (B; B1, B2) are carried out by means of a forming device having a forming tool, the calibrating tool (1) being driven by means of the forming device in cycle with the forming device or in cycle with a press, with which the forming device or the press operates.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2,
   characterized in that the actual position of the flanges (F1, F2) is detected by means of an optical system, preferably a camera system or laser system.
4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the calibrating tool (1) used is a calibrating tool which has a plurality of independently controllable sliders (8) for calibrating the flanges (F1, F2).
5. Forming device for producing a component (B; B1, B2) having flanges (F1, F2) from sheet metal, in particular for carrying out the method according to one of claims 1 to 4, having a forming tool for forming a sheet metal blank into a component (B; B1, B2) having flanges (F1, F2) and having at least one calibrating tool (1) for calibrating the flanges in order to bring the flanges into a predetermined dimensional accuracy, comprising

   a detection device for detecting an actual position of the flanges (F1, F2) after a forming process has been carried out,

   an evaluation device for comparing data of the detected actual position with data of a nominal position of the flanges (F1, F2) of the component to be produced (B; B1, B2),

   a processor for calculating a deviation of the actual position from the nominal position of the flanges (F1, F2), and

   a control device for automatically controlling the calibrating tool as a function of the calculated deviation in order to calibrate the flanges (F1, F2) of the component (B; B1, B2) and thereby bring them into the predetermined dimensional accuracy,

   characterized in that the calibrating tool (1) comprises one or more height-adjustable devices (14) for adjusting a driver stroke and/or a slider stroke.
6. Forming device according to claim 5, characterized in that the calibrating tool (1) is driven by means of the forming device in a cycle with which the forming device or a press operates.
7. Forming device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the detection device is an optical detection device, preferably a camera system or laser system.
8. Forming device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the respective height-adjustable device (14) comprises bodies (14.1, 14.2) which are displaceable relative to one another and have mutually associated contact surfaces (14.11, 14.21) which are located on a plane which is inclined with respect to the direction of movement of the driver stroke.
9. Forming device according to claim 8, characterized in that the mutually associated contact surfaces (14.11, 14.21) have mutually corresponding tooth surfaces in the manner of straight-toothed racks.
10. Forming device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized by a coupling or lifting device (20) by means of which the bodies (14.1, 14.2) displaceable relative to one another can be brought out of contact before displacement and into contact with one another after displacement has taken place.
11. Forming device according to one of claims 8 or 10, characterized in that at least one of the displaceable bodies (14.1, 14.2) is coupled to a servomotor (M).
12. Forming device according to any one of the claims 5 to 11, characterized in that the calibrating tool (1) has a plurality of independently controllable sliders (8) for calibrating the flanges (F1, F2).
13. Forming device according to any one of claims 5 to 12, characterized in that the one or more of the sliders (8) are arranged in such a way that they act jointly on the relevant flange (F1, F2) for calibrating one of the flanges (F1, F2) of the component (B; B1, B2), an acting force of the respective slider (8) being variably adjustable.

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