Rapid heating of sheet metal blanks for stamping

• US 10,508,328 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2017
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novelis Incorporated (Hindalco Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Novelis Incorporated (Hindalco Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Malpica, Julio, Wu, Cedric, Kulkarni, Rahul Vilas, Brown, Rodger, Bendzinski, Duane E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, David B
• Application Number:
  US15/716,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20180085810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 723421
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 39/02 Feeding or supporting work; Braking or tensioning arrangements , e.g. threading arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 39/34 Arrangements or constructional combinations specifically designed to perform functions covered by more than one of groups B21B39/02, B21B39/14, B21B39/20
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 37/02 of sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 47/16 Unwinding or uncoiling
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 47/18 from reels or drums
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 47/3433 for guiding the leading end of the material, e.g. from or to a coiler
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 47/3483 Magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 22/022 by heating the blank or stamping associated with heat treatment C21D takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 37/16 Heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 54/02 electrostatic, electric, or magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/006 Winding articles into rolls
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/20 by contact with rotating friction members, e.g. rollers, brushes, or cylinders with suction rollers B65H29/243
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 1/04 with simultaneous application of supersonic waves, magnetic or electric fields
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 1/42 Induction heating
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/02 with silicon as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/06 with magnesium as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/10 with zinc as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/12 with copper as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/02 in inert or controlled atmosphere or vacuum adjusting the composition of the atmosphere C21D1/76
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/04 of aluminium or alloys based thereon
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 2019/0003 : Monitoring the temperature or a characteristic of the charge and using it as a controlling value
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 99/0001 : Heating elements or systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 15/00 : Holding or levitation devices using magnetic attraction or repulsion, not otherwise provided for electric or magnetic devices for holding work on machine tools B23Q3/15 ; monorail vehicle propulsion or suspension B60L13/00; sliding or levitation devices for railway systems B61B13/08; material handling devices associated with conveyors incorporating devices with electrostatic or magnetic grippers B65G47/92; separating thin or filamentary articles from piles using magnetic force B65H3/16; delivering thin or filamentary articles from magnetic holders by air blast or suction B65H29/24; bearings using magnetic or electric supporting means F16C32/04; relieving bearing loads using magnetic means F16C39/06; magnets H01F7/00; dynamo-electric clutches or brakes H02K49/00 ; electric furnaces with simultaneous levitation and heating H05B6/32
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/104 : metal pieces being elongated like wires or bands
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/32 : Arrangements for simultaneous levitation and heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/36 : Coil arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency

Abstract

Systems and methods of hot forming a metal blank include receiving the metal blank at a heater and positioning the blank adjacent a magnetic rotor of the heater. The systems and methods also include heating the metal blank through the magnetic rotor by rotating the magnetic rotor. Rotating the magnetic rotor induces a magnetic field into the metal blank such that the metal blank is heated.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a blank of a metal substrate at a heater, wherein the heater comprises a magnetic rotor, and wherein the heater is upstream from a first hot forming press of a hot forming system;

positioning the blank adjacent the magnetic rotor of the heater and in a non-contacting configuration with the magnetic rotor;

rotating the magnetic rotor to induce a magnetic field in the blank to heat the blank for a predetermined time period;

removing the blank from the heater after the predetermined time period and moving the blank to the first hot forming press; and

shaping the blank into a predetermined shape with the first hot forming press.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein rotating the magnetic rotor to induce the magnetic field in the blank to heat the blank for the predetermined time period comprises heating the blank to a predetermined temperature, and wherein the predetermined temperature is from about 200°

C. to about 600°

C.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the blank comprises moving the blank with a mover relative to the magnetic rotor while maintaining a lateral position of the magnetic rotor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the blank comprises moving the magnetic rotor relative to the blank while maintaining a lateral position of the blank.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the magnetic field to adjust an amount of heat induced by the magnetic rotor, wherein adjusting the magnetic field comprises at least one of adjusting a rotational speed of the magnetic rotor, adjusting a direction of rotation of the magnetic rotor, adjusting a vertical position of the magnetic rotor relative to the blank, adjusting a lateral position of the magnetic rotor relative to the blank, or adjusting a longitudinal position of the magnetic rotor relative to the blank.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic rotor is a top magnetic rotor, wherein the heater further comprises a bottom magnetic rotor vertically offset from the top magnetic rotor, wherein passing the blank adjacent a magnetic rotor comprises passing the blank through a gap defined between the top magnetic rotor and the bottom magnetic rotor, and wherein rotating the magnetic rotor comprises rotating the top magnetic rotor and the bottom magnetic rotor to heat the blank.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined time period is from about 30 seconds to about 20 minutes.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the heater is a first heater, and wherein the method further comprises:

removing the blank from the first heater after the predetermined time period;

positioning the blank in a second heater upstream from the first hot forming press; and

heating the blank with the second heater to a predetermined temperature.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second heater comprises a gas-powered heater, an infrared heater, a roller furnace, an electric furnace, or an induction heater.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined temperature is a solutionizing temperature of the blank, and wherein heating the blank with the second heater comprises further comprises controlling a temperature profile of the blank.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the blank comprises aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein an axis of rotation of the magnetic rotor is parallel to a direction of travel of the blank through the heater.

13. A method comprising:

receiving a blank of a metal substrate at a first heater, wherein the first heater comprises a magnetic rotor;

positioning the blank adjacent the magnetic rotor of the first heater;

rotating the magnetic rotor to induce a magnetic field in the blank to heat the blank;

removing the blank from the first heater when the blank is at a predetermined temperature and after a first predetermined time period;

positioning the blank in a second heater;

heating the blank with the second heater for a second predetermined time period;

removing the blank from the second heater; and

hot forming the blank with a hot forming press.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the predetermined temperature is from about 200°

C. to about 600°

C.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein heating the blank with the second heater comprises heating the blank to a solutionizing temperature of the blank.

16. A hot forming system comprising:

a heater comprising a magnetic rotor; and

a first hot forming press of the hot forming system,

wherein the heater is upstream from the first hot forming press and is configured to;

receive a blank of a metal substrate adjacent the magnetic rotor and in a non-contacting configuration with the magnetic rotor; and

rotate the magnetic rotor to induce a magnetic field in the blank to heat the blank,

wherein the hot forming press is configured to receive the blank from the heater after a predetermined time period and shape the blank into a predetermined shape.

17. The hot forming system of claim 16, wherein the heater is a first heater, and wherein the hot forming system further comprises:

a second heater upstream from the first hot forming press and that is configured to;

receive the blank from the first heater; and

heat the blank.

18. The hot forming system of claim 17, wherein the second heater comprises a gas-powered heater, an infrared heater, a roller furnace, an electric furnace, or an induction heater.

19. The hot forming system of claim 16, further comprising:

a mover,

wherein the mover is configured to move the blank from the heater to the first hot forming press.

20. The hot forming system of claim 16, wherein an axis of rotation of the magnetic rotor is parallel to a direction of travel of the blank through the heater.