Bleeding edge metal forming video

[dalee100]

I came across an interesting video on a promising metal forming process. We have all done some metal forming in our home shops - whether using a hammer and dolly to form curved pieces, brakes, or even just clamping and innocent piece of metal in the ol' bench vice and whacking it with whatever club was handy. This take metal forming to a new level it seems to me. The programming for the software alone must have been insanely difficult. Plus, it would appear to me to be trivial matter to change over from metal forming to machining to welding as needed.

This could easily change how we make large sheet metal parts. No 100 ton press or expensive forming dies required.

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[ezduzit]

Extremely interesting technology.

[QSIMDO]

Simultaneous repousse and chasing.
Cool.

[Doc Nickel]

That is interesting. Makes me wonder if they've considered a 'gantry' system- that is, instead of the robot arms, just a simple (albeit sturdy) X-Y-Z cartesian system like a 3D printer.

Lay the sheet flat, and have a pusher underneath, and another one over the top.

I don't see why they'd specifically need the extra motion of a 7-axis robot, and it seems to me that a purpose-built gantry system might be stiffer than the arm?

Don't get me wrong, I'd imagine they'd already thought of it, and maybe the tech is still so new that it was easier to go with an off-the-shelf robot, than have to fab up a from-scratch gantry system... Just spitballin'.

Doc.

[darryl]

That was pretty cool. He did spend a lot of time talking about the system to maintain the positioning of the points. He said there was a lot of force required to do this type of metalworking, and everything flexes, so---

I went right away to the hammer idea- keep the point properly positioned, but allow the miniaturized jackhammers to do the grunt work. You'd still want a pretty rigid machine though. And a sophisticated system to synchronize the front and back hammers.

This thing is a cnc english wheel.

[RB211]

I don't see this replacing big presses for production, especially progressive pressing. You just can't match the throughput.

[ezduzit]

I don't see this replacing big presses for production, especially progressive pressing. You just can't match the throughput.

That's not what this is for.

[boslab]

I think Docs analysis is valid, the multi axis freedom of movement and resultant play in the robots would be reduced in having a gantry system where the work stylus is above the anvil stylus and the weight of the machine acts vertically down, I know we had similar sized ABB robots in work and the hand unit aka manipulator could be deflected by a puny human ( me) more noticeable as the robot wears, repeatability started to slowly suffer.
however it a clever process, certainly novel, I’m thinking it would be best for noble metals on a smaller scale like silversmithing or some such , just a thought btw.
mark

[strokersix]

That is interesting. Makes me wonder if they've considered a 'gantry' system- that is, instead of the robot arms, just a simple (albeit sturdy) X-Y-Z cartesian system like a 3D printer.

Lay the sheet flat, and have a pusher underneath, and another one over the top.

I don't see why they'd specifically need the extra motion of a 7-axis robot, and it seems to me that a purpose-built gantry system might be stiffer than the arm?

Don't get me wrong, I'd imagine they'd already thought of it, and maybe the tech is still so new that it was easier to go with an off-the-shelf robot, than have to fab up a from-scratch gantry system... Just spitballin'.

Doc.

I'll bet this was done with a gantry type system first. But I suspect the gantry system would have reduced degrees of freedom compared to the robot arms. For example, forming a lip around a curvy automobile fender seems like it would require more geometry freedom the robot provides.

[Doc Nickel]

For example, forming a lip around a curvy automobile fender seems like it would require more geometry freedom the robot provides.

-Did any of the examples show an "undercut"? A rolled edge where the top has to get around or under a lip? Not saying they can't, but I didn't see one. (And, keeping in mind the 'anvil' side has to be able to roll into/around the undercut as well.)

Again, I can easily see these guys going with the off-the-shelf arms, simply for the simplicity: Buy robot, build platform, fit tool, start programming. I get the impression they're still very much in the proof-of-concept stage, probably refining the software enough to make that the valuable commercial product.

After the complex software is proven and some of the other details worked out, then I'd wager they'll start improving the physical design. (Anyone notice they were using Harbor Freight style cheap import vises as frame clamps? )

Doc.

[strokersix]

-Did any of the examples show an "undercut"? A rolled edge where the top has to get around or under a lip? Not saying they can't, but I didn't see one. (And, keeping in mind the 'anvil' side has to be able to roll into/around the undercut as well.)


Doc.

I did not see such an example. However, there was a statement made that it is not necessary to start with a flat sheet. I made a leap of imagination from there...

[CarlByrns]

It's a lot like English wheeling- pressure and angle forms the curve. The big advantage in low-volume production is going from CAD right to metal without making dies. I can see it being used in aviation and custom-car builds. Really neat stuff.