Development of Aluminium Sheet Compliant Clamping and Sealing Technologies to Unlock Ultra-High-Speed Blow Forming

开发铝板合规夹紧和密封技术以解锁超高速吹塑成型

• 批准号: 555873-2020
• 负责人: Picard, Mathieu
• 金额: $ 3.79万
• 依托单位: Université de Sherbrooke
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Alliance Grants
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=706107
• 关键词: Development; Aluminium; Sheet; Compliant; Clamping

This project seeks to increase the output rate of High Speed Blow Forming (HSBF), a process developed by Verbom that allows superplastic forming of aluminium sheets at high speed. This process achieves a production time of a few minutes per part, but the long-term objective is to reach a production rate of 120 parts per hour. To achieve this, novel strategies regarding the heating of the sheets to superplastic temperatures (~500 C) and the sealing of the sheets in the mold cavities must be developed as these have been identified as the main limitations in increasing the process rate. The expected outcomes of this research project are proof-of-concept prototypes of direct resistance heating and compliant sealing technologies for small-scale aluminium sheets (0.3m x 0.3m). A full-scale (2m x 2m) implementation study will also be realised, allowing Verbom to start testing these technologies in their installations. It is expected that at least 2 patents will result from this work, giving a commercial edge in sheet metal processing for Verbom, and widening the market in the automotive industry, thus increasing the need for aluminium transformation for the Canadian aluminium producers. This project will help to democratize the aluminum usage in vehicles. By offering more design freedom and better pricing, we will expand the number of projects where business cases will justify the switch from steel to aluminum. The result will be lighter vehicle, less energy consumption, better range for electrical vehicle, less pollution and smaller carbon footprint. It will also allow AluQuébec to transpose or combine the knowledge acquired in this project with other aluminum transformation processes, which will in return expand the use of Canadian Aluminium to other markets. This project will contribute to the training of the next generation of highly qualified personnel in the aluminum transformation, which strategic to the Canadian industry.

该项目旨在提高高速吹塑成型（HSBF）的产量，这是Verbom开发的一种工艺，可以高速超塑成型铝板。该工艺实现了每个零件几分钟的生产时间，但长期目标是达到每小时120个零件的生产率。为了实现这一点，必须开发关于将片材加热到超塑性温度（~500 ℃）和将片材密封在模腔中的新策略，因为这些已经被确定为提高加工速率的主要限制。 该研究项目的预期成果是用于小规模铝板（0.3 m x 0.3 m）的直接电阻加热和顺应性密封技术的概念验证原型。此外，还将进行全面的（2 m x 2 m）实施研究，以便Verbom开始在其安装中测试这些技术。预计这项工作将产生至少2项专利，为Verbom提供钣金加工的商业优势，并扩大汽车行业的市场，从而增加加拿大铝生产商对铝转型的需求。 该项目将有助于使汽车中的铝使用民主化。通过提供更多的设计自由度和更好的定价，我们将扩大项目的数量，在这些项目中，商业案例将证明从钢到铝的转变是合理的。其结果将是更轻的汽车，更少的能源消耗，更好的范围为电动汽车，更少的污染和更小的碳足迹。 它还将使魁北克省能够将该项目中获得的知识与其他铝转化工艺进行转换或联合收割机结合，从而将加拿大铝业的使用扩展到其他市场。该项目将有助于培养下一代高素质的铝转型人才，这对加拿大工业具有战略意义。