Automated Manufacturing Process Integrated with Intelligent Tooling Systems (AUTOMAN)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Strathclyde
Department Name: Design Manufacture and Engineering Man
Abstract
Large 3D panels are used on the bodies of cars, trains, ships and aircraft and for building interiors and facades. The
Beijing Olympic Bird's Nest Stadium provides a high-profile example of a construction employing 3D panels. The world
market for large 3D panels is worth billions of pounds and could grow manifold if cost-effective and sustainable methods of
panel production are available.
UK companies invest billions of pounds annually in dedicated tooling to manufacture 3D panels in a variety of materials.
The dies and moulds needed to produce such panels are time consuming to fabricate, involving extensive manufacturing trials. Tools are normally associated with specific parts and, when they change, the old tools are discarded or have to be
dismounted and then stored. Thus, there are high levels of scrapped material, space and time wastage associated with
traditional tools. This makes current panel production techniques inefficient for small-batch production which is typical in
the manufacture of high-value products (e.g. sports cars, ships and aircraft).
Multi-Point Die Forming (MPDF) is a technology pioneered at MIT to enable die surfaces to be modified to generate
different component forms without requiring tool changes. MPDF involves using a matrix of pins to represent the die
surfaces. These can be varied before the forming operation by pre-adjusting the lengths of the pins. The setting of the pin
lengths in existing MPDF systems is a laborious trial-and-error process and thus these systems are not readily
reconfigurable.
This project will develop the world's first fully reconfigurable tooling system with in-process sensing and adaptation
capability. This advanced system will incorporate pins that are actuated so that their lengths can be automatically adjusted
during forming to enable more precise control of the process. It will include sensors and on-line modelling, metrology and
reverse engineering to ensure the production of accurate and defect-free panels. This new system will be usable for press
stamping and stretch-drawing operations as well as supporting and locating flexible composite panels during assembly.
The proposed system will have the following innovative features not found in prototypes developed to date:
- full programmability, in the in-process reconfiguration of the tool to generate tool surfaces digitally and to enable different
forming operations to be carried out;
- advanced modelling to support reconfiguration to increase quality and setup efficiency;
- on-line metrology to provide in-process information on real part geometry, considering machine and tool deflection and
part spring back;
- compensation of spring back and deflection to enable net-shape manufacturing;
- measures for ensuring part integrity including accurate geometry, limited residual stresses and high quality surface finish;
- localised heating to allow forming of various materials including composites.
The reconfigurable tooling system developed in the project will demonstrate the following benefits compared to current
technology:
- an increase in 3D panel manufacturing efficiency by 50%-100%;
- panel manufacturing cost savings of up to 90%;
- overall material and energy savings of 30%-50% over the product life-cycle.
This project will be carried out in the Schools of Mechanical Engineering and of Metallurgy and Materials at the University
of Birmingham, the Department of Design, Manufacture & Engineering Management at the University of Strathclyde and
three industrial partners with the support of the High-Value Manufacturing Catapult and a Knowledge Transfer Network.
This complete chain linking organisations involved in research, equipment design and manufacture, knowledge transfer
and end use ensures the relevance of the work and rapid dissemination and exploitation of the results.
Beijing Olympic Bird's Nest Stadium provides a high-profile example of a construction employing 3D panels. The world
market for large 3D panels is worth billions of pounds and could grow manifold if cost-effective and sustainable methods of
panel production are available.
UK companies invest billions of pounds annually in dedicated tooling to manufacture 3D panels in a variety of materials.
The dies and moulds needed to produce such panels are time consuming to fabricate, involving extensive manufacturing trials. Tools are normally associated with specific parts and, when they change, the old tools are discarded or have to be
dismounted and then stored. Thus, there are high levels of scrapped material, space and time wastage associated with
traditional tools. This makes current panel production techniques inefficient for small-batch production which is typical in
the manufacture of high-value products (e.g. sports cars, ships and aircraft).
Multi-Point Die Forming (MPDF) is a technology pioneered at MIT to enable die surfaces to be modified to generate
different component forms without requiring tool changes. MPDF involves using a matrix of pins to represent the die
surfaces. These can be varied before the forming operation by pre-adjusting the lengths of the pins. The setting of the pin
lengths in existing MPDF systems is a laborious trial-and-error process and thus these systems are not readily
reconfigurable.
This project will develop the world's first fully reconfigurable tooling system with in-process sensing and adaptation
capability. This advanced system will incorporate pins that are actuated so that their lengths can be automatically adjusted
during forming to enable more precise control of the process. It will include sensors and on-line modelling, metrology and
reverse engineering to ensure the production of accurate and defect-free panels. This new system will be usable for press
stamping and stretch-drawing operations as well as supporting and locating flexible composite panels during assembly.
The proposed system will have the following innovative features not found in prototypes developed to date:
- full programmability, in the in-process reconfiguration of the tool to generate tool surfaces digitally and to enable different
forming operations to be carried out;
- advanced modelling to support reconfiguration to increase quality and setup efficiency;
- on-line metrology to provide in-process information on real part geometry, considering machine and tool deflection and
part spring back;
- compensation of spring back and deflection to enable net-shape manufacturing;
- measures for ensuring part integrity including accurate geometry, limited residual stresses and high quality surface finish;
- localised heating to allow forming of various materials including composites.
The reconfigurable tooling system developed in the project will demonstrate the following benefits compared to current
technology:
- an increase in 3D panel manufacturing efficiency by 50%-100%;
- panel manufacturing cost savings of up to 90%;
- overall material and energy savings of 30%-50% over the product life-cycle.
This project will be carried out in the Schools of Mechanical Engineering and of Metallurgy and Materials at the University
of Birmingham, the Department of Design, Manufacture & Engineering Management at the University of Strathclyde and
three industrial partners with the support of the High-Value Manufacturing Catapult and a Knowledge Transfer Network.
This complete chain linking organisations involved in research, equipment design and manufacture, knowledge transfer
and end use ensures the relevance of the work and rapid dissemination and exploitation of the results.
Planned Impact
(i) Beneficiaries
In addition to the academic community (see the Academic Beneficiaries section), the project will also benefit industrial
users of 3D formed panels requiring parts that are economically and sustainably produced. Another group of industrial
beneficiaries will be machinery builders planning to enter the multi-point forming (MPF) equipment market. A third group of
beneficiaries will be 3D panel suppliers who will require MPF systems to produce panels for end users.
(ii) Benefits
The project will generate both economic and environmental benefits.
The possibility to have 3D panels manufactured cost-effectively and sustainably using flexible, programmable and quickly
adaptable MPF systems will enlarge the multi-billion pound world market for 3D panels manifold. This will directly benefit
3D panel suppliers who will see increased trade and turnovers. Also, compared to traditional means, their manufacturing
will be more efficient in material and energy usage as there will be no need to scrap used tooling and build new tools each
time the panels change. Even if the MPF system proposed in this project would only be adopted in 10% of all applications,
savings in the order of hundreds of millions could be expected.
Using the MPF machine design knowledge assembled in this project, UK machine tool builders will have the opportunity to
enter the MPF market with the most adaptable and advanced MPF system ever constructed. The project will thus help to
spawn an indigenous high-technology machine building industry producing innovative MPF systems able to compete
successfully on the world stage.
Panel users from a wide range of industrial sectors (automobile, aerospace, railway, shipbuilding and construction) will
potentially benefit from an increase in panel manufacturing efficiency and a reduction in manufacturing costs. A study by
the PI and his colleagues has shown that up to 100% in efficiency gains and 90% reduction in costs can be achieved. For
example, the cost of panels in thermoformed PMMA (a popular cladding material for building interiors) could potentially be
brought down from 350 Pounds/sq.m to 30 Pounds/sq.m.
(iii) Ways to engage potential beneficiaries
The project will adopt a range of instruments to ensure that the potential beneficiaries mentioned above have the
opportunity to engage with it and to maximise the likelihood of the identified benefits actually being realised for them. The
instruments employed will include industrial workshops, training courses, people exchange, newsletters, trade magazine
articles, technical publications, web portals, networking and feasibility studies.
Partners in the project have wide experience of engaging with industry and other beneficiaries of their research. The
presence in the project team of two Centres in the High-Value Manufacturing Catapult and a Knowledge Transfer Network
will give the project immediate access to a large pool of potential beneficiaries, ensuring that the team will be able fully to realise the potential impact of the project.
In addition to the academic community (see the Academic Beneficiaries section), the project will also benefit industrial
users of 3D formed panels requiring parts that are economically and sustainably produced. Another group of industrial
beneficiaries will be machinery builders planning to enter the multi-point forming (MPF) equipment market. A third group of
beneficiaries will be 3D panel suppliers who will require MPF systems to produce panels for end users.
(ii) Benefits
The project will generate both economic and environmental benefits.
The possibility to have 3D panels manufactured cost-effectively and sustainably using flexible, programmable and quickly
adaptable MPF systems will enlarge the multi-billion pound world market for 3D panels manifold. This will directly benefit
3D panel suppliers who will see increased trade and turnovers. Also, compared to traditional means, their manufacturing
will be more efficient in material and energy usage as there will be no need to scrap used tooling and build new tools each
time the panels change. Even if the MPF system proposed in this project would only be adopted in 10% of all applications,
savings in the order of hundreds of millions could be expected.
Using the MPF machine design knowledge assembled in this project, UK machine tool builders will have the opportunity to
enter the MPF market with the most adaptable and advanced MPF system ever constructed. The project will thus help to
spawn an indigenous high-technology machine building industry producing innovative MPF systems able to compete
successfully on the world stage.
Panel users from a wide range of industrial sectors (automobile, aerospace, railway, shipbuilding and construction) will
potentially benefit from an increase in panel manufacturing efficiency and a reduction in manufacturing costs. A study by
the PI and his colleagues has shown that up to 100% in efficiency gains and 90% reduction in costs can be achieved. For
example, the cost of panels in thermoformed PMMA (a popular cladding material for building interiors) could potentially be
brought down from 350 Pounds/sq.m to 30 Pounds/sq.m.
(iii) Ways to engage potential beneficiaries
The project will adopt a range of instruments to ensure that the potential beneficiaries mentioned above have the
opportunity to engage with it and to maximise the likelihood of the identified benefits actually being realised for them. The
instruments employed will include industrial workshops, training courses, people exchange, newsletters, trade magazine
articles, technical publications, web portals, networking and feasibility studies.
Partners in the project have wide experience of engaging with industry and other beneficiaries of their research. The
presence in the project team of two Centres in the High-Value Manufacturing Catapult and a Knowledge Transfer Network
will give the project immediate access to a large pool of potential beneficiaries, ensuring that the team will be able fully to realise the potential impact of the project.
People |
ORCID iD |
Yi Qin (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Liu X
(2017)
A parametric study on the bending accuracy in micro W-bending using Taguchi method
in Measurement
Liu X
(2017)
Size effects on the springback of CuZn37 brass foils in tension and micro W-bending
in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture
Qin Y
(2018)
Integrated, multidisciplinary approaches for micro-manufacturing research, and new opportunities and challenges to micro-manufacturing
in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part N: Journal of Nanomaterials, Nanoengineering and Nanosystems
Yang S
(2018)
Influences of process and material parameters on quality of small-sized thin sheet-metal parts drawn with multipoint tooling
in Procedia Manufacturing
Zeng Q.
(2018)
Hybrid Machining - Theory, Methods and Case Studies
Zhao Y
(2020)
A new static method of calibration for low-cost laser triangulation systems
in Measurement
Description | Strathclyde's effort has been focused on two main challenging issues relating to the forming of sheet metal parts, when multi-points tooling is used: prediction of forming limits of the parts to be formed and in-line determination of forming errors, including that caused by springbacks of sheet metals. First issue concerns the process and tool design efficiency improvement and reduction of manufacturing trials, and the second relates to the improvement of manufacturing efficiency through in-line error measurement and pin-height adjustment by which net-shapes or near-net-shapes of the formed parts could be achieved. The three years' work has resulted in two main results: (1). a completed numerical model for the simulation of the forming of sheet metals with multi-punches tools, including the tools with cushions, which enables prediction of the forming limit and sprinbacks of sheet-metals; (2). A low-cost in-line inspection system for industrial uses. The system is developed based on using laser pointers and a CCD camera and by developing new software, and the target is for easy industrial implementation and low system-cost. A prototype system has now been built based on the use of very low cost LED laser pointers and a Sony CCD camera, and now integrated into the multi-point tooling forming test rig. Early trials are very encouraging, suggesting a measurement error well under a millimetre over a relatively large area. The aim is to demonstrate the system to industrial end-users by the end of the project, and jointly exploit the system for commercial uses, together with industrial partners of this project. |
Exploitation Route | Low-cost inspection method and system has attracted initial interest from industry. The system will be demonstrated to the end-users in the following months. The aim is to promote its uses in panel manufacturing industry, either through licensing or commercialising the system in the future. The modelling method and procedure will be disseminated through journal publications and conference presentations (currently, a journal paper has been drafted and will be submitted soon). |
Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Construction,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Transport,Other |
Description | For the first time, the concept of hot forming of high-strength lightweight sheet metals through multi-point forming has been realised, which is of a great significance to the flexible forming of these materials into engineering components for lightweight structures, such as metal cups and panel components manufactured/used in many industry sectors, while multi-points forming itself is of characteristics of fast reconfigurability of the forming tool and no need of solid dies/moulds, etc. These would lead to significant production time reduction and material/cost savings. Besides exploration of the potential on what was produced in AUTOMAN project, follow-up projects, including a route-to-impact project, have been focused on the extension of the capability of multi-points forming to meet industrial needs, such as extending multi-points forming from cold forming to hot forming, and thus, creating a capability of forming of high-strength sheet metals by multi-points forming. As lightweight materials, Aluminium alloys are popularly used in many industry sectors, including Aerospace and Automotive industry. Due to the poor formability of high-strength aluminium alloys, there are still significant challenges to the conversion of these Aluminium sheets into complex geometries. Hot stamping technology has been used intensively for the forming of the engineering components from Aluminium sheets which helps to reduce the forming force requirements and eliminate the springback incurred due to the forming while the structural integrity and impact safety are maintained. However, hot stamping of high strength aluminium alloys still encounters many challenges that are associated largely with part-shape complexity, severe forming-die conditions, as well as requirements on high productivity, etc., leading to relatively low forming-limits and hence, to the achievable component-forms. At the same time, although intermediate cooling has been introduced to the hot-stamping of aluminium alloy sheets as a means of addressing the problems described above, either the cooling rates achievable to-date such as air/spray cooling were still too low or the existing designs of fast cooling were not viable for production applications. The post-project effort made by the University of Strathclyde has been to conduct transitional research to achieve higher TRLs of multi-points forming, particularly to address the issues mentioned above, by developing a prototype pilot production line that combines hot stamping, fast contact-cooling and multi-points tooling, to enable flexible hot forming of high-strength lightweight sheet metals into cups and panel components. The multi-points tooling originally developed in AUTOMAN project has been upgraded to be suitable for hot forming, the intermediate cooling with high cooling-rates are achieved with a contact fast-cooling system developed by Strathclyde, and the pilot line also integrates a heating facility and a control system newly developed. Thanks to the EU, NMIS and AFRC funding for conducting the transitional research towards higher TRLs, this pilot line has now fully functioned. With this pilot line, the Aluminium sheets heated up by the electrical furnace are subjected to the intermediate fast cooling prior to being loaded onto a special multi-points tool for hot forming. Different cooling rates, e.g. 50 0C/s and 100 0C/s, can be achieved for cooling pre-heated metal blanks through a proper control. As demonstrations, hot forming of metal cups with different depths and stretch bending of AA6082 sheet blanks have been conducted successfully. Trials on the forming of Titanium alloy sheets with this pilot line are ongoing. The tests conducted so far demonstrated that the integration of fast contact-cooling into a production process is feasible and its associated cost is relatively low. It also demonstrated that introducing a high-temperature forming configuration into multi-points forming is feasible, which extends the existing process scope and capability. The test results showed that using proper cooling rates could help to improve form limits of the high strength aluminium alloys greatly. At the same time, the fast-cooling tool and easily re-configurable forming tool developed could, potentially, lead to significant production-time reduction and cost saving for hot-stamping of high-strength lightweight sheet metals, due to the extremely short intermediate-cooling time, fast reconfiguring tool as well as avoiding use of solid dies/moulds for sheet metal stamping. Full industrial exploration and promotion of this production technology will start soon. Industries from transport (aerospace, automotive, railways, etc.), construction, energy and general home appliance sectors should be interested, considering forming of high-strength lightweight metal panel components have very wide applications. The miniaturised tooling for the forming of small sized components will also find applications in healthcare, such as making medical implant components with difficult-to-form metals such as Titanium alloys and Magnesium alloys. |
First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
Impact Types | Societal,Economic |
Description | Training of engineers and Post-graduate students with new materials processing methods and technologies through conference presentations and updating PGT course contents |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | The engineers and students who have received the training indicated above have benefited from the knowledge learnt from the attended conferences and taught MSc courses on the new manufacturing methods and technologies. They were from various countries and worked / are working in many sectors, which should bring general impacts on the general design and manufacturing practices. |
Description | Low Cost Materials Processing Technologies for Mass Production of Lightweight Vehicles |
Amount | € 7,997,725 (EUR) |
Funding ID | GA723517 |
Organisation | GEANT Project |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 09/2016 |
End | 08/2019 |
Title | A new static method for the calibration of low-cost laser triangulation systems |
Description | Measurement based on laser triangulation has been researched and used widely. As a non-contact high-speed method, one of the main difficulties in building a low-cost system for measurement is to determine the intrinsic parameters. We have developed a static calibration method that is able to reduce the cost of a triangulation device by avoiding using auxiliary devices that are normally used in the calibration process. This method forms a basis for us to develop a low-cost inspection system for panel manufacturing. The fundamentals of this method is to be published soon (a journal paper has been drafted). |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2016 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | This method forms a basis for us to develop a low-cost inspection prototype system for panel manufacturing. Based on the agreed "Exploitation Plan" of the AUTOMAN project (involving other 4 industrial partners, funded by INNOVATE UK), the method and software will be exploited jointly by the consortium for future uses in industry, as a part of the AUTOMAN tooling and technology developed. Particularly, Strathclyde will partner Ultra-Precision Motion Ltd. (co-ordinator of the AUTOMAN project) for potential commercial exploitation. |
Title | A new test rig for multi-point tooling forming was created through this funding, which continues to help our follow-up research on this topic |
Description | The test rig for multi-points tooling for flexible forming is an excellent demonstrator to show the process concept as well as technology enabler. This will help us to attract further collaborators in this field as well as helping PhD students' experiment and testing new tooling concepts. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | No notable impact has been generated yet, except that having influenced our own research and education. The impacts are expected through further research and collaborations with external organisations, since this project has helped us to lay down a solid foundation in research in flexible forming. It should also mention that the industrial facility for multi-points tooling forming has already been established in Automan project's industrial partner site through the INNOVATE UK/EPSRC funding of the AUTOMAN project and this test rig is a further development in Strathclyde aimed at testing new process configurations through further research. |
Title | Comprehensive demo video of Automan Inspection Module |
Description | Demo video of Automan inspection module. This is a demonstration of cheap implementation of triangulation measurement device using our newly prompted calibration method. Access to the data is restrcited due to commercial constraints but can be requested using the contact email listed on this page. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | These have been used in the follow-up projects as well as development of the pilot production line. |
Description | As a result from the AUTOMAN project, a novel inspection method and prototype system has been developed which can be used for panel manufacturing. Strathclyde has agreed with industry partners of the project to jointly exploit its industrial applications and potential commercial interest. |
Organisation | Ultra Precision Motion Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Low-cost inspection method and system is developed by the University of Strathclyde, which can be used for general panel manufacturing. Although advanced systems are currently available for in-line panel inspection, these are often too expensive for a company to purchase. The method and system developed by Strathclyde could provide a low-cost solution to industry, and hence, it could be deployed widely, especially in SMEs. By working with AFRC, we have introduced a new forming process - hot stamping with multi-point tooling, through the AFRC funded Route-to-Impact project. The work is an extension to the work preformed in Auto-Man project. The process offers a new capability of forming lightweight high-strength metal sheets with the flexible tool like multi-point tooling. |
Collaborator Contribution | The company Ultra-Precision Motion Ltd. is helping to exploit this result with a view to promoting its applications. Recently collaboration with AFRC to exploit the multi-point tooling forming technique developed through the AUTOMAN project has been discussed with a view to conducting transitional research towards industrial applications. As a result from the discussion, AFRC has funded a PhD student to conduct three and half year research on multipoint tooling forming, being focused on aerospace related materials. The PhD student started in October 2018. AFRC also funded a "Route-to-Impact" project for us to conduct some transitional research in order to demonstrate the potential of the forming technology developed to the AFR members. The results are very encouraging. For the first time, we have incorporated fast sheet metal cooling, hot stamping into the multi-point forming which resulted in a new forming capability for forming high-strength lightweight sheet metals which are popularly used in aerospace and automotive industry, as well as construction industry. |
Impact | The collaboration is on-going, which was specified in the AUTOMAN's Exploitation Plan. A potential company has viewed the result but would prefer further work to be carried out, which is what Strathclyde is doing right now - to refine the technology. At the same time, we have recently improved our prototype forming system, and produced a pilot production line to demonstrate the new forming capability as mentioned above. We are working with AFRC to explore potential for aerospace and automotive industry applications. |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Collaboration with AFRC, NMIS (Scotland) and Pascoe Engineering Ltd. to explore the applications of multi-points forming with fast cooling capability for warm/hot forming |
Organisation | National Manufacturing Institute Scotland |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | AFRC founded a "route-to-impact" project to develop a pilot production demonstration system for sheet metal forming with multi-points tooling with fast cooling capability for warm/hot forming of lightweight metal sheets such as Aluminium alloys and Titanium alloys. The National Manufacturing Institute of Scotland (NMIS) is funding a PhD to explore applications of multi-points forming of Titanium alloys. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Centre for Precision Manufacturing, led by Professor Qin, led the "route-to-impact" multi-points forming project, funded by AFRC, with a manufacturing engineer from AFRC co-leading the project. The NMIS provides a full scholarship to fund the PhD study in multi-points forming of Titanium alloys with Prof. Qin as the supervisor. |
Impact | 1. A pilot production demonstration line for multi-points cold and hot forming of sheet metals with fast cooling capability has been developed; 2. A new multi-points tooling has been designed and being constructed with collaboration with Pascoe Engineering Ltd. Glasgow. 3. A new PhD thesis and two journal papers are being prepared. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Collaboration with AFRC, NMIS (Scotland) and Pascoe Engineering Ltd. to explore the applications of multi-points forming with fast cooling capability for warm/hot forming |
Organisation | University of Strathclyde |
Department | Advanced Forming Research Centre |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | AFRC founded a "route-to-impact" project to develop a pilot production demonstration system for sheet metal forming with multi-points tooling with fast cooling capability for warm/hot forming of lightweight metal sheets such as Aluminium alloys and Titanium alloys. The National Manufacturing Institute of Scotland (NMIS) is funding a PhD to explore applications of multi-points forming of Titanium alloys. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Centre for Precision Manufacturing, led by Professor Qin, led the "route-to-impact" multi-points forming project, funded by AFRC, with a manufacturing engineer from AFRC co-leading the project. The NMIS provides a full scholarship to fund the PhD study in multi-points forming of Titanium alloys with Prof. Qin as the supervisor. |
Impact | 1. A pilot production demonstration line for multi-points cold and hot forming of sheet metals with fast cooling capability has been developed; 2. A new multi-points tooling has been designed and being constructed with collaboration with Pascoe Engineering Ltd. Glasgow. 3. A new PhD thesis and two journal papers are being prepared. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Title | In-line inspection for supporting industry applications of mutli-points-tool forming of sheet metals |
Description | Strathclyde's effort in Automan project has been focused on two main challenging issues relating to the forming of sheet metal parts, when multi-points tooling is used: prediction of forming limits of the parts to be formed and in-line determination of forming errors, including that caused by springbacks of sheet metals. The second issue relates to the improvement of manufacturing efficiency through in-line error measurement and pin-height adjustment by which net-shapes or near-net-shapes of the formed parts could be achieved. The two years' work has resulted in a low-cost in-line inspection system for industrial uses. The system is developed based on using laser pointers and a CCD camera and by developing new software, and the target is for easy industrial implementation and low system-cost. A prototype system has now been built based on 25 very low cost LED laser pointers and a Sony CCD camera. Early trials are very encouraging suggesting a measurement error well under a millimetre over a relatively large area. Current effort is improving measurement accuracy further. The prototype system developed is matched to the 25 pin-tool being built at Strathclyde and will be tested more fully later in the project. The system and software has been updated recently. |
Type Of Technology | New/Improved Technique/Technology |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Impact | Potential impacts are on the improvement of manufacturing efficiency through in-line error measurement and pin-height adjustment by which net-shapes or near-net-shapes of the formed parts could be achieved with higher efficiency and lower cost. Seeking industrial collaborators for exploitation is on-going. |
Title | Numerical Model of Forming of Sheet-Metals with Multipoints-Tooling |
Description | Strathclyde's effort in Automan project has been focused on two main challenging issues relating to the forming of sheet metal parts, when multi-points tooling is used: prediction of forming limits of the parts to be formed and on-line determination of forming errors, including that caused by springbacks of sheet metals. First issue concerns the process and tool design efficiency improvement and reduction of the number of manufacturing trials which are normally very costing. The two years' work has resulted in a completed numerical model for the simulation of the forming of sheet metals with multi-punches tools, including the tools with cushions, which enables prediction of the forming limit and sprinbacks of sheet-metals. |
Type Of Technology | Software |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Impact | The completed numerical model for the simulation of the forming of sheet metals with multi-punches tools, including the tools with cushions, enables prediction of the forming limits and sprinbacks of sheet-metals, which would help to improve the design and manufacturing efficiency. The model is being improved by combining FE method and peridynamics theory with a view to more accurately predicting the fracture of the sheet metals during the forming. It is expected that the model improved will be more attractive to the end-users. |
Description | 4th International Conference on New Forming Technology |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Type Of Presentation | paper presentation |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The conference was held in August 2015, in Glasgow. A high impact is expected to be achieved due to many high-level international players being involved in preparing this conference. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.icnft2015.com/ |
Description | Innovate UK AUTOMAN Project Briefing |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | An invited briefing on the project at the 4th International Conference on New Forming Technology, held in August 2015, in Glasgow. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Invited talk at the NEC industrial exhbition |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | The talk was given to the audience who were in the stands involving industrial exhibitors as well as general visitors, and it introduced the research activities in Strathclyde, including that conducted in the AUTOMAN project and Micro-3D project. The talk helped to raise the profile of the research and created awareness on those projects. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Invited talk on materials forming research and applications in aerospace industry |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Invited talk on materials forming research and applications in aerospace industry in the "Formed in the UK" conference. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Keynote speech at the 2015 International Forum on Advanced Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Industry |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Approximately 200 people, mainly from leading industries and research institutes, attended the event, and main aim was to exchange ideas and experiences on advanced aerospace manufacturing research and industrial applications. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Keynote speech at the 2nd International Conference on Lightweight Materials and Manufacture |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Given a talk on the advances and challenges in metal forming system control strategies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Presentation at the 10th EASN International Conference on "Innovation in Aviation and Space" |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The research work originated from the AutoMAN project and its following development, especially incorporation of fast cooling of hot sheet metal and hot-stamping into the forming process with multi-point tooling, was presented at the 10th ESAN conference, with a view to promoting the research results in the EU aerospace research and engineering community. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | University Research Day |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Gained the feedback from industry participants and other researchers on the project direction and application Gained more information on the practical application of the technology being developed. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |