Apparatus for bending and transporting an aluminum sheet and method of stretch forming an aluminum metal sheet

Abstract

A bending apparatus for bending and transporting an aluminum metal sheet. The bending apparatus includes a central retaining portion that has gripping elements mounted on the central retaining portion for retaining an aluminum metal sheet. There is also included a bending mechanism that is mounted to the central retaining portion. The bending mechanism is capable of axial movement in relation to a central axis of the central retaining portion for imparting a curvature to an aluminum metal sheet. There is also included a method of stretch forming an aluminum metal sheet including the steps of heating an aluminum metal sheet in an oven, transferring the heat of an aluminum sheet to a hot forming tool, bending the heated aluminum sheet during the transfer step to conform the sheet to a shape of the hot forming tool, and then placing the bent metal sheet in the hot forming tool and forming an A-shaped part.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.