A forming plant for polar plates for electrochemical cells of a fuel cell, wherein:
- the forming plant is configured to form the polar plates in series from a metal strip, each polar plate being provided in an elementary section of the strip;
- the forming plant comprises three distinct presses, each press comprising:
- a movable slider arranged opposite a stationary table, the slider being moved by an actuation device between an upper position and a lower position, the slider and the table together delimiting a working volume of the press;
- and
- a tool set for forming the strip, each tool set comprising at least one tool with a movable portion, which is carried by the corresponding slider and which delimits a working zone of the corresponding press;
- each press is configured to let through the strip in the corresponding working volume and includes a feeding device for moving the strip, wherein the feeding device is configured to control a feeding movement of the strip along the table, the feeding movement being a sequential movement, with an increment of the feeding equal to a length of each elementary section measured along the strip, and a predetermined feeding frequency, the feeding movement defining a downstream direction of each press, each press being configured to move the corresponding slider to a lowered position after each feeding movement;
- the distinct presses are the following:
- an upstream press, the tool set of which includes a primary marking tool, which is configured to form a primary reference mark in the strip when the corresponding slider moves from the upper position thereof to the lower position thereof;
- an intermediate press, the tool set of which includes a stamping tool, which is fastened to the corresponding slider and which is configured to stamp a network of channels for the circulation of fluids in relief on the strip, when the corresponding slider moves from the upper position thereof to the lower position thereof;
- and
- a downstream press, the tool set of which includes a cutting tool configured to separate each elementary section from the rest of the strip when the corresponding slider moves from upper position thereof to the lower position thereof;
- the intermediate press is arranged, in the feeding direction, downstream of the upstream press, whereas the downstream press is arranged downstream of the intermediate press, in such a way that, under established operation of the forming plant, the strip runs continuously through the three presses, each portion of the strip received in the working volume of one press being an internal portion of the strip, whereas each portion of the strip situated between two adjacent presses is an external portion of the strip;
- the forming plant comprises tensioning members, which are arranged between two adjacent presses and which are configured to keep the inner portions of the strip tensioned, while keeping released the outer portions of the strip;
- the actuation device of the intermediate press comprises a pressing actuator, which is connected to the slider by a connection point and which moves the slider between the upper and lower positions thereof and which is configured to exert a pressing force on the slider when the corresponding slider is in the lower position thereof and the strip is stamped by the stamping tool;
- and
- the pressing force is oriented along a pressing axis, which runs through the connection point and which runs through the network of channels.