Method and apparatus for manufacturing a hot rolled beam

A method of manufacturing a one piece integral metallic beam having flanges (24), and a web (26) joining said flanges, and being characterized by;

• hot rolling a heated metal workpiece (20), to produce an integral one piece beam (22) having flanges (24), and a web (26) extending therebetween, said flanges having a predetermined first thickness T, and said web having a predetermined second thickness t less than said first thickness, and wherein the ratio of T:t is 3:1 or greater;
• re-heating said web (26) to a hot forming temperature;
• passing said heated web (26) through at least one metal forming die set (16) for forming openings (28) and lips (30) around said openings (28), and having planar clamping die portions (84) for flattening said web,
• repeatedly closing said at least one die set (16) on said web (26), whereby to form said lips (30) and to flatten said web (26), without forming said flanges (24), whereby said planar clamping die portions (84) flatten said web.

An apparatus for manufacturing a one-piece integral metallic beam having flanges, and a web joining said flanges, said beam having been hot rolled from a heated metal workpiece (22), said apparatus being characterized by;

• heating means (56,57) for heating said web (26), without substantially heating said flanges (24);
• at least one metal die forming set (16), in turn comprising;
• a piercing die portion (78) for piercing an opening (28) through said heated web (26);
• a bending die portion (72,80) for bending lips (30) around said opening (28);
• and,
• flattening die portions (68,84) for engaging said web (26) around said lips (30), and flattening said web (26),
• whereby to pierce openings (28) through said web (26) at spaced intervals, and to bend lips (30) around said openings (28), and to flatten the remainder of said web between said flanges.

A method of manufacturing a one piece integral metallic beam (22) having flanges (24), and a web (26) joining said flanges, said beam having been hot rolled from a heated metal workpiece (20), to produce an integral one piece beam having flanges, and a web extending therebetween said flanges predetermined first thickness, and said web having a predetermined second thickness less that said first thickness, and characterized by the steps of;

• heating said web (26) to a hot forming temperature while maintaining said flanges (24) at a reduced temperature, so as to facilitate the handling of said beam;
• passing said heated web (26) through at least one metal forming die set (16) for forming openings in (28) said web, and planar clamping die portions for flattening said web;
• repeatedly closing said at least one die set (16) on said web (26), without forming said flanges (24), whereby to form openings (28) in said web (26);
• wherein said step of closing said at least one die set (16) on said web (26) forms lips (30) around said openings (28), at an angle to said web;
• and,
• clamping said web (26) to flatten said web (26) around said openings (28).

A method of manufacturing a one piece integral metallic beam (22) having flanges (24), and a web (26) joining said flanges, said beam having been hot rolled from a heated metal workpiece (20), to produce an integral one piece beam having flanges, and a web extending therebetween, said flanges having a predetermined first thickness, and said web having a predetermined second thickness less that said first thickness, and characterized by the steps of;

• heating said web (26) to a hot forming temperature;
• passing said heated web (26) through at least one metal forming die set (16) for forming openings in (28) said web, and planar clamping die portions for flattening said web;
• repeatedly closing said at least one die set (16) on said web (26), without forming said flanges (24), whereby to form openings (28) in said web (26);
• wherein said step of closing said at least one die set (16) on said web (26) forms lips (30) around said openings (28), at an angle to said web;
• hot forging said lips (30), whereby to increase said angle of said lips (30), relative to said web (26), and also to increase the thickness of said lips (30) relative to said web;
• and,
• clamping said web (26) to flatten said web (26) around said openings (28).

A method of manufacturing a one piece integral metallic beam (22) having flanges (24), and a web (26) joining said flanges, said beam having been hot rolled from a heated metal workpiece (20), to produce an integral one piece beam having flanges, and a web extending therebetween, said flanges having a predetermined first thickness, and said web having a predetermined second thickness less that said first thickness, and characterized by the steps of;

• heating said web (26) to a hot forming temperature;
• passing said heated web (26) through at least one metal forming die set (16) for forming openings in (28) said web, and planar clamping die portions for flattening said web;
• repeatedly closing said at least one die set (16) on said web (26), without forming said flanges (24), to form portions (52) of said web (26) within said openings (28),prior to removal of portions of said web from said openings, so as to form an added value product (52) from said web, subsequently removing portions (54) of said web around said added value product, to form openings (28) in said web (26);
• wherein said step of closing said at least one die set (16) on said web (26) forms lips (30) around said openings (28), at an angle to said web;
• and,
• clamping said web (26) to flatten said web (26) around said openings (28).