Press forming process and product formed thereby with high dimensional accuracy, and workpiece used therefor

A product prepared by a press forming process using a stretching press to form a high tensile strength steel product with a curved portion in a lateral wall of a workpiece having approximately the same shape as that of said product, said press forming process comprising:

• providing a pad portion in said lateral wall of said workpiece prior to starting the press forming process using said stretching press, and
• completing formation of said curved portion by using said stretching press to stretch said lateral wall at said curved portion to deflect the lateral wall in a direction (X) that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lateral wall and thereby spread said pad portion mainly in the longitudinal direction of said workpiece while maintaining a continuous shape to said lateral wall, whereby the lateral wall is curved in a direction (X) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lateral wall and said curved portion of said lateral wall is prepared so as to have a spring back in the direction (X) that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lateral wall of said product minimized.

A U-shaped workpiece with a top face and lateral walls made of high tensile strength steel for providing a product which is dimensionally accurate and which, after a secondary stretching process to deflect the lateral wall in a direction (X) that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lateral wall, has a curved portion in one of the lateral walls, said workpiece being approximately in the same shape as that of said product and wherein the one lateral wall has a pad portion with concave portions, each of which extends perpendicular to the top face of the workpiece at the curved portion of the lateral wall and being used in a press forming process to minimize spring back in the direction (X) that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lateral wall of said product.

A press forming process using a stretching press to form a high tensile strength car frame product with a curved portion in a lateral wall of a workpiece having approximately the same shape as that of said product, comprising:

• providing a pad portion in said lateral wall of said workpiece prior to starting the press forming process, wherein said pad portion is in the form of a wave, bead or corrugation, and
• completing formation of said workpiece by stretching said lateral wall at said curved portion to deflect the lateral wall in a direction (X) that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lateral wall and thereby spreading said pad portion mainly in a longitudinal direction of said workpiece while maintaining a continuous shape to said lateral wall, whereby said curved portion of said lateral wall is prepared so as to minimize spring back in the direction (X) that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lateral wall of said product.

A high tensile strength car frame product prepared by a press forming process using a stretching press to form a product with a curved portion in a lateral wall of a workpiece having approximately the same shape as that of said product, said press forming process comprising:

• providing a pad portion in said lateral wall of said workpiece prior to starting the press forming process, wherein said pad portion is in the form of a wave, bead or corrugation, and
• completing formation of said curved portion by stretching the lateral wall at said curved portion to deflect the lateral wall in a direction (X) that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lateral wall spreading of said pad portion mainly in the longitudinal direction of said workpiece, whereby said curved portion is prepared so as to have a spring back in the direction (X) that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lateral wall of said product minimized.