Method of forming a tubular blank into a structural component and die therefor

A die system for forming a formable blank into a structural component that at least partially conforms to a predetermined shape, said die system comprising at least one heating source, a fluid system, and a shape imparting shell that is at least partially supported in compression force transmitting material, said shell being in the form of at least a first shell section and a second shell section, each of which includes an inner surface at least partially defining said predetermined shape, an outer support surface and spaced lateral edges which edges at least partially define a parting plane between said two shell sections when said two shell sections are brought together to at least partially form said shell, said compression force transmitting material including first and second compression force transmitting materials, said first compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said first shell section, said first compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said first shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said second shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said second shell section, said first and second force transmitting material being movable relative to one another to at least partially capture said formable blank in said shell sections, said at least one heating source designed to heat at least a portion of said formable blank to enable said formable blank at least partially conform to at least a portion of the inner surfaces of said first and second shell sections to form said structural component, said fluid system directing fluid at a high pressure into said formable blank until said formable blank at least partially conforms to at least a portion of the inner surfaces of said first and second shells, said fluid system including a fluid preheater designed to preheated said fluid prior to inserting said fluid into said formable blank.

A die system for forming a formable blank into a structural component that at least partially conforms to a predetermined shape, said die system comprising at least one heating source, a preheating system, and a shape imparting shell that is at least partially supported in compression force transmitting material, said shell being in the form of at least a first shell section and a second shell section, each of which includes an inner surface at least partially defining said predetermined shape, an outer support surface and spaced lateral edges which edges at least partially define a parting plane between said two shell sections when said two shell sections are brought together to at least partially form said shell, said compression force transmitting material including first and second compression force transmitting materials, said first compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said first shell section, said first compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said first shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said second shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said second shell section, said first and second force transmitting material being movable relative to one another to at least partially capture said formable blank in said shell sections, said at least one heating source designed to heat at least a portion of said formable blank to enable said formable blank at least partially conform to at least a portion of the inner surfaces of said first and second shell sections to form said structural component, said preheating system designed to preheat at least a portion of said formable blank prior to inserting fluid into said formable blank, prior to inserting said formable blank into said first and second shells, or combinations thereof.

A die system for forming a formable blank into a structural component that at least partially conforms to a predetermined shape, said die system comprising at least one heating source and a shape imparting shell that is at least partially supported in compression force transmitting material, said shell being in the form of at least a first shell section and a second shell section, each of which includes an inner surface at least partially defining said predetermined shape, an outer support surface and spaced lateral edges which edges at least partially define a parting plane between said two shell sections when said two shell sections are brought together to at least partially form said shell, said compression force transmitting material including first and second compression force transmitting materials, said first compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said first shell section, said first compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said first shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said second shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said second shell section, said first and second force transmitting material being movable relative to one another to at least partially capture said formable blank in said shell sections, said at least one heating source designed to heat at least a portion of said formable blank to enable said formable blank at least partially conform to at least a portion of the inner surfaces of said first and second shell sections to form said structural component, at least one of said shell sections including a magnetic material, an electrically conductive material, or combinations thereof.

A die system for forming a formable blank into a structural component that at least partially conforms to a predetermined shape, said die system comprising at least one heating source and a shape imparting shell that is at least partially supported in compression force transmitting material, said shell being in the form of at least a first shell section and a second shell section, each of which includes an inner surface at least partially defining said predetermined shape, an outer support surface and spaced lateral edges which edges at least partially define a parting plane between said two shell sections when said two shell sections are brought together to at least partially form said shell, said compression force transmitting material including first and second compression force transmitting materials, said first compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said first shell section, said first compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said first shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said second shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said second shell section, said first and second force transmitting material being movable relative to one another to at least partially capture said formable blank in said shell sections, said at least one heating source designed to heat at least a portion of said formable blank to enable said formable blank at least partially conform to at least a portion of the inner surfaces of said first and second shell sections to form said structural component, at least one of said compression force transmitting materials including a magnetic material, an electrically conductive material, or combinations thereof.

A die system for forming a formable blank into a structural component that at least partially conforms to a predetermined shape, said die system comprising at least one heating source, a cooling system, and a shape imparting shell that is at least partially supported in compression force transmitting material, said shell being in the form of at least a first shell section and a second shell section, each of which includes an inner surface at least partially defining said predetermined shape, an outer support surface and spaced lateral edges which edges at least partially define a parting plane between said two shell sections when said two shell sections are brought together to at least partially form said shell, said compression force transmitting material including first and second compression force transmitting materials, said first compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said first shell section, said first compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said first shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said second shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said second shell section, said first and second force transmitting material being movable relative to one another to at least partially capture said formable blank in said shell sections, said at least one heating source designed to heat at least a portion of said formable blank to enable said formable blank at least partially conform to at least a portion of the inner surfaces of said first and second shell sections to form said structural component, said cooling system designed to controllably cool at least a portion of said structural component to obtain the desired physical properties of said structural component.

A die system for forming a formable blank into a structural component that at least partially conforms to a predetermined shape, said die system comprising at least one heating source, an end feeder, and a shape imparting shell that is at least partially supported in compression force transmitting material, said shell being in the form of at least a first shell section and a second shell section, each of which includes an inner surface at least partially defining said predetermined shape, an outer support surface and spaced lateral edges which edges at least partially define a parting plane between said two shell sections when said two shell sections are brought together to at least partially form said shell, said compression force transmitting material including first and second compression force transmitting materials, said first compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said first shell section, said first compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said first shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said second shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said second shell section, said first and second force transmitting material being movable relative to one another to at least partially capture said formable blank in said shell sections, said at least one heating source designed to heat at least a portion of said formable blank to enable said formable blank at least partially conform to at least a portion of the inner surfaces of said first and second shell sections to form said structural component, said end feeder designed to feed metal from said formable blank into said shell sections while said formable blank is formed.

A die system for forming a formable blank into a structural component that at least partially conforms to a predetermined shape, said die system comprising at least one heating source, a mechanical stimulator, and a shape imparting shell that is at least partially supported in compression force transmitting material, said shell being in the form of at least a first shell section and a second shell section, each of which includes an inner surface at least partially defining said predetermined shape, an outer support surface and spaced lateral edges which edges at least partially define a parting plane between said two shell sections when said two shell sections are brought together to at least partially form said shell, said compression force transmitting material including first and second compression force transmitting materials, said first compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said first shell section, said first compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said first shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said second shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said second shell section, said first and second force transmitting material being movable relative to one another to at least partially capture said formable blank in said shell sections, said at least one heating source designed to heat at least a portion of said formable blank to enable said formable blank at least partially conform to at least a portion of the inner surfaces of said first and second shell sections to form said structural component, said mechanical stimulator designed to apply mechanical stimulation to said formable blank during the forming of said formable blank, said mechanical stimulation including a vibratory actuator that at least partially contacts said formable blank, a vibratory actuator that at least partially contacts said first die, a vibratory actuator at least partially contacting said second die, a frequency pulsator that applies a frequency pulse to said formable blank, a fluid pulsator that applies a fluid pulse into said formable blank, or combinations thereof.

A die system for forming a formable blank into a structural component that at least partially conforms to a predetermined shape, said die system comprising at least one heating source and a shape imparting shell that is at least partially supported in compression force transmitting material, said shell being in the form of at least a first shell section and a second shell section, each of which includes an inner surface at least partially defining said predetermined shape, an outer support surface and spaced lateral edges which edges at least partially define a parting plane between said two shell sections when said two shell sections are brought together to at least partially form said shell, said compression force transmitting material including first and second compression force transmitting materials, said first compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said first shell section, said first compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said first shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said second shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said second shell section, at least one of said shell sections includes multiple subdivisions along a longitudinal length of said shell section, at least a portion of at least one of said shell portions sections is easily separatable from said compression force transmitting materials, said first and second force transmitting material being movable relative to one another to at least partially capture said formable blank in said shell sections, said at least one heating source designed to heat at least a portion of said formable blank to enable said formable blank at least partially conform to at least a portion of the inner surfaces of said first and second shell sections to form said structural component.

A die system for forming a formable blank into a structural component that at least partially conforms to a predetermined shape, said die system comprising at least one heating source and a shape imparting shell that is at least partially supported in compression force transmitting material, said shell being in the form of at least a first shell section and a second shell section, each of which includes an inner surface at least partially defining said predetermined shape, an outer support surface and spaced lateral edges which edges at least partially define a parting plane between said two shell sections when said two shell sections are brought together to at least partially form said shell, said compression force transmitting material including first and second compression force transmitting materials, said first compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said first shell section, said first compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said first shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said second shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said second shell section, at least one of said compression force transmitting materials includes multiple subdivisions along a longitudinal length of said compression force transmitting materials, at least a portion of at least one of said shell portions sections is easily separatable from said compression force transmitting materials, said first and second force transmitting material being movable relative to one another to at least partially capture said formable blank in said shell sections, said at least one heating source designed to heat at least a portion of said formable blank to enable said formable blank at least partially conform to at least a portion of the inner surfaces of said first and second shell sections to form said structural component.

A die system for forming a formable blank into a structural component that at least partially conforms to a predetermined shape, said die system comprising at least one heating source and a shape imparting shell that is at least partially supported in compression force transmitting material, said shell being in the form of at least a first shell section and a second shell section, each of which includes an inner surface at least partially defining said predetermined shape, an outer support surface and spaced lateral edges which edges at least partially define a parting plane between said two shell sections when said two shell sections are brought together to at least partially form said shell, said compression force transmitting material including first and second compression force transmitting materials, said first compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said first shell section, said first compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said first shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said second shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said second shell section, said first and second force transmitting material being movable relative to one another to at least partially capture said formable blank in said shell sections, said at least one heating source designed to heat at least a portion of said formable blank to enable said formable blank at least partially conform to at least a portion of the inner surfaces of said first and second shell sections to form said structural component, said at least one heating system source including at least one heating coil, at least one concentrator, at least one electrically conductive material, at least one current carrying material, at least one insulating material, or combinations thereof, said at least one heating coil, said at least one concentrator, said at least one electrically conductive material, said at least one current carrying material, said at least one insulating material, or combinations thereof being removably positioned in at least one of said shell portions sections, at least one of said compression force transmitting materials, between said at least one of said shell portions sections and said at least one of said compression force transmitting materials, or combinations thereof.

A die system for forming a formable blank into a structural component that at least partially conforms to a predetermined shape, said die system comprising at least one heating source and a shape imparting shell that is at least partially supported in compression force transmitting material, said shell being in the form of at least a first shell section and a second shell section, each of which includes an inner surface at least partially defining said predetermined shape, an outer support surface and spaced lateral edges which edges at least partially define a parting plane between said two shell sections when said two shell sections are brought together to at least partially form said shell, said compression force transmitting material including first and second compression force transmitting materials, said first compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said first shell section, said first compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said first shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said second shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said second shell section, said first and second force transmitting material being movable relative to one another to at least partially capture said formable blank in said shell sections, said at least one heating source designed to heat at least a portion of said formable blank to enable said formable blank at least partially conform to at least a portion of the inner surfaces of said first and second shell sections to form said structural component, said at least one heating source including at least one flux concentrator, at least one heating coil, at least one concentrator, at least one electrically conductive material, at least one current carrying material, at least one insulating material, or combinations thereof, said at least one flux concentrator, said at least one heating coil, said at least one concentrator, said at least one electrically conductive material, said at least one current carrying material, said at least one insulating material, or combinations thereof being removably positioned in at least one of said shell section, at least one of said compression force transmitting materials, between said at least one of said shell sections and said at least one of said compression force transmitting materials, or combinations thereof.