Method and apparatus for trimming aluminum sheet to reduce slivers and improve edge quality

An apparatus for reducing sliver production during trimming about a perimeter of an aluminum autobody sheet comprising:

• a trim die having an upper surface and an outer perimeter, wherein a portion of the outer perimeter is non-linear;
• a cutting blade being adapted for movement along a trim line defined by a cutting edge of the cutting blade, wherein the cutting edge of the cutting blade is an inner edge of the cutting blade juxtaposition the outer perimeter of the trim die, wherein a clearance distance is provided between the cutting edge of the cutting blade and the outer perimeter of the trim die;
• a holding pad having a bottom surface adjacent to the upper surface of the trim die such that the aluminum autobody sheet is capable of being positioned between the trim die and the holding pad and is capable of being outwardly extended therefrom;
• a plurality of resilient support pads, wherein each pad of the plurality of resilient support pads being adjacently positioned along the outer perimeter of the trim die outside the trim line forming a gap between each adjacent resilient support pad and the trim die and forming a space between each adjacent resilient support pad sufficient to support the aluminum autobody sheet on an upper surface of each adjacent resilient support pad when the cutting blade trims the aluminum autobody sheet along the trim line adjacent the space such that localized bending stresses acting on the aluminum autobody sheet arc substantially eliminated,
• wherein each adjacent resilient support pad is fixed at an offset distance from the cutting edge of the cutting blade, wherein the offset distance ranges from 25 percent to 200 percent of a thickness of the aluminum autobody sheet,
• whereby, ductile fracture of the aluminum autobody sheet follows a substantially straight path along the trim line to result in a substantial reduction in sliver or burr formation.