Method and apparatus for hemming panels together

A method of hemming together the four side edges of inner and outer panels by bending a peripheral flange of the outer panel over the edge portions of the inner panel to form a panel assembly;

• comprising:
• providing a press apparatus having a stationary lower platen for supporting the outer panel and an upper platen that is raised and lowered relative to the lower platen;
• loading the outer panel onto the lower platen and the inner panel onto the lower panel with the peripheral flange of the outer panel surrounding the inner panel and then lowering the upper platen to capture the inner panel atop the outer panel;
• hemming two opposing side edges of the inner and outer panels by closing hemming dies over the peripheral flange to bend the peripheral flange onto the inner panel;
• and hemming the other two opposing side edges of the panel assembly by passing rollers along the peripheral flanges at the other two side edges to bend the flange onto the inner panel.

A method of hemming together the edges of inner and outer panels by bending a peripheral flange of the outer panel over the side edge portions of the inner panel to form a panel assembly;

• comprising:
• providing a press apparatus having a stationary lower platen for supporting the outer panel and an upper platen that is raised and lowered relative to the lower platen;
• loading the outer panel onto the lower platen;
• loading the inner panel onto the outer panel with the peripheral flange of the outer panel surrounding the inner panel;
• lowering the upper platen to capture the inner panel atop the outer panel;
• first hemming a first portion of the peripheral flange by closing hemming dies associates with the press apparatus over the first portion of the peripheral flange to bend the peripheral flange onto the edge portions of the inner panel;
• and then hemming a second portion of the peripheral flange by passing a multi-axis-manipulated roller hemming mechanism progressively along a second portion of the peripheral flange while the hemming dies remain closed upon the peripheral flange;
• and then raising the upper platen of the press to release the hemmed together panels.

Apparatus for hemming together the side edges of inner and outer panels by bending a peripheral flange of the outer panel over the edge portions of the inner panel to form a panel assembly;

• comprising:
• a press apparatus having an upper platen that is raised and lowered and a stationary lower platen for supporting the outer panel with the inner panel loaded on top of the outer panel;
• locating mechanism carried by the upper platen to engage with the inner panel and locate and hold the inner panel when the upper platen is lowered;
• a hemming die mechanism having a hemming die for engaging with a first portion of the peripheral flange and bending the peripheral flange onto the inner panel;
• and a hemming roller mechanism having a hemming roller that passes progressively along a second portion of the peripheral flange to and bending the second portion of the peripheral flange onto the inner panel.