KR-20260066131-A - Can body manufacturing machine with tool pack-mounted sensor and instrumented punch nose for friction measurement

Abstract

A can body manufacturing machine includes a ram assembly movable by reciprocating linear motion and a tool pack having multiple dies. A sensor is mounted behind the last die among the multiple dies of the tool pack. During the drawing and ironing process, the ram assembly presses the cup-shaped blank to pass through the multiple dies to deform the cup-shaped blank into a can body, and the sensor measures the total load during the drawing and ironing process.

Inventors

• 히키 스튜어트 에드워드
• 쇼어스 제이 마이클
• 노브레가 카를로스
• 게데스 마테우스

Assignees

• 노벨리스 인크.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20241018

Priority Date

20231019

Claims (20)

1. As a can body maker, A ram assembly capable of moving in reciprocating linear motion along an axis and comprising a ram and a punch; and It includes a tool pack, and the tool pack is, A plurality of dies - each of the plurality of dies includes an aperture, and the punch is configured to press into a cup shape through the apertures of the plurality of dies during the drawing and ironing processes to form a can body -; and A can body manufacturing machine comprising a sensor mounted along the above axis and behind the last die of the plurality of dies with respect to the above ram assembly—the sensor comprises an aperture through which the cup-shaped blank passes after the last die, and the sensor is configured to measure the total load during the ironing process.
2. In claim 1, the sensor is a can body manufacturing machine mounted within the enclosure of the tool pack.
3. A can body manufacturing machine according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a first sensor, and the ram assembly includes a second sensor on the punch configured to measure the punch nose force during the ironing process.
4. A can body manufacturing machine according to paragraph 3, further comprising a controller configured to determine friction during the ironing process based on the total load from the first sensor and the punch nose force from the second sensor.
5. A can body manufacturing machine according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a loading face portion and a support ring portion, and the loading face portion defines the aperture.
6. A can body manufacturing machine according to claim 5, wherein the support ring portion is recessed with respect to the load surface portion at the first end of the sensor and the load surface portion is recessed with respect to the support ring portion at the second end of the sensor.
7. As a can body manufacturing machine, A ram assembly movable in reciprocating linear motion along an axis and comprising a ram and a punch; and A can body manufacturing machine comprising a plurality of ironing dies and a tool pack including a sensor located at a fixed position within the tool pack—the sensor being configured to measure the total load during the drawing and ironing processes of the can body manufacturing machine.
8. A can body manufacturing machine according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of dies includes at least three ironing dies, and the sensor is mounted in the tool pack behind the last ironing die among the at least three ironing dies.
9. A can body manufacturing machine according to claim 7, wherein the sensor comprises an outer diameter and an inner diameter, the inner diameter defining an aperture for receiving a cup-shaped blank during the ironing process.
10. In claim 7, the sensor is a can body manufacturing machine in which the center is located on the axis.
11. A can body manufacturing machine according to claim 7, wherein the sensor is a first sensor, and the ram assembly further comprises a second sensor for measuring the punch nose force during the ironing process.
12. In paragraph 11, the second sensor is a can body manufacturing machine located on the punch nose of the ram assembly.
13. A can body manufacturing machine according to claim 11, further comprising a controller configured to determine friction during the ironing process using the total load from the first sensor and the punch nose force from the second sensor.
14. In claim 11, the second sensor is a can body manufacturing machine movable together with the ram assembly.
15. As a drawing and ironing method for forming a can, A step of causing reciprocating linear motion of a ram assembly of a can body manufacturing machine - said reciprocating linear motion drives a cup-shaped blank to pass through a plurality of dies of a tool pack -; and A method comprising the step of measuring the total force applied to the cup-shaped blank using a sensor supported behind the last die of the plurality of dies of the tool pack.
16. In claim 15, the step of causing the reciprocating linear motion comprises driving the cup-shaped blank to pass through the aperture of the sensor supported behind the last die of the plurality of dies of the tool pack.
17. In paragraph 16, a method in which the sensor is fixed while the ram assembly drives the cup-shaped blank to pass through the aperture of the sensor.
18. A method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of measuring a punch nose force applied to a cup-shaped blank using a sensor on the ram assembly.
19. In paragraph 18, the method wherein the sensor on the ram assembly is the punch nose sensor of the punch of the ram assembly.
20. A method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of determining friction during ironing based on the measured punch nose force and the total force.

Description

Can body manufacturing machine with tool pack-mounted sensor and instrumented punch nose for friction measurement Reference to related applications This application claims the interest and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/591,587, filed October 19, 2023, titled "CAN BODY MAKER WITH TOOL-PACK MOUNTED LOADCELL AND INSTRUMENTED PUNCH NOSE FOR MEASURING FRICTION," the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety. Field of invention The present application relates to metal processing techniques, and more specifically, to a can body manufacturing system and method. Cylindrical or tubular structures (hereinafter referred to as "cans") are generally formed by manufacturing a blank from a material (such as metal) and then drawing the blank to form a shallow cup. After the shallow cup is initially drawn, a can body maker places the cup on the end of a ram that reciprocates through a series of dies to obtain the desired can size and thickness. The can body, driven by the ram, can come into contact with a bottom forming tool to form the bottom of the can (e.g., to have a dome shape). Some systems may include sensors on the body of the ram, but these instrumented rams must replace conventional non-instrumented rams; even when used, the sensors may experience vibration noise and sensor fatigue due to the reciprocating motion of the ram, and accessing the sensors for installation, maintenance, and/or removal on the instrumented ram is not easy. This specification refers to the following attached drawings, and the use of similar reference numbers in different drawings is intended to illustrate similar or similar components. FIG. 1 illustrates a can body manufacturing machine according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sensor of the tool pack of the can body manufacturing machine of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment. Figure 3 is an end view of the sensor of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a sectional view of the sensor of Figure 2. This specification describes a can body manufacturing machine and an associated method comprising a sensor for measuring the total load during the drawing and ironing processes. In various embodiments, the sensor for measuring the total load is advantageously located in a fixed position within the can body manufacturing machine. In certain embodiments, the sensor for measuring the total load is mounted within the tool pack of the can body manufacturing machine, such as behind the third or last ironing die of the tool pack. Compared to the conventional method of mounting the total load sensor inside the ram, the system and method described herein reduce vibration noise in the sensor measurements and sensor fatigue caused by the reciprocating motion of the ram. The system and method described herein may provide improved accessibility to the sensor for installation, maintenance, and/or removal. In various embodiments, the system and method described herein enable the measurement of the total load using a ram that does not require instrumentation. In certain embodiments, the total load measured by the sensor may provide improved determination and calculation of friction during the drawing and ironing processes. Various other advantages and benefits may be realized with the system and method described in this specification, and the aforementioned advantages and benefits should not be considered limiting. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a can body manufacturing machine (100) according to an embodiment. Generally, the can body manufacturing machine (100) includes various components for performing drawing and ironing processes in which a can body (104) is formed from a cup-shaped blank (102). The cup-shaped blank (102) may be formed from various materials as desired, and in some embodiments, the cup-shaped blank (102) is a metal such as, but not limited to, 1xxx series aluminum alloy, 2xxx series aluminum alloy, 3xxx series aluminum alloy, 4xxx series aluminum alloy, 5xxx series aluminum alloy, 6xxx series aluminum alloy, 7xxx series aluminum alloy, 8xxx series aluminum alloy and/or any other aluminum or aluminum alloy as desired. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the can body manufacturing machine (100) generally includes, among other components, a ram assembly (106), a tool pack (108), and optionally a domer (110). A housing or enclosure (138) is optionally included to accommodate at least partially one or more components of the can body manufacturing machine (100). The ram assembly (106) comprises a ram (112) and a punch (114) supported by the ram (112). The ram (112) generally extends along an axis (128), and the punch (114) may be supported at or near the end of the ram (112). The punch (114) generally comprises a punch sleeve (116) and a punch nose (118). In some embodiments, the punch sleeve (116) and the punch nose (118) are separate components, but in other embodiments, the punch sleeve (116) and the punch nose (118) may be a single or monolithic com