DE102015118607A1 - Method for producing reinforced sheets and reinforced sheets produced thereby - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing reinforced sheet metal and in particular sheet steel components, wherein the sheet steel components are formed from a sheet steel and in particular deep-drawn and the sheet metal part supporting geometries are applied by additive 3D printing, printed by means of 3D printing plastics and / or metals, wherein the plastics and / or metals are sintered, melted or melted by high-temperature process after printing or during the printing by high-temperature process, and a sheet steel component produced by this method.

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing reinforced sheets and the reinforced sheets produced thereby.

It is known to optimize sheets and especially sheets for the automotive industry in terms of weight, that the sheets receive reinforcements in certain necessary areas, in the other areas where the normal sheet thickness is sufficient, but used unreinforced.

For example, this is achieved by reinforcing the sheet metal parts by introducing reinforcing sheets, so-called patches, and hybrid compounds with non-metallic geometries, but also by reinforcing with metal sheets of other metals.

The reinforcing plates or parts are usually connected by riveting, welding, gluing, overmolding, but also by brazing or a connection due to existing zinc corrosion protection layers.

If shaped sheet metal parts are required, in this case the reinforcing sheets or patches can be applied before forming and are then shaped together with the carrier sheet or the carrier sheet has already been formed and preformed reinforcing sheets are applied.

Basically, this is a disadvantage that additional manufacturing processes and difficult joining operations are required.

In the case of patches, the application of the patch to the board and the bond with the base sheet are usually ensured during the forming process, which makes the forming process more complex and also puts a heavier burden on the tools.

Hybrid compounds with non-metals, such as plastic structures, are more limited in their reinforcing effect. Overmolding with plastic requires expensive tools and the gluing of plastic moldings often leads to insufficient strength.

The DE 10 2014 200 402 A1 describes a method for producing a component and a component, in particular a rapid prototyping component. This should consist of at least one layer of material which has two different materials with respect to the material properties. In the method, in each case materials with a plurality of volume units are to be arranged by means of a rapid prototyping method, so that the volume units of the materials are arranged in a predefined arrangement against each other, wherein adjacent volume units form a contact area. The materials should be bonded to each other at least in the area of the volume unit contact areas.

From the DE 10 2013 218 223 A1 a method is known in which an insert member is produced in layers, the insert member is inserted into a cavity of a tool and at least partially surrounded by a matrix material, wherein the layer-wise manufacturing of the insert member, for example, with a laser sintering method, stereolithography, laser deposition welding, laser melting, a Polyamide casting or fused deposition molding is performed. The insert component can then with the matrix material, the z. B. in flowable, in particular in liquid form, are surrounded.

From the DE 10 2013 010 160 A1 a method is known with which a surface structure of a press plate or endless belt is to be produced. To streamline and simplify manufacturing, a 3D printer is to be used, and the 3D printer uses the 3D printer to transform a 3D topography of a surface texture into digitized data of individual 2D layers of 3D topography, and use those 2D slices as data for the positioning of a printhead can be used. In particular, this press plates or endless belts are to be provided with a structure that can form wood decorations, tile decors or natural stone surfaces.

From the DE 10 2013 219 250 A1 It is known to purposefully reinforce a lightweight component by means of a laser melting process, in which particular parts of passenger cars are to be reinforced. Here, the part itself should be performed in a lightweight material and have at least at a high or higher loaded site built with a selective laser melting process or a laser metal deposition process similar or preferably higher-strength material as reinforcement.

From the DE 10 2009 058 359 A1 For example, a method is known which is also known as a selective laser melting method. Here, powder or granules of fusible material is applied in layers, wherein a laser, the contour of the desired component preferably completely melts. The fusible material may also include the group of tool steel, stainless steel, steel, titanium, aluminum and iron-cobalt-nickel alloys and alloys or mixtures of these materials. For example, in this case the component can be constructed layer by layer, wherein in each case a layer of pulverulent material can be applied to an already processed part of the component and then locally melted, so that the material can bond to the already processed material during the subsequent solidification. With the help of laser beams any three-dimensional geometries with undercuts can be generated.

From the WO 2006/133034 A1 For example, a method is known in which arc welding is combined with an additional laser source, the laser being there to substantially stabilize the welding process, and in particular the arc, and allow higher welding speeds. This process is also called laser metal deposition process.

The object of the invention is to provide a method for reinforcing moldings and in particular of sheet metal parts to create, which can be performed effectively, quickly and with less effort.

The object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1.

Advantageous developments are characterized in the subclaims.

Another object of the invention is to provide a molded article which is lightweight, stiff and stable and incorporates support structures.

The object is achieved with a molding with the features of claim 2.

Advantageous developments are characterized in the dependent claims.

According to the invention, lightweight, rigid moldings, in particular sheet metal moldings, are produced by applying supporting geometries by means of additive 3D printing. Instead of a costly thickening of the sheet itself by patches or reinforcing sheets support geometries are printed, which are in a much better way than a simple sheet thickness increase in a position to bring about a stiffening and reinforcement. As a result, support geometries are made possible on such sheet metal parts as they can be determined by topology optimization.

The supporting geometries printed on according to the invention can be applied from any materials, e.g. B. of plastics, but also metals.

When using printed metals as a support geometry, these metals after printing or during printing by high-temperature process, in particular by laser beams, sintered, melted or even melted even when applied itself, which is a very good connection to the sheet metal part and a large stable support effect achieved.

According to the invention, undercut geometries can be readily produced by the printing, since no Entformungsrichtungen must be considered. As a result, in particular a very good, lightweight reinforcement is possible, which was previously not possible in this form.

In particular, according to the invention, an amplification of the sheet metal part by laser melting, in particular selective laser melting or laser metal deposition, performed.

The inventive method provides a sheet metal part whose shape and material properties by the requirement, in particular in the bodywork, is predetermined, according to the expected, registered loads, such as loads such as fatigue loads or crash loads to analyze.

From the analysis it is then determined which parts are subjected to the highest load and it is then determined which three-dimensional structure is suitable for best reinforcing the sheet metal part against this load entry.

After such a suitable structure has been determined and, if appropriate, the effect has been confirmed by simulation, the corresponding reinforcing structure is preferably applied and melted via an LMD method onto the existing sheet metal part by means of laser melting of a metal powder or the like. Here, the structure of a similar metal, such as steel alloys, but also of aluminum or titanium can be formed.

By means of the SLM or LMD methods used, the shaped sheet metal parts can thus be reinforced with corresponding metallic structures, the basic structure and the imprinted reinforcement structure being well connected to one another and, in particular, virtually welded together by the respective laser melting.

In addition, it is possible according to the invention to print plastic reinforcing structures with the other conventional 3D printing methods as well, in which case the bonding of the plastic reinforcing structures can optionally be effected by gluing or curing.

Moreover, it is also possible according to the invention to provide corrugations, embossings, undercuts or recesses on the sheet-metal shaped part, which ensure that such a printed-in plastic reinforcement part is mechanically and non-detachably connected to the sheet metal part, in particular via undercuts or recesses filled with the plastic.

The invention will be explained with reference to a drawing, in which:

1 a sheet metal part 1 with a printed metal reinforcing structure shown by way of example.

A sheet metal part 1 is, as shown, for example, a simple elongated, so-called hat profile, in which a front and rear open box-shaped profile has outwardly facing tabs. To reinforce this profile is a reinforcing structure of longitudinal ribs 2 and a transverse structure 3 available.

The transverse structure 3 is designed as a network, for example, so that weight can be saved.

Both the longitudinal ribs 2 as well as the supporting structure 3 are applied via an LMD method on the existing sheet metal part, wherein metal powder is applied to the appropriate locations and then selectively melted via a laser at the appropriate locations and connected to the sheet metal part. Additional layers of the powder are then remelted and bonded to the existing molten structures. In this case, the granules to be melted can be applied in a planar manner, wherein the granules are melted only in the region through the influence of the laser and formed into the structure that is processed by the laser.

In the other areas, the granules remain as granules and can be distributed after completion of the structures, blown off, collected and further used accordingly.

In the invention, it is advantageous that not only these relatively simple structured support structures can be created, but also significantly more complicated or more complex profiles, in particular profiles with undercuts, can be formed with corresponding structures by means of said LMD and SLM method, so relatively fast and reliable such structures can be connected as lightweight structures directly to the sheet metal part.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Sheet metal part

2

longitudinal rib

3

transverse structure

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102014200402 A1 [0009]
• DE 102013218223 A1 [0010]
• DE 102013010160 A1 [0011]
• DE 102013219250 A1 [0012]
• DE 102009058359 A1 [0013]
• WO 2006/133034 A1 [0014]

Claims (2)

 Method for producing reinforced sheet metal and in particular sheet steel components, wherein the sheet steel components are formed from a sheet steel and in particular deep-drawn and the sheet metal part supporting geometries are applied by additive 3D printing, by means of 3D printing plastics and / or metals are printed, wherein the plastics and / or metals are sintered, melted or melted during the application itself by printing or by high-temperature process.  Sheet steel component comprising a formed steel sheet having a desired sheet steel component contour, wherein a support structure is present, wherein the support structure is a support structure printed in 3D and sintered or melted with a high-temperature process.

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