Patent ID: 11878337
Assignee: INGVEST AB
Field: Machine tools (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 7:
8. A method for successively roll-forming, in a number of forming stations (20a, 20b), a flat sheet metal strip (5, 5′) into a hat beam (1, 1′) which has a profile that varies along its length and which has a central flange (2), first and second side flanges (3a, 3b) on opposite sides of the central flange (2), a first web (4a) extending between the central flange (2) and the first side flange (3a) and a second web (4b) extending between the central flange (2) and the second side flange (3b),
the method comprising the steps of
clamping, in each forming station (20a, 20b), one of the side flanges (3a, 3b) between two clamping rollers (22a, 22b) of a first pair of clamping rollers, and clamping the central flange (2) between two clamping rollers (23a, 23b) of a second pair of clamping rollers,
folding, with the first and second pairs of clamping rollers (22a, 22b, 23a, 23b), one of the webs (4a, 4b) in relation to the associated side flange (3a, 3b) over a first peripheral folding edge (24) on a clamping roller (22b) in the first pair of clamping rollers, and in relation to the central flange (2) over a second peripheral folding edge (25) on a clamping roller (23a) in the second pair of clamping rollers,
individually displacing the clamping rollers (23a, 23b) of the second pair of clamping rollers during a forming operation upwardly and downwardly in a vertical direction and horizontally forwardly and backwardly in a feeding direction of the sheet metal strip (5, 5′) through the forming stations (20a, 20b), and
controlling the displacement of the clamping rollers (23a, 23b) of the second pair of clamping rollers during the forming operation with an electronic control device (12) such that a plane (P2) passing through centre axes (CA3, CA4) of both clamping rollers (23a, 23b) of the second pair of clamping rollers is always maintained perpendicular to a part of the central flange (2) received in a nip (31) between the clamping rollers (23a, 23b) of the second pair of clamping rollers.