Patent ID: 7431780
Filing Date: 2008-10-07
Classification: B21D,C21D

Abstract:
1. A method of distorting a workpiece comprising a non-planar profile, said method comprising: selecting a desired configuration of the workpiece; determining distortions to be applied to at least two regions of the workpiece to cause the workpiece to adopt the desired configuration; using the determined distortions in accordance with predetermined information that relates heat treatments of the workpiece to resultant distortions, to obtain or generate heat control data defining heat treatments to be applied to corresponding regions of the workpiece, which will cause the determined distortions in the workpiece; relating the heat control data and the determined distortions by the equation AX=B, where B is a vector describing the determined distortions according to the heat treatments, X is a vector representing the heat control data and A is a matrix of elements representing the predetermined information; and applying the defined heat treatments to the corresponding regions of the workpiece to produce the determined distortions.