Manufacture of 3D Curved Profiles for Structure Components

Abstract

Curved Profile Extrusion (CPE) is an extension of the common extrusion process and offers the possibility to manufacture three-dimensionally curved profiles. Due to the flexibility of the process different curvatures can be produced with the same setup, which makes this technique efficient especially for low volume production. The process is characterized by a controlled lateral deflection of the strand which influences the material flow in the die and causes the profile curvature. In this paper, a direct comparison of the power rating between warm bending and CPE is presented. Furthermore, the investigations concerning the choice of support strategy of the surmounting profile by a robot to increase the curvature accuracy are continued. Finally, some extensions of the equipment are explained to increase the level of process integration.