SHEET-MATERIAL FORMING DEVICE AND METHOD

摘要

Disclosed are a sheet-material forming device and method in which the response to modifications and changes in a target shape is flexible and in which a conventional forming punch block can be used in order to form even curved surfaces comprising localised small radiuses of curvature or edges. The sheet-material forming device of the present invention is equipped with a top and bottom variable mould between which a sheet material to be formed is placed, and which can move upwards and downwards and comprises a combination of a plurality of mould blocks for forming curved surfaces comprising different radiuses of curvature and localised small radiuses of curvature and/or edges; and the plurality of mould blocks comprise forming punch blocks having an array of forming punches for forming curved-surface parts having a predetermined radius of curvature, and comprise integral mould blocks having forming parts for forming curved-surface parts comprising localised small radiuses of curvature and/or edges. The forming punch blocks comprise 1st, 2nd, 3rd ... Nth forming punch blocks having an array of forming punches of differently sized cross-sectional areas, while the integral mould blocks comprise edge-forming blocks for forming curved-surface parts comprising edges, and also comprise small-radius-of-curvature-forming blocks for forming curved-surface parts comprising local small radiuses of curvature. The mould blocks respectively comprise supporting members for supporting the forming punches or the forming parts and also for joining to neighbouring mould blocks.