Method and apparatus for manufacturing a bent member

A manufacturing method for a bent member characterized by carrying out bending of a hollow metal blank having a closed cross section with satisfying the following conditions 1 - 6:nCondition 1: a first manipulator grips a first portion of the metal blank located on the side of a first end thereof;Condition 2: a second manipulator supports a high-temperature area forming mechanism which heats a region of the metal blank which is located between the first portion and a second portion located on the side of a second end of the metal blank and then performs cooling, thereby forming a high-temperature area in a portion of the region;Condition 3: a third manipulator grips the second portion of the metal blank;Condition 4: the first manipulator moves two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally such that a bending moment can be imparted to the high-temperature area;Condition 5: the third manipulator intermittently moves in the axial direction of the second portion of the metal blank or moves two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally such that a bending moment can be imparted to the high-temperature area; andCondition 6: relative movement of the high-temperature area forming mechanism with respect to the metal blank in its axial direction is produced.

A manufacturing apparatus for a bent member, comprising a first manipulator, a second manipulator, and a third manipulator as described below and being capable of manufacturing a bent member by performing bending on a hollow metal blank having a closed cross section so as to satisfy the following Conditions 1 to 3:nthe first manipulator: gripping a first portion of a metal blank located on the side of a first end thereof;the second manipulator: supporting a high-temperature area forming mechanism which heats a region of the metal blank which is located between the first portion and a second portion located on the side of a second end of the metal blank and then performs cooling, thereby forming a high-temperature area in a portion of the region;the third manipulator: gripping the second portion of the metal blank;Condition 1: the first manipulator moves two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally such that a bending moment can be imparted to the high-temperature area;Condition 2: the third manipulator intermittently moves in the axial direction of the second portion of the metal blank or moves two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally such that a bending moment can be imparted to the high-temperature area; andCondition 3: relative movement of the high-temperature area forming mechanism with respect to the metal blank in its axial direction is produced.

A manufacturing apparatus for a bent member from a metal blank comprising a feed means which is disposed at a first position so as to be able to move two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally and which can feed a hollow metal blank having a closed cross section while changing a feed direction, a heating means which is positioned at a second position downstream of the first position in the feed direction of the metal blank and which heats all or a portion of the circumference of the metal blank being fed, a cooling means which is disposed at a third position downstream of the second position in the feed direction of the metal blank and which cools the portion of the metal blank being fed which was heated by the heating means, and a bending means which is disposed at a fourth position downstream of the third position in the feed direction of the metal blank so as to be able to move two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally and which together with the feed means imparts a bending moment to the heated portion of the metal blank by gripping at least one location of the metal blank being fed and thereby bends the metal blank into a desired shape, characterized in that the heating means and the cooling means have the function that their angles of installation can be changed in accordance with changes in the feed direction of the metal blank by the feed means.