"shaping" aluminum?

[smythe]

Hello-

Hopefully someone will be able to give me some advice on this. I am building a press that will consist of a bottom mold (female) and a top mold (male). I would like to make the molds out of aluminum plate, but I need them to have a specific shape/conture in them. Imagine a shape like this: ~ that would have its male counterpart. Is it possible to shape a plate/sheet of aluminum like this? Also would it be able to hold its shape while under pressure (not much..maybe 70 psi), while being heated to about 175 degrees? I am not to familiar with the aluminum grades and quages so any help would be appreciated.

I apologize if I posted this in the wrong place.

Thank you in advance.

j

[HuFlungDung]

I think aluminum would be okay at that temperature. It all depends on how well you back up the dies, and how thick they are, as well as how heavy and strong the stock is going to be.

The shape is not really a problem if you have the right software to accomodate your model.

Don't forget to allow for springback of the stock, if it is undergoing elastic deformation. Don't forget to allow for stock thickness in the offset between your dies at shut height.

[smythe]

Thanks for the reply-

Any suggestions on how I would be able to bend the sheet/plate so it would retain the the needed shape? I would like to use 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch sheets.


Thanks again-

j

[ger21]

I think he's saying you can mill it to the shape you need, not bend it.

[smythe]

I know, but funds are limited to get it milled. I figured I could get the results I needed by bending it as well.

[Ken_Shea]

You will probably want to use 7075-T6 aluminum alloy which has about a 80,000 psi tensile strength, you can forget any precise shaping on a small press, you probably could bend 1/2" a bit but that would be about it.

Ken

[smythe]

Ken- my intention is not to bend the aluminum in the press that I am making, the aluminum will be the molds for some material that I will be laminating.

j

[HuFlungDung]

Smythe

Give us the low down. How large are the dies? How thick is the sheet you intend to bend? What kind of material is used in the sheet stock?

[smythe]

HFD- I am only going to be pressing composite material..I would like to make the top and bottom molds
out of either 3/8" or 1/2" sheet aluminum, length is around 70" width is about 18". I want to bend these sheet
to a specific shape and then press my composites together, while heating the aluminum to cure the material.
I am going to try to attach an image, hopefully it will go through.

[IJ.]

I do quite a bit of work with 1/2" plate (esp the length and width) and short of a big hydraulic press I can't see an easy way of getting the shape you need.

My suggestion would be ask if there are any of the CNCZone guys in your area that have access to a large roller.

[HuFlungDung]

You know, Smythe, that shape reminds me of the shape of galvanized guard rail for highways, etc. Maybe you can buy a couple of pieces....

[smythe]

IJ. - What kind of facillities would have a large roller? Also, what are the possiblilities of heating the plate up and then bending it to the shape that I need?

HFD- lol- I wish it were that simple, keep in mind that each one of the lines in the image is roughly about 70 inches long...



j