Modular hot forming tool

Abstract

A hot forming tool for the production of a press hardened sheet steel product includes an upper tool and a lower tool. At least one of the upper and lower tools has a base plate, a carrier tool mounted on the base plate, and a mold segment exchangeably received in the carrier tool and configured specific to the sheet steel product.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hot forming tool for the production of a press hardened sheet steel product, comprising an upper tool and a lower tool, at least one of the upper and lower tools having a base plate, a carrier tool mounted on the base plate, and a mold segment exchangeably received in the carrier tool and configured specific to the sheet steel product. 
     
     
         2 . The hot forming tool of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier tool is exchangeably mounted to the base plate. 
     
     
         3 . The hot forming tool of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the carrier tool and the mold segment is capable of being coupled with a quick-action clamping system and/or quick-action coupling system. 
     
     
         4 . The hot forming tool of  claim 1 , wherein the mold segment is comprised of multiple parts in the form of mold sub-segments, at least two of said mold sub-segments being coupled to one another via a thermal insulating layer placed there between. 
     
     
         5 . The hot forming tool of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the carrier tool and the mold segment is coolable. 
     
     
         6 . The hot forming tool of  claim 1 , wherein the mold segment is made of light metal, in particular aluminum, or steel material, in particular tool steel. 
     
     
         7 . The hot forming tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a protective wear-resistant plate placed upon the mold segment. 
     
     
         8 . The hot forming tool of  claim 1 , wherein the mold segment is configured to include a cooling duct and/or a cooling duct system. 
     
     
         9 . The hot forming tool of  claim 4 , wherein the mold segment is configured for partial cooling, with the mold sub-segments in particular being coolable at temperatures that differ from one another. 
     
     
         10 . The hot forming tool of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier tool has cooling ducts and/or cooling duct ports for the mold segment. 
     
     
         11 . The hot forming tool of  claim 10 , wherein the cooling duct ports are capable of being coupled with the cooling ducts of the mold segment. 
     
     
         12 . The hot forming tool of  claim 1 , wherein the mold segment and the carrier tool have straight cooling ducts in the form of throughbores. 
     
     
         13 . The hot forming tool of  claim 1 , wherein the mold segment includes a mount and a molding tool sized to extend beyond the mount, with the mount and the molding tool being made in particular in one piece and of same material. 
     
     
         14 . The hot forming tool of  claim 1 , wherein the mold segment is cooled in at least one of two ways, a first way in which the mold segment is directly cooled, a second way in which the mold segment is cooled indirectly via the carrier tool. 
     
     
         15 . The hot forming tool of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier tool has a receiving trough for receiving the mold segment at least in part, in particular to receive a mount of the mold segment. 
     
     
         16 . The hot forming tool of  claim 15 , wherein the carrier tool has cooling duct ports for the mold segment, said cooling duct ports being arranged in a bottom of the receiving trough or in sidewalls of the receiving trough. 
     
     
         17 . A hot forming line for the production of a press hardened sheet steel product, comprising;
 a furnace for heating a sheet steel blank;   a hot forming tool receiving the sheet steel blank from the furnace for hot forming the sheet steel blank, said hot forming tool comprising an upper tool and a lower tool, at least one of the upper and lower tools having a base plate, a carrier tool mounted on the base plate, and a mold segment received in the carrier tool and configured specific to a sheet steel product being produced from the sheet steel blank, said mold segment being exchangeable with a different mold segment to enable production of different sheet steel products of same product type;   a cutting tool for cutting the steel sheet blank formed in the hot forming tool; and   a transfer unit for transport of the sheet steel blank between the furnace and the hot forming tool and between the hot forming tool and the cutting tool.   
     
     
         18 . A hot forming line for the production of a press hardened sheet steel product, comprising;
 a furnace;   a hot forming tool downstream of the furnace for hot forming a sheet steel blank, said hot forming tool comprising an upper tool and a lower tool, at least one of the upper and lower tools having a base plate, a carrier tool mounted on the base plate, and a mold segment received in the carrier tool and configured specific to a sheet steel product being produced from the sheet steel blank, said mold segment being exchangeable with a different mold segment, and said carrier tool being exchangeable with a different carrier tool to enable production of different sheet steel products of different product types; and   a transfer unit for transport of the sheet steel blank between the furnace and the hot forming tool.   
     
     
         19 . A method for operating a hot forming line, comprising:
 separating a hot forming tool from an external cooling circuit port for initiating a product change between two different production batches;   removing a mold segment or a combination of mold segment and carrier tool from a base plate of the hot forming tool;   selecting another mold segment of a plurality of mold segments or another combination of mold segment and carrier tool of a plurality of mold segments and carrier tools;   attaching the other mold segment or the other combination of mold segment and carrier tool onto the base plate of the hot forming tool; and   reconnecting the hot forming tool to the external cooling circuit port.