Molding device and metal member

Abstract

A forming device that forms a metal material made of an aluminum alloy, the forming device including: a forming die that forms a metal pipe from a metal pipe material; and a temperature control unit that is provided in the forming die and that control a temperature of the forming die, in which the forming device controls a cooling rate of the aluminum alloy during a solution treatment by using the temperature control unit, to provide a difference in strength of the aluminum alloy after an aging treatment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A forming device that forms a metal material made of an aluminum alloy, the forming device comprising:
 a forming die that forms a metal pipe from a metal pipe material; and   a temperature control unit that is provided in the forming die and that control a temperature of the forming die,   wherein the forming device controls a cooling rate of the aluminum alloy during a solution treatment by using the temperature control unit,   to provide a difference in strength of the aluminum alloy after an aging treatment.   
     
     
         2 . The forming device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a drive mechanism that moves the forming die;   a holding unit that holds the metal pipe material disposed in the forming die;   a heating unit that heats the metal pipe material;   a fluid supply unit that supplies a high-pressure fluid into the metal pipe material held in the forming die; and   a control unit.   
     
     
         3 . The forming device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the forming die includes a lower die and a upper die that face each other in an up-down direction.   
     
     
         4 . The forming device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the metal pipe material includes a high strength region in which strength is high and a low strength region in which the strength is low, and   the forming die performs rapid cooling in which the cooling rate is increased in the high strength region of the metal pipe material, and performs slow cooling in which the cooling rate is lowered in the low strength region of the metal pipe material.   
     
     
         5 . The forming device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the lower die and the upper die are configured by blocks made of steel, and each of the lower die and the upper die is provided with a recessed part in which the metal pipe material is accommodated.   
     
     
         6 . The forming device according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the low strength region is provided at a substantially central position of the metal pipe material, and the high strength region is provided to interpose the low strength region in a longitudinal direction that is a direction in which the metal pipe material extends, and   the upper die and the lower die include a slow cooling portion at the substantially central position and a rapid cooling portion that interposes the low strength region in the longitudinal direction.   
     
     
         7 . The forming device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the drive mechanism includes
 a slide that moves the upper die such that the lower die and the upper die are joined together, 
 a pull-back cylinder as an actuator that generates a force for pulling the slide upward, 
 a main cylinder as a drive source that downward-pressurizes the slide, and 
 a drive source that applies a driving force to the main cylinder. 
   
     
     
         8 . The forming device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the heating unit includes lower electrodes and upper electrodes on both sides in a longitudinal direction that is a direction in which the metal pipe material extends, and a power supply that causes a current to flow through the metal pipe material via the lower electrodes and upper electrodes.   
     
     
         9 . The forming device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the temperature control unit includes
 flow paths formed inside the lower die and the upper die, and 
 a supply mechanism that supplies a temperature control medium to the flow paths and causes the temperature control medium to circulate through the flow paths. 
   
     
     
         10 . The forming device according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the control unit controls the drive mechanism, the holding unit, the heating unit, the fluid supply unit, and the supply mechanism.   
     
     
         11 . The forming device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the control unit controls the drive mechanism to lower the upper die and bring the upper die close to the lower die, thereby closing the forming die.   
     
     
         12 . The forming device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein controlling the cooling rate is performed by partially heating a die.   
     
     
         13 . The forming device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a metal member after the forming includes
 a first portion having a high number density of precipitates of alloying elements, and 
 a second portion having a lower number density of the precipitates of the alloying elements than the first portion. 
   
     
     
         14 . The forming device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a heating holding time is provided during heating of the solution treatment.   
     
     
         15 . A metal member comprising:
 a first portion having a high number density of precipitates of alloying elements; and   a second portion having a lower number density of the precipitates of the alloying elements than the first portion.