A Progress Report on the CNC Ship Frame Bender (The National Shipbuilding Research Program)
Abstract
Proceedings of the REAPS Technical Symposium. Paper No. 8: A Progress Report on the CNC Ship Frame Bender. The U.S. Navy and National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in San Diego are cooperating to build and test a new and more efficient machine for forming ship's frames. The device is a CNC Ship's Frame Bender. The frame bender is a hydraulically powered, computer controlled machine which will cold form typical angle and "Tee" shapes used in the hulls of ships. There are several unique features of this machine. It will eliminate labor and energy intensive hot forming processes now in use. The computer control features "adaptive feeback" which will automatically compensate for variations in the properties of a beam being formed. The desired curvature of the beam will be "read in" via a paper tape supplied by an existing computer at NASSC0. The need for templates and human judgement will be eliminated by the computer. The bender will form beams by developing a pure bending moment rather than a combination of moment and shear, within the work section of the beam. The frame bender concept, and a working model, were developed at Case Western Reserve University by Dr. H. W. Mergler. The U.S. Navy's Manufacturing Technology division and NASSCO are funding the construction, installation and testing of a prototype capable of handling beams up to 8" flange by 25".web and 42 feet in length. Construction was begun in late 1978 with all parts delivered to San Diego in July of this year. Installation is presently underway working toward a demonstration date later this year.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA450524
Entities
People
- Donald W. Wall
- Fillippo Cali
Organizations
- National Steel and Shipbuilding Company