Research on a Control Strategy of the Symmetrical Four-Roller Bending Process Based on Experiment and Numerical Simulation

The intelligent production of sheet metal is a comprehensive technology involving control science, computer science, and sheet metal production. Intelligent rolling is an important development in the production process of sheet metal. In this paper, a new symmetrical four-roller bending (SFRB) process is introduced, which consists of feeding, pre-bending, reverse roll bending, second bending, and forward roll bending and unloading. A control strategy is proposed for the process, including on-line monitoring of curvature, on-line identification of the springback law, on-line prediction of final reduction, and control strategy. A convenient and reliable on-line curvature monitoring method is proposed. The quantitative relationship between the reduction and the curvature, in the form of a quadratic function, was established by physical experiments and numerical simulation, and the online identification of the springback law was realized. An on-line prediction method of the final reduction is proposed, and the determination principle of the reduction of three pre-bending processes is given. Finally, the control strategy of the SFRB process was verified by physical experiments. The relative error of the curvature radius of the final formed parts can be controlled within 0.8%. This research provides new insights into intelligent rolling.