Circular-shaped metal structure, method of fabricating the same, and apparatus for fabricating the same

• Main Author: ITO, YOUJI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 17.12.2003
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: AUXILIARY OPERATIONS USED IN CONNECTION WITH METAL-WORKINGWITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; BEARINGS; BLASTING; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; HOLOGRAPHY; LIGHTING; MAGNETOGRAPHY; MAKING PARTICULAR METAL OBJECTS BY ROLLING, e.g. SCREWS,WHEELS, RINGS, BARRELS, BALLS; MANUFACTURE OF METAL SHEETS, WIRE, RODS, TUBES OR PROFILES,OTHERWISE THAN BY ROLLING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVINGMATERIAL; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHYSICS; PUNCHING METAL; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; SHAFTS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS; WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS ORPROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL

A method of fabricating a circular-shaped metal structure includes the steps of (a) rotating a pipe (4) around an axis thereof, the pipe (4) being composed of a plastic-workable metal, (b) moving a jig (6) towards the pipe (4) in a direction perpendicular to the axis until the jig (6) makes contact with an outer surface of the pipe (4), and compressing the jig (6) onto the pipe (4), and (c) moving the jig (6) in a direction in parallel with the axis with the jig (6) being compressed onto the pipe (4) while the pipe (4) is kept rotated, and is characterized by (d) measuring a thickness of a wall (4a) of the pipe (4) during the step (c), and (e) adjusting a pressure with which the jig (6) is compressed onto the pipe (4), in accordance with the thickness measured in the step (d).