The Design of a Hydraulic Profile Opening Tool

Abstract

The topic of this publication is the design of a hydraulically operated manual profile opening tool that enables the precise and repeatable opening of extruded aluminum profiles used in bus bellow manufacturing. The necessity of the development was justified by the difficult handling and inaccurate operation of the currently used equipment. The paper presents the different structural designs and operating principles examined during the design process and provides a detailed justification for the application of hydraulic actuation. The main structural elements of the equipment are introduced, as well as the structure and operating principle of the hydraulic system. During the design process, special attention was given to ergonomic aspects, ease of operation, and workplace safety. The structural strength verification was carried out exclusively using the finite element method, which confirmed the adequate stiffness and operational reliability of the construction. Compared to the previously used equipment, the presented solution enables higher accuracy, better repeatability, and a more efficient manufacturing process, while reducing the number of errors and the proportion of nonproductive time. The longterm objective of the development is to ensure the flexible applicability of the tool for different profile sizes.