Importance

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Abstract

A machine for hemming a sheet metal assembly is disclosed in which the sheet metal assembly includes an inner sheet metal panel and an outer sheet metal panel. The outer panel also has an outer lip which lies in a plane transverse with respect to the plane of the inner panel from a bend line in the outer panel. The inner panel also has an outer edge spaced inwardly a few millimeters from the bend line of the outer panel. The apparatus includes a base and a nest adapted to receive and support the sheet metal assembly, and this nest is movably mounted relative to the base. A final hem tool mounted to the base performs a final hem operation. This final hem tool has a generally planar section overlying the outer edge of the inner panel and a portion of the lip following a prehem operation. The final hemming tool also includes a second curvilinear section adjacent the first planar section and this second curvilinear section overlies the remainder of the lip and extends to the bend line. A tangent of the curvilinear section intersects the plane of the first planar section at an angle of less than 20.degree.. A conventional actuator is utilized to move the nest relative to the sheet metal assembly to compress the sheet metal assembly against the final hemming tool to complete the hem.

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First Claim