Patent attributes
In a method of making a tube, a sheet metal blank is placed in a U-shaped cavity of a lower mold of a shaping tool, and pressed into the cavity by a ram to shape the blank into a U-shaped configuration. In a next process step, the U-shaped blank is formed between an upper mold and a lower mold of a molding press into a tubular configuration. The upper and lower molds of the molding press with accommodated tubular profile are then clamped together and the clamped upper and lower molds are then removed from the molding press. Subsequently, the confronting longitudinal edges of the tubular profile are welded together via an opening that provides access to the longitudinal edges. After separation of the upper mold from the lower mold, another shaping cycle may begin.
