A new process route for the manufacturing of hubs in sheet metal structures by utilising flexible hole-rolling

The development of novel forming machines, such as the 3D Servo Press, provides the opportunity to implement entirely novel forming processes and to manufacture established machine elements, such as hubs with polygon contour, through the utilisation of forming technology. This publication presents the production of polygon hubs in thin-walled sheets using the additional flexibility provided by multi degree of freedom servo presses. The polygon contour produced by hole-rolling are subjected to further examination to determine whether they meet the required specifications and the properties when used in a shaft-hub connection. In this context, the following criteria were evaluated: geometric dimensional accuracy, mechanical strength against failure under load, and surface quality. The results presented have the potential for future applications to optimise the process chain in the manufacturing of shaft-hub connections with polygon contour and the establishment of an alternative to conventional manufacturing methods like milling and turning.