Roller tool for part forming — Machina Labs Patent

US20250135653A1 · Machina Labs Inc

Patent number
US20250135653A1
Applicant
Machina Labs Inc
Filing date
2024-10-30
CPC class
B25J 11/005
Pillar
Muscle

The patent discloses a roller tool for use with a robotic arm in dieless sheet metal forming. The tool features a ball housed in a deformable socket that increases contact area under pressure, along with fluid channels for cooling/lubrication and other adaptive features like beveled edges and magnets. It enables precise incremental forming of sheet metal parts using robotic manipulation without traditional dies.

Claims

Independent claims cover a system comprising a roller tool (ball in socket support with pressure-responsive deformation and/or fluid channel) attached to a robot arm that presses and moves the tool across a part surface to form a desired geometry from an initial sheet metal shape. Additional claims detail specific embodiments including self-adjusting sockets, cooling, and integration with sensors or multiple tools.

Technical analysis

The invention improves robotic incremental sheet forming by addressing contact pressure distribution and thermal management. The deformable socket adapts to load for better force application and reduced wear, while fluid channels enable active cooling. This enhances precision, speed, and tool longevity in robotic manufacturing cells compared to rigid stylus or fixed roller tools.

Commercial impact

Enables agile, low-tooling-cost production of custom sheet metal parts for aerospace, automotive, and prototyping. Reduces lead times and capital expenditure versus stamping dies, supporting on-demand manufacturing and rapid iteration. Machina Labs' RoboCraftsman platform leverages this for commercial metal forming services.

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