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The basic requirements for well-designed hoods for construction and agricultural machines
Bence Osvald, application technology team leader at Solvaro in Hungary, is very familiar with the day-to-day challenges associated with the production of bonnets and ventilation grilles for agricultural and construction machines. We asked him which points in the process are essential to consider.
Bence, why do you believe it is so important to get involved in customer projects at an early stage?
‘When I work on a project, I consider it absolutely essential to familiarise myself with my customer’s exact wishes and requirements. After all, if I do not know why the customer designed a part in a certain way, I cannot offer any suggestions on how to improve it or ways to avoid encountering problems in production. Simply looking at a 3D model or the technical blueprint of a component is not enough in itself, as they do not offer any insights into specific stress parameters or performance expectations.’
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How do you overcome potential stumbling blocks in production in advance?
‘Through a combination of working methods and a great deal of experience. Knowing how perforated metal will perform in production is essential to the project’s success. The only problem: nobody can simulate the behaviour of perforated metal with complete accuracy. It behaves very differently to non-perforated variants. Mechanical stress, fractures and ductility are all virtually impossible to calculate. Experience is the only real guideline in this situation. We also use various methods that eliminate potential complications in advance. This enables us to make the processes safe and stable, and to repeat them as required.’
Deep drawing perforated parts is your passion. What is so complex about this procedure?
‘I have spent years working on deep drawing. Every project is a challenge, no matter how complex. Deep drawing is difficult. And deep drawing perforated sheets is even more difficult. Then there is deep drawing semi-perforated sheets, which is a special art. Deformation of perforated areas is a recurring issue after the deep drawing process. Every case is different, every part is unique, and every material reacts in its own way. We are experienced in preventing deformation altogether or at least ensuring it only happens in non-visible areas. Up to now, we have found a solution for every case. Still, experience is the only real guideline in this situation.’