US20140223982A1

US20140223982A1 - System and method for cooling annealed panels

Info

Publication number: US20140223982A1
Application number: US13/764,224
Authority: US
Inventors: Theresa M. Lee
Original assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
Current assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
Priority date: 2013-02-11
Filing date: 2013-02-11
Publication date: 2014-08-14

Abstract

A system and method for processing a formable metal panel. The method comprises pressing the formable metal panel between a first die and a second die of a first press, creating a pre-formed panel. The pre-formed panel is annealed with a heating element. An evaporative cooling gas is applied to at least one region of the pre-formed panel for rapid cooling. The evaporative cooling gas may comprise a gas mixture including carbon dioxide or nitrogen. The pre-formed panel is transferred from the first press to a second press for additional forming operations.

Description

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for cooling sheet forming panels post annealing treatment.

BACKGROUND

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Annealing is a heat treatment applied to a subject material that is intended to alter its material properties, such as strength and hardness. Annealing is typically performed by heating the subject material to a temperature above the material's re-crystallization temperature and maintaining a predetermined temperature for a short period of time. Annealing may commonly be used to improve the material's ductility, relieve internal stresses, refine the material's structure by making it more homogeneous, and/or improve the material's cold working properties. Following the annealing process, the material is typically softened sufficiently for further shaping, forming, or stamping.
The stamping of a blank metal sheet or panel into a desired shaped article may be accomplished through a series of stages. Annealing can be used during such multi-stage stamping processes to remove strain hardening effects and recover ductility of a partially formed panel, i.e., a pre-form or pre-formed panel, in order to prepare the panel for being formed into the desired final shape. Frequently, the final shape produced by the stamping operation, as well as the rate of production, may be limited by the ability of the panel to withstand deformation without developing splits and tears. The temperature of the panel may influence the deformation.
Thus, there remains a need to adjust and/or maintain a temperature of the panels prior to and/or during the stamping operations with little delays in the continuous, multi-stage production processes.

SUMMARY

This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
In various aspects, the present technology provides a system for the multi-stage processing of a formable metal panel. The system comprises a first press configured to pre-form the panel. A transfer device is provided for engaging and transferring the panel into and out of the first press. The system includes a heating device configured to anneal at least one region of the panel, and a cooling device configured to supply an evaporative cooling gas to cool the panel after the panel is annealed. A controller regulates one or more of the transfer device, the heating device, and the cooling device.
In other aspects, the present technology provides a method for processing a formable metal panel. The method comprises pressing the formable metal panel between a first die and a second die at a first location, creating a pre-formed panel. The pre-formed panel is then annealed. An evaporative cooling gas is applied to at least one region of the pre-formed panel. The pre-formed panel is then transferred from the first location to a second location for additional forming operations.
The present technology also provides a method for stamping an article from a metal sheet material in a continuous line process. The method comprises providing a metal sheet material in a first press and shaping the metal sheet to create a pre-formed panel. The pre-formed panel is annealed in the first press. An evaporative cooling gas is applied to at least one region of the pre-formed panel, rapidly cooling the pre-formed panel after the annealing process. The method includes engaging the pre-formed panel with a transfer device and transferring the pre-formed panel to a second press. The cooled pre-formed panel is further stamped into a shaped article.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a system for pre-forming, annealing and cooling a formable panel, including a stamping press, heating device, cooling device, and a transfer device according to various aspects of the present technology;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the system of FIG. 1 with the transfer device in a heating and cooling position;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration similar to the system of FIG. 2, with the transfer device shown as a robotic arm; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the system of FIG. 1, showing the transfer device transferring a pre-formed panel out from the stamping press.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
Sheet metal products, such as automotive body panels and other shaped articles, are generally made from appropriate formable metal panels, or sheets, that may be subjected to stamping and/or forming operations to shape the panels into articles having a desired shape. By way of example, progressive sequences of shaping/forming, annealing, stamping, and trimming may be required in order to yield complex shapes while minimizing tearing, wrinkling, marring, or substantial thinning of the metal panels. In this regard, work-hardenable metal panels may first be pre-formed into a general shape/structure that resembles and embodies a substantial portion of the deformation required to acquire the final shape of the article or part. In other words, the pre-form step may be comprehensive enough such that the final shape can be stamped into the panel and attained after an annealing process. The final forming and pressing operations (which may occur prior to certain pressing, trimming, piercing, flanging, and related operations) are preferably accomplished at ambient or room temperature. The present technology enhances metal formation methods, performance, and assembly line production time by actively cooling the annealed pre-forms prior to the final stamping, trimming, piercing, cutting, or flange operation steps that are preferably performed at room temperature. Specifically, the present technology contemplates the use of an evaporative cooling gas applied directly to the pre-form after the annealing process.
Referring to the drawings in which like elements are identified with identical numerals throughout, FIGS. 1-4 generally illustrate a system 10 for annealing a pre-formed panel, e.g., a pre-form 12. The system 10 may include one or more stamping presses 14. For simplicity, the system 10 is shown with only one press 14; however, it should be understood that various other arrangements and combinations of elements and features are applicable with the methods disclosed herein, even if the specific combination is not completely represented in one figure.
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a system for pre-forming, annealing, and cooling a formable panel, including a stamping press 14, heating device(s) 22, cooling device(s) 25, and a transfer device 20 according to various aspects of the present technology. As illustrated, at least one or both of the heating device(s) 22 and the cooling device(s) 25 may be operatively coupled to the transfer device 20 for coordinated movement therewith. The stamping press 14 may be arranged for pre-forming a desired shape from a formable panel, such as a sheet blank or formable metal panel, to thereby shape the blank into the pre-form 12. In various aspects, the stamping press 14 may be part of an initial or an intermediate stage in a multi-stage stamping operation or continuous process line that is designed to form a desired final shaped body or article from the formable metal panel.
The stamping press 14 may include a first or upper forming die 16 and a second or lower complimentary forming die 18. In one example for generating a desired pre-form 12 from a formable metal panel, the formable metal panel may be positioned between the forming dies 16 and 18. The upper forming die 16 may then be employed to press the formable metal panel against the lower forming die 18. As envisioned by those of ordinary skill in the art, the pre-form 12 may include any formable base metal, such as steel, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, and alloys and mixtures thereof.
The system 10 also includes a transfer device 20 configured to engage the pre-form 12 and transfer the pre-form into and out from the stamping presses 14. As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the transfer device 20 may include certain end-of-arm tooling 21 that incorporates the heating devices 22 and cooling devices 25. The heating devices 22 are shown configured to anneal the pre-form 12 in the stamping press 14 while the pre-form remains in the lower die 18. Although two heating devices 22 and two cooling devices 25 are shown, any number of heating elements may be used in order to anneal as large or as small an area of the pre-form 12, and then to subsequently cool the pre-form as needed. Still further, although the formable metal panel is described above as being partially formed in a first stamping press 14 and then transferred to a second stamping press or next forming stage, the pre-form 12 may also be formed in the first stamping press 14, annealed via the heating devices 22, cooled via an evaporative cooling gas supplied by the cooling devices 25, and then pressed into final form in the same stamping press 14.
Each heating device 22 may be configured to be activated to anneal at least one portion of the pre-form 12 in the stamping press 14 after the first die 16 becomes disengaged from the pre-form 12 and optionally while the pre-form 12 is being supported by the second die 18. As shown, the heating devices 22 may be electrical devices that can store energy in a magnetic field created by an electric current passing there through. Accordingly, the heating devices 22 may be configured as induction coils using tubes formed from conducting material, such as copper, wherein each induction coil is configured to generate an electromagnetic force when an electric current is being passed through the coil to anneal the pre-form 12.
An induction coil heating device 22 may typically be fabricated from copper tubing that is shaped to complement the pre-form 12 that requires annealing. In certain aspects, a coolant (not shown) may be passed through the coils while the electrical current is applied to the walls of the copper tubing to prevent the copper tube from melting. The applied electrical current is typically an alternating current at some predetermined frequency that is provided by an external power supply (not shown) and delivered to the inductor by flexible wiring, while the coolant is delivered by flexible coolant supply lines. Any such flexible wiring and/or flexible coolant supply lines for the coils of the heating device 22 may be attached to the transfer device 20. The flexible nature of the wiring and/or the coolant supply lines may facilitate the repositioning of the transfer device 20 with respect to the press 14 during the multi-stage stamping operations. The flexible wiring and coolant supply lines may be bundled into a conduit 23, which may, in turn, be mounted on the transfer device 20 for coordinated movement, as shown in FIGS. 1-4.
An electrical current provided by an external power supply may be passed through the induction coil heating element 22, generating a magnetic field in the coil. Because the pre-form 12 is electrically conductive, the magnetic field generated in the induction coil induces an opposing magnetic field in the pre-form. The two opposing magnetic fields interact to generate a repulsive electromagnetic force. The magnetic field induced in the pre-form 12 generates eddy currents in the pre-form that dissipate as thermal energy, which, in turn, causes the temperature of the pre-form to rise, thus annealing the microstructure of the pre-form.
As a side effect, the electromagnetic force generated by the opposing magnetic fields tends to repel the induction coil heating devices 22 from the surrounding structures, including the pre-form 12. The pre-form 12, however, is often a relatively flexible structure, especially if formed from a sheet of material such as aluminum. Thus, the pre-form 12 may deflect or yield under the action of the electromagnetic force generated by the heating devices 22, if the pre-form is not sufficiently supported.
According to one aspect of the system 10, when the pre-form 12 is being annealed, the electromagnetic force that is generated by the heating elements 22 may be sufficient to press and hold the pre-form against the second die 18. Hence, the electromagnetic force may be used to act upon the pre-form 12 in order to press the pre-form 12 against the second die 18. In order to take advantage of the electromagnetic force created by the heating devices 22 during annealing of the pre-form 12, the transfer device 20 is generally characterized by a robust structure to limit its flex when acted upon by the electromagnetic force. The heating devices 22 may additionally be configured integrally with the transfer device 20 to limit deflection of the heating devices 22 relative to the transfer device 20. Furthermore, although the transfer device 20 is configured to be moved or repositioned with respect to the stamping press 14 during the multi-stage stamping operation, the transfer device 20 may be rigidly mounted in its associated supports (not shown). Any such rigid mounting of the transfer device 20 is intended to reduce deflection of the transfer device relative to the second die 18.
The cooling devices 25 may be operatively coupled to the transfer device 20 in a manner similar to the heating devices 22 and may be disposed adjacent to, separated from, or in alternating locations with the heating devices 22. In one aspect, the cooling devices 25 may include an array of one or more spray nozzles coupled to the transfer device 20 and connected to an evaporative cooling gas supply via flexible, high pressure compatible coolant supply lines that may be bundled into the conduit 23 along with the heating device wiring and supply lines discussed above. In the event localized heating is applied to the pre-form, localized cooling may also be provided to the same areas subjected to the heat treatment. For example, one or more spray nozzles from the cooling device 25 may be specifically aimed or otherwise focused toward the heated area. This may be accomplished by manual placement and/or modification of the cooling devices 25 and spray nozzles, or through the use of a programmed controller 32 configured to move or adjust the cooling devices 25 and spray nozzles to aim or focus the cooling treatment. As such, an evaporative cooling gas may be directly applied to the heated area. In certain aspects, the evaporative cooling gas is applied to the heated area and regions directly adjacent thereto. In still other aspects, the evaporative cooling gas may be applied to an entirety of the pre-formed panel 12. In addition to cooling the pre-formed panel 12 immediately after heating, the application of the evaporative cooling gas may additionally serve to clean the pre-formed panel 12 from light debris and/or excess lubricant.
As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the system 10 may include one or more cryogenic storage devices 19 in fluid communication with and configured to supply a cryogenic material for use with the cooling devices 25. Cooling agents, such as carbon dioxide in the form of dry ice, or liquid nitrogen, are able to provide rapid freezing and cooling capabilities due to the low boiling point of liquid nitrogen and the low sublimation point of carbon dioxide. In various aspects, a high pressure air source can be mixed with a cryogenic material in order to create an evaporative cooling gas mixture that can be supplied to the spray nozzles of the cooling devices 25 and directed to contact at least one region of the pre-formed panel 12. Accordingly, non-limiting examples of the evaporative cooling gas or cooling mixture may include pressurized carbon dioxide gas, liquid carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide snow, pressurized nitrogen gas, liquid nitrogen, and in certain aspects, pressurized water. It is also envisioned that other evaporative gases may be used, such as inert materials and gases, provided they are environmentally sound alternatives, without risk of fire, explosion, or other health and safety risks. In various aspects it may be preferred that the application of the evaporative cooling gas directly to at least one region of the pre-formed panel lowers the temperature of the panel at a rate greater than about 5° C./s, greater than about 7° C./s, greater than about 10° C./s, and even greater than about 15° C./s, depending on the type and thickness of the metal, as well as the temperature and duration of the annealing process, and the area subjected to induction heat from the heating devices 22. The cooling application should be completed within a time period sufficient that the continuous line speed (if applicable) is not unduly slowed down. By heating only relatively highly strained portions of the pre-form 12, cooling may be expedited by rapid heat loss to the unheated portions of the pre-form in combination with the direct application of the evaporative cooling gas to the heated region.
In various aspects, the transfer device 20 may additionally be securely engaged with the pre-form 12 by a specifically configured device. For example, as specifically shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the transfer device 20 may include stanchions 24 configured to engage the pre-form 12 and hold the pre-form 12 against the second die 18. As shown, the transfer device 20 may also include coupling members, such as suction cups 26, operatively connected to the stanchions 24. Each of the suction cups 26 may be configured to engage and hold the pre-form 12 when the pre-formed panel is being annealed by the heating devices 22 and/or cooled by the cooling devices 25. Additionally, the suction cups 26 may be configured for transferring the annealed pre-form 12 into and out from the stamping press 14 and on to the next stage of the stamping operation, shown in FIG. 4.
With reference to FIG. 2, the first die 16 may include a set of end-stops 28. The set of end-stops 28 may be configured to engage the transfer device 20 and hold the transfer device 20 relative to the second die 18 when the pre-form 12 is either being annealed, being cooled with the application of the evaporative cooling gas, or both. The set of end-stops 28 may be particularly useful when the transfer device 20 is insufficiently robust or its mounting is insufficiently rigid to prevent significant deflection thereof relative to the pre-form 12 during annealing or cooling. In certain aspects, the set of end-stops 28 may also be configured to retract from the first die 16 during annealing or cooling of the pre-form 12 in order to hold the transfer device 20 in position relative to the second die 18.
As shown in FIG. 3, the second die may include a clamping mechanism 30 configured to hold the transfer device 20 relative to the second die 18 when the pre-formed panel 12 is being annealed and/or cooled. The clamping mechanism 30 may be configured to engage the transfer device 20 by an electromechanical or a hydraulic servo (not shown) in order to hold the transfer device in position relative to the second die 18.
The transfer device 20 may be configured as either a linear transfer mechanism, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, or a robotic arm/gantry robot 34 (shown in FIG. 3) commonly used in transfer stamping lines. By way of example, a gantry robot may be a Cartesian-coordinate industrial robot that is configured to be operated in a straight line in two dimensions rather than rotate along three principal control axes. As shown in each of the FIGS. 2-4, the transfer device 20 may be regulated by a controller 32 configured for transferring the pre-form 12 between various stages of the stamping operation. The controller 32 may be additionally programmed to regulate the activation, temperature, and duration of the heating devices 22, the cooling devices 25, the retraction of the set of end-stops 28 from the first die 16, the robotic arm 34, and/or the engagement of the transfer device 20 with the clamping mechanism 30.
The various aspects and steps that are included in exemplary methods of processing a formable metal panel or stamping an article from a metal sheet material in a continuous line process are generally described herein with specific reference to the systems 10 for processing the formable metal panel as shown in FIGS. 1-4. The methods may commence with a formable panel being inserted into a first press, such as the stamping press 14. The method includes pre-forming the panel between the first die 16 and the second die 18 of the stamping press 14, and thus generating the pre-formed panel 12. After stamping, the first die 16 may be disengaged from the pre-form 12 and the transfer device may be placed in close proximity.
The transfer device 20 may engage with the pre-form 12 while it is supported by the second die 18. The methods may optionally include holding the pre-form 12 against the second die 18 by the stanchions 24 that may include the suction cups 26 or other suitable coupling materials. Alternatively, holding the transfer device 20 relative to the second die 18 may be accomplished via the clamping mechanisms 30 as shown in FIG. 3.
The methods may include annealing the pre-form 12 in the first press, shown as the stamping press 14, via the heating device 22 in FIG. 2. The annealing process may include pressing the pre-form 12 against the second die 18 by an electromagnetic force generated the heating device 22. The method may optionally include holding the pre-form 12 against the second die 18 by the stanchions 24 with the suction cups 26, and may additionally include holding the transfer device 20 relative to the second die via the set of end-stops 28.
After annealing, the method may immediately or shortly thereafter be followed by the cooling step, including the application of the evaporative cooling gas, or gas mixture, directly to one or more regions of the pre-formed panel 12. The cooling operation may commence while the pre-form is still at least partially disposed adjacent the lower die 18 as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. In other aspects, and with reference to FIG. 4, the method may include applying the evaporative cooling gas to at least one region of the pre-formed panel 12 concurrently while the pre-formed panel 12 is being transferred out from the first stamping press 14, or first location, to a second stamping press, or second location.
The methods further include extracting the pre-form 12 from the first press, i.e., the stamping press 14, using the transfer device 20. The controller may then regulate the transferring of the pre-form 12 to a second press (not specifically shown) of the next stage of the stamping operation using the transfer device 20.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A system for the multi-stage processing of a formable metal panel, the system comprising:

a first press configured to pre-form the panel;

a transfer device for engaging and transferring the panel into and out of the first press;

a heating device configured to anneal at least one region of the panel;

a cooling device configured to supply an evaporative cooling gas to cool the panel after the panel is annealed; and

a controller for regulating one or more of the transfer device, the heating device, and the cooling device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the heating device and the cooling device is operatively coupled to the transfer device for coordinated movement therewith.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transfer device is configured as one of a linear transfer mechanism and a robotic arm.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the cooling device comprises a spray nozzle coupled to a robotic arm, and the controller regulates coordinated movement of the robotic arm and application of the evaporative cooling gas to cool the panel.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a cryogenic storage device configured to supply a cryogenic material for use with the cooling device.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a second press configured to receive the annealed panel from the transfer device and further shape or alter the dimensions of the panel subsequent to the application of the evaporative cooling gas.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the second press is configured to perform operations selected from the group consisting of final forming, trimming, piercing, and flanging the annealed panel at ambient temperature.

8. A method for processing a formable metal panel, the method comprising:

pressing the formable metal panel between a first die and a second die at a first location, creating a pre-formed panel;

annealing the pre-formed panel;

applying an evaporative cooling gas to at least one region of the pre-formed panel; and

transferring the pre-formed panel from the first location to a second location for additional forming operations.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising applying the evaporative cooling gas to an entirety of the pre-formed panel.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein applying the evaporative cooling gas comprises using a high pressure air source with a cryogenic material to create an evaporative cooling gas mixture, wherein the evaporative cooling gas mixture is directed to contact at least one region of the pre-formed panel.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the evaporative cooling gas mixture comprises carbon dioxide or nitrogen.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein annealing the pre-formed panel comprises induction heating at least one region of the pre-formed panel, which is immediately followed by applying the evaporative cooling gas directly to the at least one region subjected to the induction heating.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein applying the evaporative cooling gas to the at least one region of the pre-formed panel is performed concurrently with transferring the pre-formed panel to the second location.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the first location comprises a stamping press and applying the evaporative cooling gas to the at least one region of the pre-formed panel is performed while the pre-formed panel remains at least partially disposed adjacent one of the first or second dies of the stamping press.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein applying the evaporative cooling gas to the at least one region of the pre-formed panel reduces a temperature of the region of the pre-formed panel at a rate of about 10° C./s.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein transferring the pre-formed panel to the second location comprises engaging the pre-formed panel with a transfer device configured as one of a linear transfer mechanism and a robotic arm.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the transfer device comprises at least one cooling device operatively coupled thereto, the cooling device being configured for coordinated movement with the transfer device.

18. A method for stamping an article from a metal sheet material in a continuous line process, the method comprising:

providing a metal sheet material in a first press and shaping the metal sheet to create a pre-formed panel;

annealing the pre-formed panel in the first press;

applying an evaporative cooling gas to at least one region of the pre-formed panel and rapidly cooling the pre-formed panel after the annealing;

engaging the pre-formed panel with a transfer device and transferring the pre-formed panel to a second press; and

stamping the cooled pre-formed panel into a shaped article.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the transfer device comprises a cooling element and the steps of engaging the pre-formed panel with the transfer device and transferring the pre-formed panel to a second press are performed concurrently with applying the evaporative cooling gas to at least one region of the pre-formed panel.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein applying the evaporative cooling gas to at least one region of the pre-formed panel comprises combining a high pressure air source with a cryogenic material to create an evaporative cooling gas mixture, wherein the evaporative cooling gas mixture is directed to contact at least one region of the pre-formed panel.