Robust design of roll-formed slide rail using response surface method

Roll-formed slide rail used as a linear guide in the smooth movement of drawers and electric home appliances requires geometric accuracy because of a high slenderness ratio and repetitive usage. The slide rail members are generally manufactured by the roll forming process. The members need to be improved through optimization of the roll forming process instead of the designer’s experience. The aim of this study is to determine the optimal roll forming parameters by using robust optimization technique which simultaneously satisfies three criteria such as the shape difference factor, bowing factor and modified inverse safety factor. In analyzing the roll forming process of a slide rail, the pass in which the largest deformation occurred is designated as the target pass. The positions and the curvature of rolls are set as the design variables in the target pass. The cost function, which is comprised of the shape difference factor, the bowing factor, and the modified inverse safety factor, is obtained using design-of-experiments of the response surface method. The cost function is minimized by using robust optimization techniques and showed the improved the straightness and the durability value. Using robust design methodology, it is able to be constructed a multi-objective function, and optimized three criteria, simultaneously.