When we talk about friction stir welding, we are referring to a method of welding that involves the heating of metal so it can be effectively welded. This process also involves a rotating tool that will push the heated material together. One of the great advantages of using friction stir welding is that the metal you use will never melt. This will produce great results because it gives you the ability to attach different metals at different angles at a higher efficiency rate.
If you wanted a certain part that had intricate geometric shapes in it and you did not want tool marks or welds, you would want that part to be created through hydroforming. You do all your research and decide on the metal and thickness for the shape and we make a prototype for you. Unfortunately, even though the shape is perfect, you decide a different metal and thickness will be better. What happens next?
When it comes to metal stamping, the process is not a new process. It’s history can be dated all the way back to the 1800s, and this was during the type when bicycle parts were being mass-produced. However, the metal stamping systems and other resources that were being used were not as advanced as they are today. The metal stamping systems during that time were still able to produce a variety of effective and efficient parts and components.
If you drive through a subdivision, you will see a satellite antenna on almost every house. Businesses might have the same antennas, or sometimes even larger ones. These are made possible through sheet hydroforming.
Look around your office or house or walk through a furniture store. Spend some time in the contemporary section and you will see how hydroforming is used to create furniture.
American Hydroformers, Inc. recently gained ISO 14001:2015 environmental certification. By completing the necessary requirements needed to become certified, American Hydroformers reinforces its commitment to reducing its environmental impact.
Tube hydroforming is accomplished in one of two ways, either high pressure or low pressure. The desired shape and strength of the metal tube determine the level of pressure that will be used.
First developed in the late 1940s and early 1950s, tube hydroforming is the process by which pressurized fluid, either hydraulic fluid or water, is used to expand and shape metal tubes into the contours of a die. Since there are no welded seams, tubular hydroforming can be used to fabricate structural parts that are lighter, more rigid, and stronger than stamped sheet metal.
When you think about metal forming, what do you generally think about it? It will not be a surprise if one of your first thoughts is deep drawing. Deep drawing is one of the most used and popular methods when it comes to metal forming; deep drawing is one of the best ways to form a metal sheet into any type of shape you can think of.
Are you using hydroformed products? Many of the items used by people every day are created through a process called deep draw hydroforming. Next time you are at these places or with individuals who use these items, look closely at them and see if you can see why hydroforming was the best way to create them.
