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 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.
Friction stir welding (FSW) is a relatively new welding process that was invented at The Welding Institute in Cambridge, UK in 1991. FSW is a solid-state joining process that uses frictional heat combined with accurately directed forging pressure to produce high integrity welded joints for extruded or wrought aluminum. The process can also be used to join copper, titanium, and certain alloys. This automated frictional welding process is more robust than other joining processes and is a good fit for industries that must employ high-volume production, such as the automotive industry.
Hydroforming is the process that involves shaping various metal parts into pieces that are sturdy and light in weight. While this is a very quick and affordable process, it is also very efficient and effective. We know that when you produce parts of any size, you will have a variety of requirements that you will need to meet. One of those requirements that you will need to be met is tight tolerance.
Hydroforming is the process of using pressure on sheets of metal to create shapes, many that are used in building automobiles. For example, if you look at the metal cradle holding the engine in an automobile, you are looking at something formed through tube hydroforming. If you look at the side of your automobile, it was probably formed through hydroforming used on a sheet of metal. While called by different names, there are two types of sheet hydroforming: Active and passive.
The hydroforming method has been around for more than six decades, but there have been many advancements and innovations that have changed the way each industry thinks about their profits, manufacturing strategies, design, etc. For many years now, die casting has been the preferred metal forming option for a variety of industries, including the following:
One of the more enjoyable aspects of living in a technological age is the ease with which we can access news and information. At any moment, we can learn about new inventions and fresh developments in any number of industries.
Just recently, an announcement of advancements in Finite Element Analysis (FEA) capabilities grabbed the attention of the hydroforming community.
Hydroforming and Midwest–both of these terms have seen their share of disinformation. Fortunately, we’re here today on a mythbusting mission, set on clearing the air and setting the record straight.
For many years, it has been understood that metal stamping or pressing is an effective and economical method for manufacturing parts that are quite complex. Although there may be a higher price to pay in the beginning to manufacture tooling, deep draw hydroforming can be a quicker and cheaper alternative to other processes, including fabrication. Deep draw hydroforming goes beyond what other methods can do in order to produce parts that are deeper and/or longer.
The hydroforming process has been used for quite some time in the manufacturing industry. The hydroforming process involves the use of stainless steel, aluminum, and other ductile metals. These ductile metals are eventually transformed into complex shapes through the use of pressure and fluid.
The process of using pressure and fluid over one sheet of metal results in a variety of benefits. Some of the great benefits of hydroforming include the following:
