METAL FORMING EQUIPMENTS

Metal Forming Equipment

Metal hydroforming uses pressurized fluid to deform both ferrous

and non-ferrous metals into the shape of a die. The process allows for

significant altering of the material and is useful for fabricating strong

parts of uniform thickness. There are several varieties of the technique,

such as aluminum, sheet, and tube hydroforming, but they often employ

similar equipment.

Equipment Used in the Hydroforming Process

Hydroforming equipment traditionally includes a hydraulic forming press, a hydroform

water system, pressure intensifiers, and a hydroforming tool, or "die." These pieces of

equipment handle most of the initial stages of production, putting together complete

components without relying on multiple stampings and welds. 

Some hydroforming machines can be purchased together in a single unit, such as a

combination hydraulic forming press and fluid intensification unit. These types of

multifunctional systems can help manufacturers streamline their forming operations.

Hydroform Presses

Hydroforming presses are available in a range of sizes and pressure

capacities. Since  they require a high level of working force, they are

built with a number of features designed to increase efficiency, including:

Short cycle times

High ram, table, and frame stability

Large press tables to accommodate differently sized parts

Some presses utilize high clamping force with small strokes, while others feature lower force with

longer closing strokes. Some hydroform presses are also capable of accommodating various types of

dies and can manage and treat hydraulic media, making them relatively versatile pieces of equipment.

Types of Hydraulic Hydroform Presses

Single-acting hydraulic presses can be used for tubular and conventional sheet hydroforming.

Reaching the necessary press capacity is an important requirement; in order to build internal pressure

in the tube, special controls, liquids, or a pressure intensifier may be needed. The single-acting press

is adaptable to many forming projects and can be designed as a two-, three- or four-column unit.

Tandem hydraulic presses feature one ram for loading the work piece

and another for clamping the die. This enables two dies to run in one

press, so that material can be pre-formed and hydroformed in a single

machine. Both dies can also operate in unison to handle larger work

pieces and provide higher clamping force, if necessary.

C-frame presses offer 270 degrees of accessibility, making them a good choice for handling longer

structural parts. Tables can be pulled out of the press for loading and unloading, and the table with the

lower die can be attached to the press and then clamped with the upper die.

Pressure Intensifiers, Tools, and More

Hydroforming usually requires a significant amount of internal pressure to force material into the shape of

a die. Pressure intensifiers can be an effective way to augment the compression volume, as they can raise

interior pressure to a higher level. In conventional tube hydroforming, internal fluid pressure usually needs

to be between 80 and 450 MPa to achieve proper deformation, and intensifiers can help achieve or surpass

this range.

Most hydraulic pressure intensifiers employ different sized cylinders along with pistons connected

by a rod. Some intensifiers feature double cylinder-piston devices that pump fluid into the larger

cylinder and then push it through the smaller one at a higher pressure.

Hydroform tooling uses a male die, or hydroforming punch tool, which resembles the shape of the

end-product part. In this process, an inflated rubber diaphragm serves as the female die and presses

the material against the punch tool.

If needed, axial cylinders can seal off the ends of tubes or extrusions and create compressive strain

in the forming zone. These tools usually belong to the hydroforming die, but are directed by the

press’s primary control system.

Hydroforming Teleservice

Routine maintenance can be valuable for keeping a hydroforming system running

well and reducing the cost of long-term repair. A teleservice system is a useful

option for preventing problems. Teleservice is a remote monitoring procedure that

analyzes the quality and effectiveness of the hydroforming equipment in real-time.

If problems are discovered, the system uses a digital network to notify press

operators and service engineers in order to expedite troubleshooting and avoid

lengthy downtimes or wasted material. In addition, the teleservice can also inform

the manufacturer about software upgrades or error analysis.