In hydroforming processes, the sheet metal is drawn into a cavity or wrapped around a punch by means of fluid pressure. The two main benefits of hydroforming sheet metal are 1) the process is capable of forming more complex parts in a single stroke as compared to conventional stamping, and 2) the elimination of one half of the tooling substantially reduces the cost of tooling, and ultimately, the cost of production. Tube hydroforming is a forming process in which a tubular sheet metal blank is formed into hollow components through the application of internal pressure and axial feeding. The main benefit of the tube hydroforming process is the significant weight savings that can be achieved by using hollow tubular components. This paper reviews hydroforming processes for tubes and shells and illustrates practical applications.
| Number of Pages : | 12 |
| Published : | 11/01/1998 |
