New Device and Technology for High Speed Hydroforming

Abstract

In the article a new production device is presented that combines the methodologies of high speed forming with conventional hydroforming. The result is a robust production system that can be easy controlled by the use of standard industrial components. The new system can be used as well for high automated production systems for mass production of small tubular and sheet metal parts as for the flexible manufacturing of workpieces with larger dimensions. The device is in principle a hydraulic driven high speed pressure generator that can be mounted directly on a hydroforming tool. Moreover, an additional drive for the axial feed of the tube is installed. In the paper the idea, the design of the device and the technical data is explained. Furthermore, the results of hydroforming experiments are presented and an overview on the specifications and the advantages of the new process is given. The strain rate is measured for an example workpiece and compared to the theoretical value. A first view on the forming limits is a further important topic of the paper. For the investigated copper tube, the forming limits are extended compared to a quasi-static hydroforming test.

Keywords

• Hydroforming
• Machine
• Process