Hydroforming

About: Hydroforming is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2796 publications have been published within this topic receiving 26293 citations. The topic is also known as: Bulge forming.

Hydroforming Simulation of High-strength Steel Cross-members in an Automotive Rear Subframe

Abstract: Hydroforming is a forming technology in which a steel tube is set in a die and formed to fit a specified shape by applying hydraulic pressure from inside the tube while also applying force in the tube axial direction (axial feed). In present study, the entire design process chain for an automotive cross-member was simulated and developed using hydroforming technology on high-strength steel. The part design stage required a feasibility study. The process was designed using computer-aided design techniques to confirm the actual hydroformability of the part in detail. The possibility of using hydroformable cross-member parts was examined using cross-sectional analyses, which were essential to ensure the formability of the tube material for each forming step, including pre-bending and hydroforming. The die design stage included all the components of a prototyping tool. Press interference was investigated in terms of geometry and thinning.

Investigation into reduction of die-cavity deflection in micro-hydroforming processes using FEA

Abstract: Within the field of micro-technology, merchandised products as well as research activities show an important demand for complex-shaped tubular micro-components, for example, for medical devices or micro-fluidic applications. Concerning such micro-components made from metal materials, manufacturing techniques for the economic mass production of adequate tubular parts are often missing. Hydroforming, as a proven technology in the mass production of conventional-size components, offers miscellaneous advantages also for micro-part manufacture. However, due to the comparatively large forming loads involved, strategies for compensation of the elastic deflection of the forming tool elements resulting from these loads are particularly of interest when greater accuracy of the forming operation is required. Against this background, this paper presents a strategy to reduce elastic tool deflection in micro-hydroforming processes, verified by systematic finite element simulations.

Influence of internal pressure on hydroforming of double handles crankshaft

Abstract: The hydroforming process of a double handles crankshaft with the biggest expansion ratio up to 54% is studied by means of simulation and experiment in this paper. The effects of loading paths during hydroforming process on the failure modes are analyzed. The simulation results show that the part can be formed successfully with the feeding pressure selected in the range from 65 to 75 MPa. A successful crankshaft component can be manufactured in the experiment as the internal pressure is 70 MPa. Folding back occurs as the internal pressure 75 MPa. The most serious thinning occurs in the top of crankshaft handle. The maximum thickness appears in the area of the opposite to crankshaft handle. The maximum of thinning rate by the simulation is about 11%, which is close to 10% that is obtained in experiment.