Sheet Hydroforming and Other New Potential Forming Technologies

International Deep Drawing Research Group 37th Annual Conference

Maki, T.^1 ; Cheng, J.^1

Amino North America Corporation, St-Thomas

ON

N5P 4M1, Canada^1

关键词: Automotive manufacturers;    Forming technology;    High strength aluminum alloys;    Low-volume production;    Material thickness;    Sheet hydro-forming;    Tooling techniques;    Vehicle architecture;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1757-899X/418/1/012117/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1757-899X/418/1/012117

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

Sheet hydroforming technology has been developed and utilized for decades by Amino to mainly produce class A body panels for the automotive industry. Extra deep draw depth, more even material thickness distribution and better surface quality can be achieved through this technology. Several automotive manufacturers are using panels made with this technology for its high degree of formability and lower tooling cost. Other industries such as commercial truck and bus have also developed interest in sheet hydroformed panels in their vehicle architecture. This paper presents efforts to improve the technology via simulation and new tooling techniques. Warm forming is shown to greatly improve the formability of high strength aluminum alloys. However, surface quality is always a concern which limits its utilization in class A panels. In addition, a new potential forming technology, Electro-Hydraulic Forming which can combine available technologies mentioned above to produce more aggressively styled parts with good surface quality using high strength aluminum alloys. Finally, this paper will look at current development of sheet hydroforming technology and look at some actual industrial applications including the instillation of a new press for low volume production and future R&D, some review of warm forming experiments recently completed and future developmental programs with warm forming and sheet hydroforming in the near future are discussed.