I would really need some help with sheetmetal hydroforming, i need to know more about the restrictions, and capabylities ot the metod.
Thanks in advance
Hydroforming is a process applied to tubes not sheet metal.
Hydroforming uses fluid under pressure to force tube into an array of different shapes. A tube is blocked off at both ends and fluid forced inside. By increasing fluid pressure and compressing the tube ends the tube takes the form of the enclosing die to become the desired shape.
It is a process looked on by the auto industry and steel industry as one offering a way of reducing the weight of the vehicle but still using steel as the major structural material.
Components that may be made using this process include exhaust parts, chassis rails, engine cradles, roof pillars and roll bars.
Try doing a web search with the names Schafer or Schuler.
Sheet metal parts (ie. body panels) are also formed using a hydroforming process. One advantage is that tooling is reduced significantly by replacing male die with a flexible membrane backed with high pressure water. The female die cavity also holds blank. Surface finish can also be better than comparable stamped/drawn parts. Disadvantage is cycle time.
Section 4.7 in the Automotive Design Manual published by American Iron and Steel Institute & Auto/Steel Partnership has a detail description of how the hydroforming technology is used in the automotive industry.
