Sheet Metal Forming

Many companies, particularly in the aerospace market, use Flexform™ to form the majority of their sheet metal production parts. Fluid cell forming is perfectly suited to the relatively low-volume requirements of commercial, military and business aircraft. Quick cycle models can produce up to 120 parts per hour, and automated pallet systems can substantially improve efficiency in longer production runs.

Manufacturers profit from the unique advantages of the Flexform™ concept:

✓ Very low tooling costs
✓ Intricate shapes formed to close assembly tolerances
✓ Multiple parts per cycle
✓ Short setup times
✓ Finished parts directly off the press with little or no manual rework

Fluid cell forming has proven to have a number of economic and processing advantages, particularly when compared to rubber pad pressing and mechanical or hydraulic stamping.

1. Flexform™ requires only a single, shape-defining punch or die, cutting tool costs by 50 to 90 percent

2. Complex, close tolerance parts can be produced, often in one operation

3. Higher productivity, because multiple parts can be processed in a single cycle

4. Faster lead times with quick tool setup and cycle times ranging from one to three minutes

5. Virtually any sheet metal from 0.1mm to more than 16 millimeters (.004 to .63 inches) can be formed

6. Blemish-free parts, free from scratches or gall marks

7. Complex parts can be designed and produced that would be prohibitively expensive with conventional presses