
Brochure - High Pressure Warm Forming
Brochure high-pressure-warm-formingDownload
Watch the High Pressure Warm Forming video
The Flexform™ High Pressure Warm Forming process is a new technology that can replace or complement existing Titanium forming methods, such as hot-forming, hot stamping, super plastic forming, SPF, and hot gas forming.
50% reduction in production costs
Protection gas may be eliminated, due to the relatively low temperature process. Time for part cleaning after processing is reduced to a minimum, and the need for forming tool maintenance is also greatly reduced due to galling from the titanium blanks. Finally the energy consumption is also greatly reduced, compared to traditional hot forming methods.
Five times increased throughput
The HPWF process, with less than 5 minutes cycle time, including heating, loading, forming and unloading, can handle multiple tools in one and the same forming cycle, while allowing for very rapid tool changes. Forming at relatively low temperatures enables quick cooling. The new Flexform™ HPWF process has a production capacity of some five times traditional hot-forming processes.
Forming repeatability
The flexibility of the process allows for springback compensation in the die design, hence compensation for material spring back can be implemented into the process, allowing final shape parts to come directly from the process.
1. The tools may be pre-heated to maximize system productivity.
2. The blanks may be pre-heated to maximize system productivity.
3. The blank is mated with the forming tool and induction heating is applied. The system can handle more than one forming tool in each forming operation.
4. Kept together as a package, the blank and forming tool are automatically transported into the press, exposed to the high-pressure process, and then returned to a part unloading station. The process parameters are carefully monitored and tracked.
5. The other shuttling tray may be used either for traditional cold forming, or be used to increase the system’s warm forming capacity.
6. After forming and cooling the parts are ready for assembly.
7-8. Alternatively, if required, the parts are ready for final heat treatment or hot forming calibration.
Read STURE OLSSON’s ARTICLE IN THE STAMPING JOURNAL MAY/JUNE 2018:
New process allows forming of Ti6Al4V at lower temps
With the growth of titanium usage in new aircraft expected, new and improved ways of forming titanium are needed. The high-pressure warm forming (HPWF) process is a new technology developed to form titanium at temperatures lower than hot forming, hot stamping, and superplastic forming.