Hydroforming is a manufacturing process that uses fluid pressure to form hollow metal parts with complex geometries. There are two types: tube hydroforming uses pressurized fluid to reshape tubing inside a die, while sheet hydroforming forces sheet metal into a die cavity using fluid or press action. Hydroforming is used in automotive, sanitary, and aerospace applications to create parts with tight tolerances, fewer welds, and reduced weight. Design considerations include part geometry, material properties, die design, and pressure capabilities. Hydroforming allows for innovative part designs but has high equipment costs and slow cycle times.

1. HYDROFORMING
Presented By, Seminar Guide:
Shruchet J B. G. Prashanth
Dept. of I.E. M.
1JS08IM045
JSSATE, Bangalore
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2. OUTLINE:
 What is Hydroforming?
 How and where is Hydroforming used?
 Materials used in Hydroforming processes
 Design Considerations
 Effect of Temperature on HF
 Advantages/Disadvantages
 Economics of Hydroforming
 The Hydroforming Process
 Conclusion
 Bibliography 2

3. HYDROFORMING
Hydroforming is the manufacturing of hollow
bodies with complex geometries by means of
fluid pressure.
There are two types of hydroforming:
1. Tube hydroforming
2. Sheet hydroforming
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4. TUBE HYDROFORMING
 Used when a complex shape
is needed
 A section of cold-rolled steel
tubing is placed in a closed
die set
 A pressurized fluid is
introduced into the ends of
the tube
 The tube is reshaped to the
confine of the cavity
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5. SHEET HYDROFORMING
METHODS:
 Sheet steel is forced into a female cavity by
water under pressure from a pump or by
press action
 Sheet steel is deformed by a male
punch, which acts against the fluid under
pressure.
Note: Sheet hydroforming provides a work-hardening effect
as the steel is forced against the blanks through fluid pressure.
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6. APPLICATIONS
 Automotive industry
 Sanitary use
 Pipes with varying
Chevy SSR Frame
diameter, T-Joints
 Aerospace
 Lighter, stiffer parts
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7. APPLICATIONS: Automotive Industry
1. Body shell
2. Driving shaft
3. Assembled camshaft
4. Exhaust systems
5. Engine cooling system
6. Radiator frame
7. Safety requirements
8. Engine bearer
9. Integral member
10. Cross member
11. Frame structure parts
12. Axle elements
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8. MATERIALS
 Steel (mild and harder steels)
 Stainless Steel
 Aluminum alloys
 Copper Tubes
 Research continues to expand the capabilities of
the hydroforming process 8

9. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
 Product •Tool/Dies •Equipment
• Geometry, thicknes
s distribution •Geometry of tools •Press capacity
• Dimensional •Material hardness •Speed /
accuracy/tolerance production rate
•Surface conditions
s •Force / Pressure
• Surface finish
•Stiffness and
capabilities
accuracy
• Microstructure, me
•Rigidity and
chanical and accuracy
metallurgical
properties, hardnes
s
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10. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
 Work  Deformation zone
piece/Material • Deformation mechanics,
model used for analysis
• Material Yield Strength
• Metal flow, velocities, strain
• Surface conditions
rates, strains (kinematics)
• Geometry of tubing ( outside
• Stresses (variation during
diameter, tube wall thickness, deformation)
roundness, properties of
welding line, etc.)
Pressure Consideration: The liquid pressure in the die cavity -
30 to 150 MPa
•Material Yield Strength
•Material Wall Thickness
•Inner radius of sharpest cross-sectional corner 10

11. Effect of Temperature on HF
 Formability of the lightweight materials usually increases
at elevated temperature levels
 Warm forming technology with selective heating enables
manufacturing of lightweight parts, and also reduces
number of manufacturing steps and part consolidation.
 The internal stresses are released at high temperatures,
hence reduces defects and provides better finish of the
product.
 It uses the tooling and hydraulic medium as means of 11
transporting heat as well as mechanical/hydraulic force

12. ADVANTAGES
 Extraordinary Design Flexibility
 Fewer Parts
 Lower tooling cost due to fewer parts
 Weight reduction through more efficient section
design and tailoring of the wall thickness
 Improved structural strength and stiffness
 Fewer secondary operations
 Tight dimensional tolerances and low spring back
 Reduced scrap
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13. ADVANTAGES (CONT.)
Compared to conventional steel body structure:
 50% less weight
 45% less parts (less tools, less assembly)
 45% less welding seams
 Tighter tolerances
Volvo Hydroformed Structure concept in
Aluminum, (Schuler Hydroforming 1998)
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14. DISADVANTAGES
 Slow cycle time
 Expensive equipment and lack of extensive
knowledge base for process and tool design
 Requires new welding techniques for assembly.
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15. ECONOMICS
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16. CONCLUSION
 Hydroforming is an innovative forming
process
 Hydroforming is becoming more popular (i.e.
automotive and aerospace industries)
 The advantages outweigh the limitations
 Material selection is broad and continues to
increase
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17. BIBLIOGRAPHY
 www.hydroforming.net
 www.vari-form.com
 www.hdt-gti.com
 www.revindustries.com
 www.autosteel.org
 www.schuler-hydroforming.de
 www.kaupp.com/hydro.htm
 www.egr.msu.edu/~aenader
 nsmwww.eng.ohio-state.edu/html/tube_hydroforming.html
 A Study on Warm Hydroforming of Al and Mg Sheet Materials:
Mechanism and Proper Temperature Conditions, by Ho Choi,
Muammer Koç, & Jun Ni.
 Automotive component development by means of hydroforming,
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by

18. Thank
You
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19. QUESTIONS???
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