Electropneumatics and Hydraulics

(I) Pvt. Ltd., Pune

Perspectives and Outlook on the Current

Trends in Metal Forming

Focus: Hydroforming

By: Abhijit ChakravartyBy: Abhijit ChakravartyBy: Abhijit ChakravartyBy: Abhijit Chakravarty

Plant head, Component division

* Some images in this presentation are from public domain.

1. Water Bulging and Hydroforming- a perspective

2. Hydroformed Exhaust Parts emerging as a viable option

3. Introducing Aluminium Hydroforming in 2 Wheelers

Handle Bar

4. PEM Fuel Cell Bipolar plate manufacturing- a

perspective

Presentation Overview

Forming of Tubes with Water

- Bulging vs Hydroforming

Is Hydroforming Expensive?

A cold forming process in which a round/preformed tube

is expanded from the inside into a complex shape using

pressurized waterpressurized waterpressurized waterpressurized water.

A cold forming process in which a round/preformed tube

is expanded from the inside into a complex shape using

pressurized waterpressurized waterpressurized waterpressurized water.

Water Bulging Water Bulging Water Bulging Water Bulging Water Bulging Water Bulging Water Bulging Water Bulging Hydroforming Hydroforming Hydroforming Hydroforming Hydroforming Hydroforming Hydroforming Hydroforming

• Automotive chassis parts

• Engine cradle support

• Heat exchanger Housings

• Bicycle frames

• Aerospace …

• Utensils

• Plumbing parts

• Decorative parts

• Musical instruments….

FORMING WITH WATERFORMING WITH WATERFORMING WITH WATERFORMING WITH WATER

Water Bulging

Typical water bulging machine

Concept

Typical tool

Typical water bulging machine

Tube Hydroforming

Tube Hydroforming

High

pressure

water

intensifier

Axial cylinders with

position sensor

Tooling

CNC

controls

Hydraulic power pack

Hydraulic press

TUBE WATER BULGING TUBE HYDROFORMING

1 Process Pure expansion Expansion with axial compression/feed

2 Forming tonnage 5 to 500 T 1000 to 5000 T

3 Parts

Straight

Simple and symmetrical

Single piece

Straight/bent/preformed

Complex and any type

Single piece

4 Thinning Can be controlled No control, ~40-50%

5 EquipmentCost- lower

Space- less, vertical forming

Cost- higher

Space- more, horizontal forming

6 Tool Simpler More complicated

7 Process synchronisation Critical Relatively easy

8 Productivity Low High

9 Part cost Lower Higher

10 ApplicationsPlumbing, decorative, cookware,

architectural, musical sector

Automotive, aerospace, medicine,

electronics, heating & air conditioning,

agriculture

Comparison

Tubular Part Forming for

automotive applications

Tubular Part Forming for

automotive applications

Conventional

Stamping/Others

Conventional

Stamping/OthersWater FormingWater Forming

Water

Bulging

Water

BulgingHydroformingHydroforming

Evaluating & Continuous

improvements

Evaluating & Continuous

improvements

Under

development

Combined Water

Bulging + Hydroforming

Combined Water

Bulging + Hydroforming

Right part selection

Right volumes

Right size machine

Mostly unsuitable

Hydroformed Exhaust Parts

Emerging as a Viable Option

Transition from BS IV to BS VI

Conventional Parts & Process

Bending

Stamping + Welding

Critical part geometries and custom

shapes (packaging, flow

requirements)

Drastic shape changes

Large expansions, up to 100%

Tight bend radii, down to 1D in thin-

walled tubes

Difficult to form materials- SS 400,

austenitic SS

Leakages from welds

Weld spatters/aesthetics

Large

sions

Large

expan

sions

Difficul

bends

Difficul

t

bends

CompleComple

x

profiles

Hydroformed Exhaust parts

Hydroforming process- a viable option?

Conventional Forming Challenges How Hydroforming Helps

Critical part geometries and custom

shapes (packaging, flow requirements)More easily possible to form in hydroforming

Drastic shape changes

Large expansions, up to 100%Multi-stage hydroforming with intermediate annealing

Tight bend radii, down to 1D in thin-

walled tubesSpecialised 1D compound bending capability

Difficult to form materials- SS 400,

austenitic SSAided by formability characteristics of hydroforming

Leakages from welds Consolidated, integral single piece part with no joints

Weld spatters/aesthetics Single piece part so almost no welding

Typical Parts: Cat cons, inlet/outlet pipes, silencers, exhaust manifold parts, EGR

housings, etc.

EP Development

completed in SS304,

SS 441

EP Development

completed in SS304,

SS 441

RM tube

Double hydroforming

with preforming

Bending

Preforming

Hydroforming

Annealing

Hydroforming

Post process

RM tube

Water bulging

Hydroforming

Post process

RM tube

Hydroforming with

preforming

Bending

Preforming

Hydroforming

Post process

RM tube

Single stage

Hydroforming

Hydroforming

Post process

Exhaust hydroforming routes

� Hydroforming crack• Feed optimisation

• Material selection

� Intermediate annealing• Managing the process logistics

� Orange peel effect• RM manufacturing process

control

• Buffing

� HF folds/wrinkles• Feed optimisation

• Intermediate annealing

• Multistage hydroforming

� Tool marks and parting line• Critical tool maintenance

• Part buffing

Challenges in exhaust hydroforming

Introducing Aluminium

Hydroforming for 2-wheelers

Al 6082 frame for sport bikes

YZ450FX- Bilateral Beam Aluminium Frame_ Application : Bicycle

Aluminium hydroforming in 2-wheelers

Why hydroformed?

1. Improved handling

2. Better suspension and vibration

absorption, especially in higher cc bikes

3. Aesthetics

4. Weight reduction without strength

compromise

Simulation result

% thinning – 19 % is a peak point, Majority of thinning is between 5.67% to 12.7%.

OD 22.2 mm

0% Expansion OD 22.2 mm

0% Expansion

OD 26 mm

17.11% Expansion

3D model

Actual thinning

8.75%

FLD

RM tube

Manufacturing Process

Sequence

Bending

Hydroforming

Annealing

Post processes

Aluminium handle bar- lower thickness

� Hydroforming crack• Low formability

• High spring back

• Process optimisation

� Orange peel effect• Material selection (suitable grain

sizes)

� Distortion after

hydroforming• Process optimisation for

temperature settings

• Fixturing

Challenges in aluminium hydroforming

PEM Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bipolar

Plate Manufacturing

A step towards EV …

Ministry Of New & Renewable Energy Govt. of India 2016Ministry Of New & Renewable Energy Govt. of India 2016Transportation

Heat & Power

Defence & Space

Alternate fuel- The hydrogen fuel cell

Main Characteristics:

Technology barriers?

Commercial Viability?

Infrastructure Viability?

Institutional support?

Indigenous Manufacturing?

Acceptability……………

Material Handling

Hydrogen fuel cellAdvantages:

• Clean energy

• High efficiency

compared to most

other renewable

energy sources

• Simple to install and

use

Disadvantages:

• Hydrogen supply chain

• Hydrogen logistics

• Lifetime of

components, especially

bipolar plate

• Cost

Hydrogen fuel cell designFuel cell stack

Single cell

Hydrogen fuel cell working

Proton Exchange Member (PEM) bipolar plate

• Very thin sheets, t= 0.075 to 0.1

mm

• Challenging and complex designs

with delicate channel structures

• High degrees of forming

• Maximum dimensional stability

• Low residual stress resulting in very

flat plates

Materials

High density graphiteↆMetallic

Stainless Steel

Aluminium Alloys

Titanium Alloys

Nickel Alloys

Metal based CompositesↆPre-coated

Most expensive

element of the

fuel stack

Main Characteristics :-

• Materials (Pre-coated / Un

coated)

• Micro Dimensional Precision

• Surface Finish

Bipolar plate manufacturing routes

Flow field design

Sheet or coil_(Coated/Uncoated)

FormingLaser

Welding (joining)

Coating Assembly

Progressive Press

Forming

Progressive Press

Forming

High Velocity

Forming

High Velocity

Forming

Sheet

Hydroforming

Sheet

Hydroforming

Typical process

Challenges

• Availability of pre-

coated sheet material

• Tool manufacturing

precision

• Material flow and

thinning

• Controlling surface

roughness

• Flatness of profile

• Dimension precision

• Avoid Micro-cracks

• Profile measurement

• Productivity and cost

About

Electropneumatics

Manufacturing Unit

Chakan-Talegaon Road, Opposite Hotel Matrix Inn,

Kharabe Wadi, Chakan, Pune 410 501, India.

For communications, please contact:

abhijitchakravarty@electropneumatics.com

cmddesign@electropneumatics.com

� Head office and plant at Chakan,

Pune

� Sales and service centers in

major cities in India

� 5000+ worldwide installations

� Team of 650 permanent +

additional contract

� Land: 62,000 sq. m.

Built-up area: 15,000 sq. m.

� Predominantly in India.

Supplied to over 25 countries

Electropneumatics

Technology Leadership Innovative, Futuristic100% Indigenous

� Hydraulic Forming Presses

� Servo Mechanical Presses

� Hydraulic Molding

Machines

� Hydraulic Powder

Compacting Presses

� Tube and Section Benders

� Chassis and Power

Transmission Tower

Equipment

� Special Purpose machine

MACHINESMACHINESMACHINESMACHINES

[MMD][MMD][MMD][MMD]

� Pneumatic Valves

� Pneumatic Cylinders

� Air-Line Accessories

� Hydraulic Cylinders

� Hydraulic Power Systems

FLUID POWERFLUID POWERFLUID POWERFLUID POWER

[FPD][FPD][FPD][FPD]

� AC Servo Drives

� AC Servo Motors

� PLC and CNC Systems

� Motion Control Systems

� Defense Special

Packages

DRIVES AND DRIVES AND DRIVES AND DRIVES AND

CONTROLSCONTROLSCONTROLSCONTROLS

[DCD][DCD][DCD][DCD]

� Customized mass

produced

hydroformed parts

COMPONENTSCOMPONENTSCOMPONENTSCOMPONENTS

[CMD][CMD][CMD][CMD]

COMPONENTSCOMPONENTSCOMPONENTSCOMPONENTS

[CMD][CMD][CMD][CMD]

STRATEGIC STRATEGIC STRATEGIC STRATEGIC

PROJECTSPROJECTSPROJECTSPROJECTS

[SPD][SPD][SPD][SPD]

� MIL grade electronic

drives, controllers, AC

servo motors

� Missile and Rocket

Launchers

� Auto Levelling Systems

� Unmanned Guided

Vehicles

� Turnkey Projects

Questions?