Stainless steel molded components

Hydroforming is the most economical process for obtaining molded componets starting from the sheet metal. The die, indeed, is easy to manufacture as well as very cheap.

With this technology it is possible to shape different types of materials and different thicknesses without having to change the die, because it is the water that adapts itself to the thickness of the sheet. Moreover, the sheet metal is deformed uniformly, and when the hydraulic pressure stops, the spring-back is reduced to a minimum as well as uniform over the entire surface of the piece, in this way you get maximum stability and the absence of geometric distortions.

How sheet metal hydroforming works

The method used by Inoxveneta is water punch hydroforming that required various steps:

• A sheet metal is placed on the working surface
• The press machine is being closed to block and hold it on the table
• The fluid flows through a nozzle against the sheet metal, forcing it against the die surface, until it takes the final shape of the piece
• Once the cycle is complete, the die will open and the finished molded components extracted

The water punch hydroforming is best for:

• Panels
• Sloping/conical surfaces
• Geometries with complex and/or several parts

The use of sheet metal hydroforming is restricted by the need to employ presses with much greater force than is normally required for conventional hydraulic pressing. For this reason Inoxveneta has acquired a press machine with a force of 6,000 tonnes and another one of 7,000 tonnes, built to an innovative concept which keeps costs down.