Flexform Applications
Flexforming is a modern
sheet metal forming method for cost effective low-volume production. Avure
Technologies AB has supplied high pressure rubber diaphragm
presses to the
world's major aircraft manufacturers. Flexforming is also used by leading
automotive companies and for general low-volume sheet metal forming to
achieve
low cost, short lead times and high quality.
This is Flexforming -
Low tool costs, short lead times, high quality.
In Flexforming, sheet metal is formed over
one rigid, shape defining tool half by a
flexible rubber diaphragm ( also called the bladder ) supported by high
hydraulic
pressure. The use of a single rigid tool half results in short lead
times, low tool cost, fast try-out and easy tool modification after
component-design changes. The
flexible rubber diaphragm forms scratch-free parts
of complex shape, including undercuts, with different sheet thicknesses in all
materials. High uniform forming
pressures ensure high quality parts with close
tolerances directly off the press and adds the possibility of trimming in the
same press cycle. Bulging or expansion
forming can also be performed with Flexforming.
Flexform Fluid Cell Presses
Flexform fluid cell presses ( also called bag press, bladder press,
hydroform press ) are intended for forming large items or several smaller parts
in one cycle. Tools
are placed, without the need for fixing, in the press trays
(tables); there is normally one tray at each end of the press and these shuttle
in and out of the press frame,
where the flexible rubber diaphragm is situated.
The tools can be simple punches (blocks), punches with fixed blank holders, dies
or expansion tools.
The cycle time is normally one to three minutes, depending on press size, formed parts and selected pressure.
More than 20 years ago our company
also delivered several rubber pad presses ( Guerin process, using a solid rubber
pad or ). However, rubber pad pressing has
severe technical limitations leading
to a preference of the aerospace manufacturing industry for the flexible rubber
diaphragm forming.
AVURE offers a full line of standard
models of small and large QUINTUS ® Flexform Presses and they are
available with rectangular trays from
0.9 x 2 m up to 2 x 3,6 m tray size and
for pressures 100 or 140 MPa (1,000 bar/14,500 psi or 1,400 bar/20,000 psi).
For off-loading and back-up for larger
rectangular Flexform fluid cell presses or for forming of smaller parts,
standard-sized QUINTUS ® Circular Flexform
presses
are available with circular trays of 0.7 (27.5") or 1 m (39.4") diameter and for
pressures up to 80 MPa (800 bar/11,600 psi). From a forming point of view,
the
Circular Flexform press is identical to the rectangular fluid cell press.
The QUINTUS ®
Flexform Deep Draw presses ( also called fluid form presses )
are the most versatile in terms of
forming capabilities. They can form the same kind of parts as Flexform fluid
cell presses, in addition to very complex and deep
parts which require a deep
draw function.
Flexform deep drawing ( fluid forming
) is performed with the rigid tool half - a movable punch and a blank holder -
and by controlling the forming pressure as a
function of the draw depth. The
circular Flexform unit contains the flexibel rubber diaphragm.
QUINTUS ® Flexform deep
draw presses are manufactured with usable tool area diameters up to 1.2 meters
and operate at pressures up to 200 MPa
(2,000 bar/29,000 psi) or models can also
be custom configured to meet your needs.
