HIGH-PRESSURE TUBE HYDROFORMING PREPRESS
High-Pressure Tube Hydroforming Tooling & Vector CAM Guide
Internal high-pressure tube hydroforming (THF) is an advanced metal forming manufacturing process that expands tubular metal blanks into intricate, lightweight hollow structural components using pressurized hydraulic fluid and synchronized axial punch cylinders.
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1. Hydroforming Pressure Curve Stages
A typical hydroforming cycle consists of three distinct hydraulic pressure phases: Pre-Forming & Clamping (20-50 bar), Expansion & Axial Feed (plastic yield), and High-Pressure Corner Calibration (1,000-2,500 bar) to coin tight corner fillets.
2. Engineering Specifications & Tolerances
| Alloy | Yield Strength (MPa) | UTS (MPa) | Max Free Expansion (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AISI 1010 Mild Steel | 210 | 360 | 22% – 28% |
| 304 Stainless Steel | 290 | 620 | 35% – 45% |
| 6061-O Aluminum | 55 | 125 | 18% – 24% |
| C12200 Copper | 70 | 220 | 30% – 40% |
3. CNC Hydroform Die Machining & Vector Prepress
- Corner Fillet Limits: Never design internal die corner radius Rc < 3 * t0 unless hydraulic calibration pressure capability exceeds 2,000 bar.
- Hydraulic Seal Lands: Axial sealing punches require precision 5° - 15° conical lead-in chamfer DXF profiles with 0.02mm diametral clearance.
- Tangent Spline Continuity: Die cavity loft cross-sections must maintain G2 curvature continuity without sharp tangent breaks to eliminate hoop stress spikes.
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