For industries from aerospace to automotive, lighting to cookware, aluminum has proven to be one of the most versatile and ideal metals for the creation of component parts. In addition to being durable and light weight, aluminum and aluminum alloys offer great formability. They are also sustainable and recyclable.
Despite its many qualities, however, aluminum does present some forming challenges that manufacturers not used to working with the metal may encounter. For example, aluminum does not have the elasticity of other metals, like steel. While this rigidity can lead to wrinkling, with the right equipment and expertise, aluminum forming challenges can be overcome.
When components require complex geometric or deep drawn shapes, those with little experience working with aluminum will turn to other materials instead. But by overlooking this versatile material, the end product may suffer, missing out on aluminum’s light weight, malleability and corrosion resistance.
The aluminum forming experts at Jones Metal know that complex and deep drawn aluminum shapes are possible when the right forming methods are chosen for the metal – hydroforming, deep draw hydroforming, fluid cell forming and, in certain cases, deep draw stamping.
At Jones Metal, hydroforming aluminum starts with aluminum blanks up to 32.5 x 27 x 14 inches and 1-inch thickness. Blanks are positioned in the hydroform press over male tooling, while a pressurized, oil-filled diaphragm acts as the female die, forming the blank to the tooling.
This process eliminates the wrinkling and springback that can occur when other methods, like stamping or block forming, are used to create aluminum components.
Shaping aluminum parts using deep draw hydroforming is similar to standard hydroforming. With deep draw hydroforming, the aluminum blank is placed into the forming machine so that an oil-filled diaphragm can shape the aluminum to a die. With deep draw hydroforming, JMP has the ability to form an aluminum component with a 12-inch depth while maintaining precise tolerances and outstanding surface finishes.
For long, deep drawn and complex shapes up to 6 feet long, 27.5 inches wide and 8 inches deep made from aluminum, fluid cell forming offers the greatest flexibility. In this forming process a fluid-cell press or bag press exerts pressure up to 11,600 psi onto a flexible rubber diaphragm to form complex shapes. Utilizing a Quintus Technologies Flexform® Fluid Cell Press, JMP can offer small to mid-size manufacturers a more efficient and cost effective option for difficult to make aluminum formed parts.
When orders call for larger production runs of simpler-shaped components where there is little concern about surface abrasion, deep draw stamping is another viable aluminum forming method. This process is an ideal alternative to hydroforming for larger production runs, or for smaller runs with long-term applications and uses. The process employs hardened, steel dies that can provide faster speed and higher production rates than those available with hydroforming.
If you’re interested in learning more about our aluminum forming capabilities or request a quote, contact Jones Metal or call 888-479-9566.