Flow Forming

Flowforming is a chip-less, high technology metal-forming technique for the production of seamless tubular components. Flow forming is a volumetric rotary forming process to manufacture economically axis-symetric hollow parts mainly cylindrical components. It is a technique of stretching material from a blank or preforms where the material rotated, and is stressed in a particular zone, above the yield point so that it can flow in an axial direction. This pressure is applied by three steel flowforming rollers, where the material flows over a sized mandrel to the final required dimensions, in two or more passes. In general all metals can be flowformed, provided that they are homogenous and fine-grained. Advantages of Flowforming: Short lead times Design freedom Low tooling costs Improved Part Quality High Diameter to length ratio Tapered / stepped wall thicknesses possible Good surface finish and high dimensional accuracy Consistant and increased mechanical properties Optimum grain flow resulting in refined grain size Economical unit prices - even on medium and small batches Wide choice of usable materials including hardened materials

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