Incremental tube forming: Forward-looking cooperation of transfluid and Dortmund technical university
The step-by-step shaping of a tube end or a tube has been made possible by the newly developed procedure for processing high-strength and ultra-high-strength materials. This revolutionises manufacturing, particularly in industrial applications where the requirements are set ever higher. And, straight tubes are formed into increasingly extreme shapes.
Lighter and stronger products
Incremental tube shaping can be used for weight reduction purposes in the automotive industry, for example. A wide variety of products, manufactured with this new type of process, can be exposed to heavier loads and are lighter. A decisive technical advantage for the future in a fiercely competitive global market. The new development also scores with respect to resource efficiency. Significant quantities of material are saved.
The worldwide innovation of incremental tube forming has arisen from intensive cooperation between transfluid Maschinenbau GmbH and the institute for forming technologies and lightweight construction at Dortmund’s technical university. The partners will be continuing their open exchange of experience and knowledge at this year’s DORP. At the Dortmund colloquium for tube and profile bending [DORP] in October 2014 Gerd Nöker, managing director of transfluid, will be giving an expert lecture to industry professionals and the scientific community on the topic of „Bending and froming: The sequence makes the difference“.
Optimum preparation for subsequent processes
„Conventional forming processes are over-taxed with the majority of high-strength materials“, states Gerd Nöker. „Our machine can partially shape tube made of such materials, in order to prepare them for the next process“. Hydroforming for example, could be such a subsequent process. For this, a tube is pre-formed with different diameters and different wall thicknesses by means of the incremental shaping forming. Particularly important for hydroforming: There is no change in wall thickness in the locally reduced tube area. High-strength and ultra-high-strength materials can be cold shaped. Bending radii and free-form radii can be shaped in a continuous process with the highest degree of accuracy and without any springback.
A low ovality of the bend can be achieved with minimal reduction in wall thickness.
Surface manipulation, improvement of the material characteristics
In addition the rolling process also allows a defined manipulation of the surface. In certain circumstances, even the material characteristics are improved. The tube forming machine from transfluid is equipped with a simple bending device. The shaped tube is then very simply bent with this, with very little force being required. The rotatory shaping brings the material to the plasticising zone. Thus tubes can be simultaneously bent with relatively tight radii without mandrels. Because the tube springback is only minimal due to the plasticised material, the bending angle achieved is almost identical to the selected angle of the bending machine.
With their new incremental tube forming technology, transfluid offers the option to process such custom manufactured tubes (tailored tubes) up to a diameter of 90mm. The solution for tubes thus opens up new dimensions in tube processing whilst simultaneously driving the progress of product design further forwards. So, we can be excited about the future.
Next TRADE FAIRS:
EuroBLECH Hanover, Germany, October 21-25, 2014, Hall 11, Booth E02
FABTECH: 11-13.11.2014, Atlanta (USA), Georgia World Congress Center transfluid at booth C544
Institute of Forming Technology and Lightweight Construction (IUL) of the Technical University of Dortmund
The central scientific focus of the Institute of Forming Technology and Lightweight Construction (IUL), TU Dortmund is the development of innovative forming processes and process chains with respect to the lightweight construction and energy efficiency. For this purpose in the five departments of the IUL innovative forming process and metal forming process chains are developed, researched basically and transferred into industrial practice.
www.iul.tu-dortmund.de
Bildrechte: (c) IUL
transfluid Maschinenbau GmbH – the solution for tubes
transfluid is sought after worldwide as a partner for manufacturing tube bending machines and tube processing machines. Since 1988 transfluid has been further developing its technologies for tube machining, so that it can provide customer-oriented, tailor-made solutions – for plant and machine construction, the automotive and energy industries, shipbuilding and medical device manufacturing. As a world-renowned brand, the company from Germany is present in Europe and with its subsidiaries in Asia.
transfluid\“s product portfolio offers perfect solutions in five different machine categories, that meet all the requirements in tube processing. t bend stands for a wide range of tube bending machines, which fulfil the highest demands in terms of industrial applications. The tube forming machines in the t form range offer the perfect tube shaping solutions. Tube forming is important as an individual or supplementary process, in order to obtain optimally tailored tubes. Automation systems are offered as fully developed concepts for bending and forming technology, under t motion. t cut covers the field of tube cutting machines. Here, Transfluid is able to provide a range of different systems, for example for chipless orbital cutting and special knive separation processes. The category t clean encompasses tube cleaning machines. These ensure the cleanliness of workpieces and tubes. Additionally, with the new tu go range, transfluid offers a standardised portfolio of machinery, which is available from stock for immediate delivery. transfluid offers the powerful software t project for rapid and reliable tube processing. It can be used as an effective online solution for bending machines and the majority of CAD systems.
www.tube-processing-machines.com
Firmenkontakt
transfluid Maschinenbau GmbH
Frau Stefanie Flaeper
Hünegräben 20-22
57392 Schmallenberg
+49 2972 97 15 – 0
+49 2972 97 15 – 11
info@transfluid.de
http://www.tube-processing-machines.com
Pressekontakt
PSV
Stefan Köhler
Schlachthausstraße 10
57072 Siegen
+49 (0) 271 7700160
s.koehler@psv-marketing.de
http://www.psv-marketing.de