Hydroforming Technology of Complex Special-shaped Hollow Components by Collaborative and Variable Loadings

doi:10.3901/JME.2023.20.143

Abstract

Abstract: Tube hydroforming is an advanced forming technology for manufacturing complex special-shaped hollow components, which is of great significance for improving the lightweight level of automobiles and realizing energy saving and emission reduction. To solve the problem of large size dispersion, a high rejection rate of components, and severe deformation of die in traditional hydroforming technology based on constant pressure and clamping force loading, a precision hydroforming process was first developed by collaborative and variable loadings of liquid pressure and volume. It is proposed to control elastic deformation of the die and dimensional accuracy of the component by controlling the volume of high-pressure liquid injected into the tube blank. The dimensional accuracy is more than 1 times higher than that of the traditional pressure loading method. Moreover, a variable loading technology of clamping force was proposed to vary with internal pressure in the whole process, which greatly reduces the size of the die and reduces its deformation to less than 1/3 of the die deformation under constant clamping force. Furthermore, a control technology was broken through to improve equipment compatibility and production efficiency for coupled collaborative loading of double-cavity pressures and multiple process parameters. In this case, a parallel connection of two hydroforming systems is realized, and the production efficiency is nearly doubled. The demand for high quality, high efficiency, and low-cost production of new energy vehicles can be satisfied using this hydroforming technology, which can upgrade the manufacturing level of key automotive components in our country. Finally, the future research focus and development direction of hydroforming technology by collaborative and variable loadings are prospected.

Key words: special-shaped hollow component, hydroforming, collaborative loading of pressure-volume, variable clamping force

CLC Number:

TG394

CUI Xiaolei, HE Jiuqiang, HAN Cong, YUAN Shijian. Hydroforming Technology of Complex Special-shaped Hollow Components by Collaborative and Variable Loadings[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2023, 59(20): 143-153.

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