Internal Flow-Turning - An Innovative Technology for the Manufacture of Tailored Tubes

Abstract

In order to optimise the material utilisation and improve the lightweight design of automotive parts tailored hollow profiles are needed, especially as semi-finished parts for hydroforming. Internal Flow-Turning is an innovative incremental forming technology which enables the manufacture of tubes featuring a varying wall thickness and a constant outer diameter. These characteristics facilitate the material feed at hydroforming processes significantly. In addition, the spinning-related forming technology improves the mechanical material properties, shape and dimensional accuracy, and the surface quality of parts produced.

Internal Flow-Turning – extended manufacturing possibilities in tailored tube production

“…In addition, the geometry of the rolling element affects the surface roughness. The IFT process also improves the roundness of the tube, irrespective of the wall thickness reduction ∆s [1].…”

“…In addition the geometrical forming of the tube cross-section, Internal Flow-Turning also improves the mechanical properties and geometrical accuracy of the rolled tube section. The hardness and strength improvement as a function of the wall thickness reduction, generates an increase of up to 70% [1]. Moreover, the surface roughness can be reduced significantly, depending on the related feed rate [mm/rev] of the rolling tool and the wall thickness reduction.…”

Hot Spinning of Cutting Blades for Food Industry

“…It is characterized by the utilization of universal tooling geometries and quite low forming forces. The process has a high potential to reduce material waste, to extend the forming limits and to achieve more complex geometries as well as favorable part properties [1]. Current research work at the Chair of Forming Technology (LUF) is focused on innovative flow-turning processes that have a high potential for producing flat components with excellent geometrical and mechanical properties while keeping process times short [2].…”