General Process for Hydroforming
The Hydroforming process group provides the following main processes:
• Blanking process: blanking is performed by one of the following soft-tooled processes (which are in the Sheet Metal process group):
o 2 Axis Router
o Laser Cut
The blanking process creates the blank that will be formed by the Hydroforming process, and also creates the part’s holes, if none have high tolerance or would be distorted by subsequent forming.
The cost model also supports routings that perform blanking (and feasible hole making) with an alternative, shear-based process, Offline Blanking. This hard-tooled process uses coil stock fed into a blanking press.
• Hydroform: this process includes operations for cleaning the tool, loading the blank onto the hydroform machine, forming the blank, unloading the formed part from the machine, and inspecting the part. It also can include an operation for hand adjustment of forms.
There are two types of hydroforming routings: fluid cell routings and deep draw routings. Both types of routings use the Hydroform process, but they use different types of Hydroform machines (see
Cost Model Overview for Hydroforming), and different component-level operations, Hydroform Fluid Cell and Hydroform Deep Draw. The cost model evaluates the feasibility of using each type of routing, in part, by considering various depth-to-width ratios associated with the part’s forms.
For some parts, multiple fluid cell or deep draw cycles are required. Parts are annealed between cycles (using the Standard Anneal process in the Heat Treatment process group).
There are also two utilization processes (which are responsible for stock selection and material utilization calculations):
• Coil Material Stock: included in routings that use Offline Blanking.
• Sheet Material Stock: included in routings that use 2 Axis Router or Laser Cut for blanking.
Routings also include the Bench Operation process from the Sheet Metal—Stretch Forming process group. This process includes operations for final cleaning and inspection of the formed part.
Secondary machining (the Trim Drill sequence on the 5-Axis Mill) is included for parts whose blanks include addendum (to accommodate deep forms or high-tolerance edges), and for parts with holes that have high tolerance or would be distorted by subsequent forming.
Note that, even though blanking is actually performed before forming, Laser Cut or 2 Axis Router always appear in the Manufacturing Process pane after the processes in the Hydroform process group. Similarly, even though annealing is actually performed between forming draws, Standard Annealing always appears in the Manufacturing Process pane after the processes in the Hydroform process group.