New Micro Tube Hydroforming System Based on Floating Die Assembly Concept

Abstract

The advancement of micro tube hydroforming (THF) technology has been hindered by, among others, the lack of robust microdie systems that could facilitate hydroforming of complex parts that require both expansion and feeding. This paper proposes a new micro-THF die assembly that is based on floating a microdie-assembly in a pressurized chamber. The fluid pressure inside the chamber which surrounds the dies and punches is the same as the pressure required to hydroform the tube. The fluid pressure intensity in the chamber varies in accordance with the predetermined pressure loading path required to successfully hydroform the part. The system was built, and hydroforming experiments were carried out for various micro- and meso-scale shapes, including bulge-shapes, Y-shapes, and T-shapes.