Research and advances in fundamentals and industrial applications of hydroforming

The automotive industry, with an increasing demand for weight reduction in modern vehicle construction, is a driving factor in the research and development work carried out on the area of hydroforming technology by research facilities, supplier industry and users. Their research and investigations during the past few years have supported the increasing application of this technology, which offers decisive advantages regarding the manufacturing of complex shaped lightweight components. This article provides an overview of the state of the art and important advances of hydroforming regarding the design of process steps, semifinished products, presses and tools and briefly presents new hydroforming technologies like the use of heat energy to improve formability of lightweight materials.