Analysis and design of hydroforming processes by the rigid–plastic finite element method

A three-dimensional finite element program, HydroForm-3D, based on the rigid–plastic model for the analysis and design of hydroforming process was developed. Several typical hydroforming processes such as tee extrusion, cross-extrusion, the hydroforming process combined with the pre-bent process and subframe are analyzed by using this numerical program. The hydraulic pressure force is applied to the normal direction of the tube workpiece by integrating the pressure with respect to each element’s surface area. The predicted simulation results provide information on the actual design. This numerical approach to the hydroforming process will be useful to the development and application for a wide range of automobile structural components.