Sapa Hydroformung

How a fluid becomes a designer

Hydroforming is a very special type of metal forming. The starting point is an extruded aluminium tube. The process allows a workpiece to be shaped three-dimensionally in a single operation. This is a major advantage of this method because production time is markedly reduced.

Hydroforming allows either the whole cross-section to be processed or just individual parts of it. It is interesting to note that extremely large amounts of deformation can be achieved. This makes it possible to produce very complex parts with extremely high accuracy of fit.

The principle of hydroforming is as simple as it is ingenious. An aluminium tube is placed inside a tool whose internal geometry is exactly the same shape as the component to be manufactured. After closing the tool, a fluid is forced into the aluminium tube and there is a build-up of hydrostatic pressure. This tube is thus pressed against the tool so that it adopts the outer contour of the tool.

At the end of the 1990s, Sapa began working with two well-known car manufacturers, Volvo and Ford, on the development and prototype production of side-impact supports using the hydroforming process. A challenging co-operation that proved to be very successful: Sapa began series production and supply of this vitally important vehicle
part to Volvo in the autumn of 2001.