Exploring Fluid Cell Forming

What is Fluid Cell Forming?

This type of hydroforming pushes high-pressure fluid into a bladder situated above the flat blank. This forces the metal, placed over a single side tool, to conform to the desired shape by creating both vertical and horizontal pressure. The result is a simple or complex shape designed for performance in any industry. 

At Re:Build Cutting Dynamics, our customers commonly use this process for quick, efficient, and cost-effective results as it transforms ductile metals into intricate components. We especially recommend the process for projects that demand intricate parts that are complex, asymmetrical, or long and shallow.  

The process works particularly well on aluminum, but we can also use any cold-formed metal including copper, nickel, steel, and stainless steel. 

Advantages of Fluid Cell Sheet Hydroforming in Aerospace

Fluid cell sheet hydroforming offers several key advantages that make it ideal for aerospace applications:

Complex Geometries

The ability to form complex shapes with deep draws, compound curves, and intricate details is unmatched. This is crucial in aerospace, where components must often meet exacting specifications.

Material Efficiency

The process allows for the use of thinner metal sheets without compromising strength. This not only reduces material costs but also contributes to the overall weight reduction of the aircraft, enhancing fuel efficiency.

Cost-Effectiveness

By using single-sided tooling, fluid cell sheet hydroforming significantly reduces tooling costs — by nearly 50% — when compared to traditional matched-metal stamping tools. This makes it an attractive option for low to medium volume production runs, where traditional methods might be prohibitively expensive.

Fluid Cell Forming Applications in the Aerospace Industry

Fluid cell sheet hydroforming is already making a significant impact in aerospace manufacturing. Some of the many applications taking advantage of this process include:

Aircraft Panels — The process is ideal for forming exterior panels that are lightweight yet strong, contributing to the overall efficiency of the aircraft.

Structural Parts — Structural components, which must meet stringent safety and performance standards, are also being produced using this technology.

A Cut Above: Explore how the precision afforded by CNC machining is critical to the aerospace industry. Read more here. 

Take Advantage of Fluid Cell Forming, and More, with Re:Build Cutting Dynamics

The future of aerospace manufacturing is taking shape — quite literally — through the power of fluid cell sheet hydroforming by offering a combination of precision, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. As the aerospace industry continues to evolve, this technology will play a crucial role in meeting the demands of tomorrow’s aircraft, enabling the creation of components that are lighter, stronger, and more efficient than ever before.

At Re:Build Cutting Dynamics, hydroforming has long been one of our core competencies — and just one among a long list of capabilities that includes hot forming titanium, precision machining, bending and forming, expertise in advanced thermoplastic composites, and much more.

We’ve invested and optimized our hydroforming operations, as evidenced by our implementation of the Triform fluid cell sheet hydroforming press from Beckwood Press Company. Featuring a universal diaphragm with 10,000 psi applied across the material’s surface, it forms the metal into any shape placed in the chamber. It allows high-speed, rapid tool changes to form parts with low-to-moderate complexity, and eliminates the need for matched die sets and decreases overall tooling costs. The rapid cycle length of 32 seconds decreases overall turnaround time. 

Connect with our team today to learn more about how our fluid cell forming can improve your part producing efficiency.