Tool design for sheet metal forming by liquid pressure (hydraform)

Sheet metal parts are widely used in all areas of our daily life. Many methods have been developed to shape these parts, and each has its advantages and weaknesses. Shaping with liquid pressure (hydraform) stands out among these methods, with the low investment cost of equipment and quick launching of parts. In these days, it is mostly used in the aviation and automotive industries for low volume production, design verification or prototype production needs. In this study, the issues to be considered in the design of the mold / equipment used for shaping in the hydraform process are examined. In the scope of the study, design improvements are also presented against the problems that may be experienced during the process caused by the design of the sheet metal part and the problems that may be experienced in the machine due to the mold design. In order to have the design work done automatically and quickly, it has been implemented in the Catia / Powercopy plugin.