Flexform Presses

Flexform Applications
Flexforming is a modern sheet metal forming method for cost effective low-volume production. Avure Technologies AB has supplied high pressure rubber diaphragm presses to the world's major aircraft manufacturers. Flexforming is also used by leading automotive companies and for general low-volume sheet metal forming to achieve low cost, short lead times and high quality.

This is Flexforming - Low tool costs, short lead times, high quality.
In Flexforming, sheet metal is formed over one rigid, shape defining tool half by a flexible rubber diaphragm ( also called the bladder ) supported by high hydraulic pressure. The use of a single rigid tool half results in short lead times, low tool cost, fast try-out and easy tool modification after component-design changes. The flexible rubber diaphragm forms scratch-free parts of complex shape, including undercuts, with different sheet thicknesses in all materials. High uniform forming pressures ensure high quality parts with close tolerances directly off the press and adds the possibility of trimming in the same press cycle. Bulging or expansion forming can also be performed with Flexforming.

Flexform Fluid Cell Presses
Flexform fluid cell presses ( also called bag press, bladder press, hydroform press ) are intended for forming large items or several smaller parts in one cycle. Tools are placed, without the need for fixing, in the press trays (tables); there is normally one tray at each end of the press and these shuttle in and out of the press frame, where the flexible rubber diaphragm is situated. The tools can be simple punches (blocks), punches with fixed blank holders, dies or expansion tools.

The cycle time is normally one to three minutes, depending on press size, formed parts and selected pressure.

More than 20 years ago our company also delivered several rubber pad presses ( Guerin process, using a solid rubber pad or ). However, rubber pad pressing has severe technical limitations leading to a preference of the aerospace manufacturing industry for the flexible rubber diaphragm forming.

AVURE offers a full line of standard models of small and large QUINTUS ^® Flexform Presses and they are available with rectangular trays from 0.9 x 2 m up to 2 x 3,6 m tray size and for pressures 100 or 140 MPa (1,000 bar/14,500 psi or 1,400 bar/20,000 psi).

For off-loading and back-up for larger rectangular Flexform fluid cell presses or for forming of smaller parts, standard-sized QUINTUS ^® Circular Flexform presses are available with circular trays of 0.7 (27.5") or 1 m (39.4") diameter and for pressures up to 80 MPa (800 bar/11,600 psi). From a forming point of view, the Circular Flexform press is identical to the rectangular fluid cell press.

The QUINTUS ^® Flexform Deep Draw presses ( also called fluid form presses ) are the most versatile in terms of forming capabilities. They can form the same kind of parts as Flexform fluid cell presses, in addition to very complex and deep parts which require a deep draw function.

Flexform deep drawing ( fluid forming ) is performed with the rigid tool half - a movable punch and a blank holder - and by controlling the forming pressure as a function of the draw depth. The circular Flexform unit contains the flexibel rubber diaphragm.

QUINTUS ^® Flexform deep draw presses are manufactured with usable tool area diameters up to 1.2 meters and operate at pressures up to 200 MPa (2,000 bar/29,000 psi) or models can also be custom configured to meet your needs.