Flexform Tooling
Single-piece tooling is the primary reason for the growing adoption of Flexform among sheet metal parts fabricators.
There are four basic types of fluid cell tools:
- Punch, or male die. The simplest, least expensive, and most widely used type of fluid cell tool, having the same shape as the internal surface of the pressing.
- Punch with Blank Holder. The blank holder supports the entire unstressed area of the blank. This reduces the risk of drawing too much of the sheet metal into the forming area, which may result in wrinkling.
- Die, or cavity die or female die. A central cavity surrounded by a flat or curved section upon which the blank rests, thus eliminating the need for a separate blank holder. The surface of the die produces the external surface of the pressed part.
- Expansion Die. Used when the blank is to be pressed radially outwards into undercuts in the cavity. The die is made in two or more pieces, and is pulled apart after the pressing cycle to allow removal of the part.
