St. Louis, MO – Beckwood Press Company, a leading manufacturer of custom hydraulic presses, automation systems, and the Triform line of precision forming equipment, has been awarded contracts by two major aerospace suppliers located in Mexico and Malaysia to manufacture Triform model 24-5FC fluid cell sheet hydroforming presses. The OEMs intend to use the new Triform presses to manufacture a variety of aluminum aerospace components including ribs, panels, ducts, and joints.
With a 24-in. diameter forming area, 5,000psi of pressure, and cycle times under 20 seconds, the 24-5FC offers speed and versatility for low volume, high-mix production environments. Additionally, the compact footprint (142”L x 35”W x 88”H) and flush-floor design does not require any pits or special foundations.
During the fluid cell sheet hydroforming process, blank material is placed on a single, unmated tool resting unsecured in the forming area. A pressurized diaphragm extends over the tool and blank, exerting equal pressure on every square inch of the part’s surface. This even application of pressure results in uniform net shape parts without wrinkles, tears or secondary finishing.
Since the diaphragm acts as a universal female die, mated tooling is not required. This can reduce tooling costs by 50-90% when compared to traditional forming methods. Additionally, hydroform tools can be made from diverse materials including steel, aluminum, 3D printed substrates, poured epoxies, and even wood.
“In recent years, we have noticed an influx of requests from aerospace suppliers in Mexico and Southeast Asia,” said Triform sales engineer, Caleb Dixon. “These two installations solidify our commitment to expanding the international aerospace supplier network.”