Sheet Metal Forming Application Center
Discover new and improved ways to optimize your production process
Overview
At Quintus sheet metal forming application center in Sweden, the application team offers training and tool design consultancy services, helping customers to understand how to best achieve results with the Flexform process.
Services Offered
The center is equipped for high-pressure demonstrations, tool and process development, and customer application training, all for new process and equipment development purposes.
Consultation
Consultation on materials, process capabilities, and process parameters
Testing
Thorough testing of the desired process to confirm functionality
Report
A report describing the results and the logged process data
We support by collaborating with an external partner to evaluate chemical composition, microstructure, porosity, mechanical properties, and fatigue properties of the tested samples, scope, and price to be defined based on current needs.
Facilities & Equipment
- Usable tray area of 700 x 1,830 mm (27.6 x 72 in) and a tray depth of 175 mm (6.9 in)
- Maximum operating pressure of 1,400 bar (20,300 psi)
- Capability to form sheet metal at elevated temperatures up to 270°C (518°F)
Equipment
A fluid-cell/hydroforming press - Quintus Flexform - QFC 0.7 x 1.8 - 1400 with an additional High Pressure Warm Forming system.
Our WIP systems apply extremely high pressure (up to 6,000 bar/87,022 psi) in conjunction with elevated temperatures (up to 145°C/293°F) to densify the solid-state cells, removing porosity and voids and ensuring interfacial contact between components.
Expert Support & Collaboration
We encourage customers to leverage the extensive process expertise available through Quintus’ Application Support team. Our team offers tailored demonstration services and a range of process training sessions, designed to suit various skill levels and backgrounds.
The training covers the entire process—from selecting the appropriate blank material and defining the optimal process, to producing the final pressed part. It is typically aimed at operators and tool design engineers, but can also be customized to focus on specific needs, such as individual tool design or forming simulation support.
Design of a sustainable Flexforming procedure for aero engine components in alloy 718
This collaborative study, conducted by Quintus Technologies, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, GKN Aerospace Engine Systems Sweden, SpeedTool, Trestad Laser, and LaserTool, focused on developing a forming procedure for an aero engine component using Inconel® 718.
The project involved detailed calibration of material models and finite element (FE) analyses to capture the anisotropic behavior of the superalloy. Using the Flexform™ technology, both simulations and practical tests were performed, revealing strong alignment between predicted and actual results.
A parameter study assessed the effects of factors like friction, material characteristics, and blank design on thinning, springback, and dimensional accuracy. By adopting sheet metal forming as an initial step followed by machining, the study demonstrated significant sustainability benefits—including an estimated 50% reduction in energy, time, and cost, and at least 25% material savings compared to traditional forging-based manufacturing.
Formability of Ti-6Al-4V at low temperature and high-pressure
Current hot forming methods for shaping titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V are costly and complex, requiring high temperatures, strict procedures, extensive quality checks, and often post-processing like pickling or chemical milling.
To address these challenges, a new warm forming technique has been evaluated, using elevated pressure at significantly lower temperatures than traditional Hot Forming (HF) or Super Plastic Forming (SPF).
Conducted at the Quintus Application Centre in Sweden during 2021–2022, tests formed titanium sheets at 270°C and 140 MPa.
Results showed that this method can reliably produce intricate, high-accuracy aerospace parts with excellent repeatability, as supported by ESI PAM-Stamp simulations, while substantially reducing temperature requirements and overall manufacturing costs.