Free-Bending - a new bending technique in the hydroforming process chain

A relatively novel bending technique "Free-Bending", particularly suitable for bending profile and tube cross-sections, is investigated with the aim of improving its applicability in the automotive industry. Free-Bending has advantageous characteristics such as fast bending speeds and an almost free definable bending geometry with transition-less bend-in-bends and spline bends without re-clamping making it highly applicable in the car component manufacture. For a precise investigation, a FEM simulation model of the Free-Bending process was developed and verified using bending tests. This close-to-reality simulation method has enabled Free-Bending to be used for feasibility studies for new applications and also for the hydroforming process chain to reduce the physical tryouts with the intention of time/cost reduction and quality improvement.