Hydroforming Design Light AB seizes

Anyone who’s stepped into the ocean has felt the fearsome power of water. A wave pushing you back to shore or an undertow dragging you out to sea hints at the principles behind hydroforming, a metal-shaping technique that yields stronger, lighter and potentially more intricate products.

Hydroforming uses pressurized water to expand aluminum or steel into molds. The consistent, even force minimizes the weaknesses that can plague stamped and deep drawn parts. Hydroforming has long been popular in automotive and aviation, industries with deep pockets and high-quantity production runs; however, a Swedish company, Hydroforming Design Light AB, has found a way to make the process more affordable and suited to lower production runs. It uses less pressure but compensates with hydraulics and mechanical locks.

“For the first time, a company can obtain high-quality hydroformed parts in quantities as low as 500 per year,” explains Peter Alm, design manager and co-owner of the firm, whose customers include Volvo, Electrolux and Metso. The full-service company designs solutions for its clients then uses hydroforming to fabricate them, resulting in everything from exhaust pipes to bicycle frames to designer furniture.