Rubber Press Sheet Metal Forming

Rubber pad forming presses use an enclosed rubber or urethane pad box as a universal female die to form parts over a single un mated tool.

Rubber press sheet metal forming.

Rubber press forming a small rib for a horizontal stabilizer. Impresa uses the hydroform process to produce large sophisticated parts including fuselage frames. The blank of sheet metal work piece is placed on the die. Rubber pad forming is a metalworking process where sheet metal is pressed between a die and a rubber block made of polyurethane.

Fluid pressure forces metal such as aluminum brass alloy steel and stainless steel directly over the die through a diaphragm. Rubber is forced all around the work creating pressure and forming the metal onto the die. The tool is placed unsecured onto the bed bolster and downward pressure is applied. Alternatively they can be machined in the shape of die or punch.

A rigid lower die often called a form block provides the mold for forming the sheet metal. Hydroform presses are incredibly powerful delivering over 10 000 psi to achieve complex forming and tight tolerances. Often the rubber is incased in a steel container and serves as a punch. Under pressure the forming pad molds the sheet metal into the shape of the die thus forming the part.

Rubber pad forming is a deep drawing technique that is ideally suited for the production of small and medium sized series. A work piece is placed over a rigid die. Before the forming process the blanks are precut to their final dimension. The rubber pad forming sheet metal parts having without stress.

For metalworking processes sheet metal is pressed between a die and a forming pad which is connected to a hydraulic press. Under pressure the rubber and sheet metal are driven into the die and conform to its shape forming the part. The forming block was machined on a cnc mill. It is easy and requires application of rigid container fillet with solid rubber pad.

The rubber pads can have a general purpose shape like a membrane. Rubber forming rubber forming uses a flexible material such as rubber or polyurethane to form a sheet metal work piece. The punch forces the work into the rubber. Solid rubber pad forming process.

A beckwood 400 ton rubber pad forming press making 5 different parts in one cycle. Cost effective way to form sheet metal in addition to the strengthening of the metal 3 verson hydroform bladder presses 4. The fully contained pad box prevents the rubber from extruding outside of the work area during the forming process.