Explosive Forming

What is explosive forming?

= High Velocity Forming Explosive Shockwave in waterKinetic energy Plastic work

Explosive Forming
Explosive forming is the forming of sheet metal using explosive materials using large amounts of energy over a very short time . In general, a metal sheet is placed on a die. The die cavity is vacuumed and the assembly is placed in water. An explosive charge is detonated under water pushing the sheet in the die in about 2 milliseconds.

Explosive Forming

Explosive Forming
This technique uses the energy generated by an explosive detonation to form the metal work piece. This process can deliver a great deal of flexibility in the metal-forming process.

Why Explosive Forming?

It can simulate a variety of other conventional metal forming techniques such as stamp- or press-forming and spin-forming in a single operation It can offer significant cost savings on short-run parts because a one-sided tooling die is generally all thats required Explosive hydro-forming can efficiently form large parts up to 14 square or 10 in diameter

Explosive Forming
The main distinguishing factor of explosive forming is that the explosives can be applied in any mass and shape. Therefore the process does not have the restrictions in product size, shape, material and thickness

Explosive Forming
Explosives are substances that undergo rapid chemical reaction during which heat and large quantities of gaseous products are evolved. Explosives can be solid (TNT-trinitro toluene), liquid (Nitroglycerine), or Gaseous (oxygen and acetylene mixtures). cyclotrimethylene trinitramine (RDX), pentaerythritoltetranitrate(PETN), Sizes range currently at Exploform up to 10x2 meters, thicknesses from 0.3 mm aluminium to 60 mm stainless steel and many types of aluminium, titanium,stainless steel and nickel have been successfully formed by explosive forming.

HISTORY OF EXPLOSIVE FORMING

Explosive forming was applied in the 1960s in the USA and for aerospace and space applications Also, the technology of explosive welding was developed in the 1970s. Several factors contributed to the re-introduction of explosive forming in the 1990s for forming products with more complicated shapes were required in smaller quantities.

APPLICATIONS WITH EXPLOSIVE FORMING

Explosive forming is mainly applied for nuclear installations, gas turbine components, architectural buildings and art. Some examples are: Exhaust collectors for the Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine. Cover plates for a nuclear water basin. Many types of combustor liners from nickel alloys Many types of manifolds for both gas turbines with a very uniform thickness.

Advantages of Explosion Forming

improved quality of parts (by high-strength materials), perfecting the installation through adapting active media to different shapes of part, simply adapting to production process, reduction of production stages, flexibility of the process due to quick and simple transformation of the tool elements, low production costs. Maintains precise tolerances. Eliminates costly welds. Controls smoothness of contours. Reduces tooling costs. Less expensive alternative to super-plastic forming.

Examples of Explosion Formed Metal

Boiler Products

Missile Components

Aircraft Radar Shields

Methods of Explosive Forming

Explosive Forming Operations can be divided into two groups, depending on the position of the explosive charge relative to the workpiece. There are two methods used when forming with explosives, the standoff method and the contact method.

The standoff method

The standoff method of explosive forming has the charge located some distance from the workpiece Generally, water is used as away to ensure the even transfer of energy to the workpiece and to reduce noise caused bythe explosion. When the pressure wave (fluid force) expands against the workpiece, the metal is compressed against the form die causing the desired shape to be formed.

 Working The system used for Standoff operation consists of following parts: 1) An explosive charge 2) An energy transmitted medium 3) A die assembly 4) The workpiece.

the contact method

The contact method uses an explosive charge directly in contact with the workpiece while detonation occurs. The detonation can produce extremely high pressures on the surface up to several million psi.