Substituting tube-hydroformed parts for automotive stampings: An economic model

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Substituting tube-hydroformed parts for automotive stampings: An economic model

Constantine, B. / Roth, R. / Clark, J.P.

Three case studies presented here help to establish the competitive advantages and limitations of the emerging tubular hydroforming process. The first case showed that where either a single pair of stampings or a single hydroformed tube can manufacture a single dimensionally equivalent design, stamping appears to be the economically efficient choice. If, however, a single hydroformed part replaces three or more stampings, hydroforming is expected to win out. The second case emphasizes that innovative stamped designs can produce a less costly product than hydroforming, albeit at the expense of greater weight. The third case showes that if the identical design can be either stamped in two pieces or hydroformed in a single piece, stamping is the cost-effective solution. For these analyses, functional equivalence is assumed, allowing comparison of manufacturing costs. In practice, however, the decision to choose hydroforming or stamping occurs based on several attributes, of which economic considerations are but one.