Hydroforming turnkey lines for chassis cross members

Description

In close cooperation with its customers Schuler develops and manufactures complex hydroforming lines for a wide variety of parts.  Using tubes as starting material, the lines process the tubing up to a ready-to-install part.  The example cited here involved the engineering/planning and manufacture of a complete production line for chassis side rails.  
The centerpiece of the line is a hydraulic 5,000-metric-ton short-stroke press by Schuler, which performs both the hydroforming and pre-forming functions.  The press is equipped with double-action water hydraulics, two pressure intensifiers for generation of the required high pressure, and a die change system.  The material is guided through the line by means of two production lanes connected to the automated handling system.  Steps in manufacturing include: bending, passing through the lubrication application unit, pre-forming, washing, drop out for heat treatment.  After refeeding back into the line the cross member then undergoes final sizing/calibration by hydroforming.  Then, after passing through the hole monitoring station, laser trimming, a second cleaning, and a calibrating station for the ends the cross member is ready for further processing.

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