Flow Forming and Shear Forming.

Our heavy duty Leifeld PNC automatic metal spinning lathes can manufacture a wide range of aerospace alloy components in material up to 10mm thick Alloy 6mm thick stainless steel and 1 meter in diameter, we are one of the very few UK based Metal Spinning Companies that offer more than 30 years of experience in this type of process.

Exotic materials including Hastelloy X, Inconel, Nimonic, Titanium and Stainless Steel are our speciality and we can manufacture cones and parts for jet engines using the latest flow turning/forming techniques.

Flow formed parts provide the aerospace industries with component parts that have been manufactured with the minimal amount of material stress and therefor the formed parts retain their full strength after being processed, there are many advantages to be gained by using flow formed parts such as weight, strength and cost effectiveness.

Many complicated parts used in the prime aerospace industries are preformed using the flow forming technique.

What is Flow forming?

Derived from spinning, flow forming is a precise rotary method for reducing the wall thickness of cylindrical parts, with or without a closed base. A short, thick walled pre-form is used which grows in length during the forming process as a function of the reduction in thickness. Thicker collars can be left at the ends as well as external steps or tapers. Even high-strength alloys in the heat-treated condition can be cold flow formed.

What is Shear Forming?

Shear forming is a variant on spinning applied to the manufacture of conical or ogival shapes. Unlike multi-pass spinning, the wall thickness of the work piece is deliberately reduced in a single pass of the work roller, the reduction being a direct function of the change in angle.

Our Leifeld trained and certificated personnel are on hand to offer help, advice and assistance if and when required, please feel free to contact us to discuss your requirement.