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HOME // CAPABILITIES // FLOWFORMING METAL SPINNING (SPIN FORMING)

Flowforming or Metal Spinning (Spin Forming)

REQUES T A QUOTE

a Precision Metal Forming Process

PMF is a contract metals fabricator, specializing

in flowforming seamless, complex, hollow metal

parts. PMF's capability to combine flowforming, or
metal spinning (spin forming), with an array of
other inhouse metal forming processes, such as
deep drawing, rotoforming, hydroforming,
electromagnetic forming, and other metal

FLOWFORMING WHITEPAPERS
FLOWFORMING DEMO
BENEFITS OF FLOWFORMING
FLOWFORMING CASE STUDIES

fabricating processes, means that PMF controls

the manufacturing process of your part or
assembly from concept to completion.
When you combine PMF's engineering and
technical capabilities and inhouse family of
manufacturing processes, you get a unique
offering capable of manufacturing precise
complex designs at a cost savings that cannot be
matched by any other company.
Flowforming is an excellent method for forming nickelcobaltbased super alloys, stainless steels,
aluminum, brass, tantalum, columbium, titanium, and other heatresistant steels. Flowforming produces
parts that are cylindrical, conical, or contoured with precise control of desired wall thicknesses.
Flowforming is sometimes referred to as a controlled metal spinning process. A key difference between
flowforming and metal spinning is that spinning does not reduce wall thickness of the starting blank;
therefore spinning does not hold precise control of contours. Flowforming is based on a calculated
reduction of the thickness of a starting blank or preform. The reduction is closely controlled, which

What makes PMF unlike any

other metals manufacturer?
It's flowforming + rotoforming +
electromagnetic forming + laser
cutting + machining + heat treating +
press forming...and well, you get the
idea.
We manufacture your metal parts
from concept to completion, all
under one roof. What's our process
mean to you? Less time, less money,
and better quality results. We simply
give you more.
See our full list of capabilities.

results in precise wall thicknesses and accurate profiles of the final part.
Another difference between flowforming and metal spinning is in the stability of the formed part. The
typical spinning process heats the preform to provide the required ductility and often distorts the final
part during cooling. Flowforming is a cold forming process, which ensures the final part's controlled
characteristics are to design with no distortion.

Stainless Steel

Hastelloy

High Strength
Low Alloy Steel
(HSLA)

Brass

Maraging Steel

Aluminum

Alloy Steel

Nickel

Precipitated
Hardened
Stainless Steel

Niobium

Titanium

Columbium

Copper

Tantalum

Inconel

Flowforming Process
The flowforming process starts with the design of a preform that is calculated to ensure the most
efficient use of materials. The preform can be produced in several different methods. The most
common industry methods use bar, forgings, or tubing. Although PMF does efficiently use these
methods, our most costeffective method uses plate or sheet metal.
The preform is then flowformed against a hardened mandrel utilizing CNC equipment to control wall
thicknesses and profiles to within a few thousandths of an inch. PMF's state of the art CNC flowforming
equipment ensures part and process repeatability.
PMF uses one of the three distinct processes to achieve the part's final profile or shape:
Forward axial flowforming
Reverse axial flowforming
Shear forming

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Each of these processes can use a one, two, three, or four roller configuration based on the part profile
and starting wall thickness.
View an animated demo of flowforming.

Features
The unique features of the flowforming process allow for innovative, costeffective engineering or
redesign of your product or part, resulting in the following features:
Traditional multipiece designs can be formed as a single, seamless piece
Increase mechanical properties, such as tensile/yield strength and hardness
Provide design versatility to produce a unique seamless profile with varying wall thicknesses
Produce cylindrical, conical, or contoured shapes up to 47" diameter
Typical interior finishes of 15Ra without additional manufacturing steps
High material utilization from nearnet shape forming process

What Makes a Component Ideal for Flow Forming?

Symmetry around a centreline cones and cylinders (or a combination).
Final part wall thicknesses between .020 and .200in.
Diameters between 1 and 24in.
Lengthtodiameter ratios greater than 2.5 to 1.
Controlled variations in wall thickness, especially where there are heavy bottoms and thinner side
walls.
Difficulttoform materials, including stainless steel, Hastelloy, Inconel, and other heatresisting
alloys.
Requirements for various additional manufacturing processes, including machining, welding, or
finishing.
Parts that can benefit from the effects of coldworking on the material increased strength and wear
resistance, harder surfaces.
Tolerances that exceed the capabilities of deep drawing or spinning requiring precision that
approaches machined parts.
Parts that can benefit from design changes to optimise the effectiveness of flowforming without
adversely affecting function.
Parts capable of carrying a higher overhead than is incurred with simple stamping, sheetmetal
bending, or other basic forming operations.

For more information on PMF's capabilities, contact us.

Copyright 2000 2015. All rights reserved.

PMF Industries, Inc. Precision Metal Forming
P.O. Box 3186 2601 Reach Road Williamsport, Pennsylvania 17701 USA
Sales: sales@pmfind.com | Engineering: engineer@pmfind.com
Phone: (570) 3239944 | Fax: (570) 3239918
Link to PMF Industries, Inc.
Website by MoJo Active

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