Energy and resource-efficient forming of gas cylinders by friction-spinning

Abstract

Abstract. Friction-spinning as an innovative incremental forming process enables large degrees of deformation in tube and sheet metal-forming due to a self-induced heat generation in the forming zone. This paper presents new process designs for energy and resource-efficient forming of gas cylinders by friction-spinning without the use of an external heat supply. The self-generated heat enables friction-spinning process to reduce the energy demand in the manufacture of gas cylinders, which are usually manufactured with external heat (mostly fossil fuels), by 95 %. Typical gas cylinder contours, such as flattened and spherical bottom ends and cylinder necks, are manufactured by friction-spinning of AW 6060 tubular profiles with specifically designed tool path strategies. It is shown that friction-spinning enables the manufacture of typical gas cylinder contours with sufficient wall thickness and the required gas tightness without the input of external heat. Thus, this process can contribute to an increase in the energy and resource efficiency of forming processes.