Advanced Manufacturing Processes [RYT]

Spinning:
Metal spinning, also called conventional spinning or just spinning, is the forming of
an axis-symmetric part over a rotating mandrel. Force is delivered by a tool with a rounded
end or a roller. A flat, or possibly preformed, work piece is held between a mandrel and tail
stock. As the apparatus rotates, the tool applies localized pressure to the work while it
gradually moves up the mandrel. This causes the sheet metal work to be wrapped over the
mandrel, thus taking its shape. Metal spinning is commonly performed cold, but in some
cases parts may be subject to warm or hot spinning. Spinning is capable of producing large
parts with diameters as high as 20 feet.
The tooling in a metal spinning operation is generally made from tool steel. The
mandrel in some cases may be made of wood. Containers with bottle or tapered necks can be
manufactured on collapsible mandrels that are disassembled and removed from the formed
parts. Set up costs for metal spinning are usually low. Conducting a spinning operation is
relatively expensive on a per unit basis. Deep drawing is usually the main alternative
manufacturing method to metal spinning, for producing parts. In contrast, deep drawing often
requires a high initial investment for set up, while the cost of production per part is low. For
these reasons, deep drawing is more useful for mass production of parts. Spinning is
employed for small numbers of parts, unique, curved, or varied parts and large parts.
Operator skill is important in metal spinning. CNC machinery is now replacing the operator
in many cases. CNC spinning gives a high quality consistent product.

Fig: Spinning.

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 Advanced Manufacturing Processes [RYT]

Shear Spinning:
Shear spinning is a process related to conventional spinning and is also known as flow
turning or spin forging. In a conventional spinning operation the work is essentially formed
by bending. There is usually not much change in the thickness of the sheet metal. The
diameter of the work in conventional spinning must be large enough to account for the size of
the final part. Shear spinning involves forming the work over the mandrel, causing metal flow
within the work. This metal flow will act to reduce the thickness of the work as it is formed.
The initial diameter of the work can be smaller in shear spinning. Limits to the amount of
reduction of work thickness exist in order to prevent fracture. Coolants are normally used in
shear spinning, since this manufacturing process can generate a lot of heat. One or two
rollers, (tools), may be used; two will provide a better balance of forces during the operation.
Shear spinning of some materials will be conducted at elevated temperatures.

Fig: Shear Spinning.

Tube Spinning:
Tube spinning is performed on cylindrical parts. Tube spinning is similar to shear
spinning in that metal flow occurs within the work. This metal flow acts to reduce the
thickness of the metal. While using tube spinning to reduce the thickness of the tube, the
tube's length will be increased. This manufacturing process can be performed externally with
the tube over a mandrel or internally with the tube enclosed by a die. The tool can also in
some cases be moved during the operation, in order to create contours or features on the
inside or outside of the tube.

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 Advanced Manufacturing Processes [RYT]

Fig: Tube Spinning.

Following figure shows the schematic diagram of (a) spinning, (b) shear spinning & (c) tube spinning process.

Flow Forming:
Flow Forming (also called as roto-forming) is an incremental metal
forming technique in which a disk or tube of metal is formed over a mandrel by one or more
rollers using tremendous pressure. The roller deforms the workpiece, forcing it against the
mandrel, both axially lengthening and radially thinning it. Since the pressure exerted by the
roller is highly localized and the material is incrementally formed, often there is a net savings
in energy in forming over drawing or ironing processes. However, these savings are often not
realized because of the inherent difficulties in predicting the resulting deformation for a given
roller path. Flow forming subjects the workpiece to a great deal of friction and deformation.
These two factors may heat the workpiece to several hundred degrees if proper cooling fluid
is not utilized.

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 Advanced Manufacturing Processes [RYT]

Flow forming is often used to manufacture automobile wheels and can be used to
draw a wheel to net width from a machined blank. During flow forming, the workpiece
is cold worked, changing its mechanical properties, so its strength becomes similar to that of
forge

Figure 1: Flow Forming.

Following figure shows the schematic diagram of flow forming process.

Figure 2: Schematic Diagram of Flow Forming.

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 Advanced Manufacturing Processes [RYT]

 Forward and Reverse Flow Forming:

In flow forming, the two process variants forward and reverse flow forming are
distinguished. They are discriminated by the particular direction of plastic material flow. In
forward flow forming, material flow is in parallel to the axial roller feed. The part of the
blank not yet subject to material flow is pushed forward by the rollers’ action. Blanks used
are cups whose bottoms or internal flanges are pressed onto the free end of the mandrel via
the forces exerted by the tailstock and a pressing plate.

If a blank does not have a bottom or internal flange, reverse flow forming provides a
way out. Here, the blank is slid onto the forming mandrel until it reaches its clamping
position. At this point, a traction ring equipped with hardened teeth gets hold of the blank.
The blank is then pressed against the toothed segment due to the axial forces of the rollers,
thus inducing a rotational motion. Plastic material flow during forming takes place
underneath the rollers, initially towards the free end of the forming mandrel and subsequently
into the free working space of the machine. Thus, the direction of material flow is opposite to
the longitudinal feed. In contrast to forward flow forming, possible workpiece lengths are not
restricted by the longitudinal feed of the support and the mandrel length. Therefore, while
reducing wall thickness by e.g. 60 %, the workpiece length can reach 2.5 times the length of
the maximum stroke of the support.

Figure: Forward and Reverse Flow Forming.

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 Advanced Manufacturing Processes [RYT]

The metallic components made by roto- forming or flow forming is shown in figure below-

Figure: Metallic Components Made by Flow Forming.

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