Energy-efficiency and Robustness in a Hybrid Process of Hydroforming and Polymer Injection Molding

The combination of hydroforming and polymer injection molding is an efficient solution to shorten the manufacturing process chain and to generate potential cost-savings, especially in medium to high production volumes. A promising approach for the evaluation of the energy-efficiency and the robustness of process chains for resource-efficient manufacturing of hybrid components will be shown. The investigations are especially focused on the process chain for manufacturing hybrid profiles by applying different semi-finished products. As a result the determination of the process robustness and the energy consumption is possible, two essential aspects of sustainable manufacturing. Finally, improvement potential for an efficient process design will be demonstrated.