Advanced Manufacturing | Metal Forming & Joining Technologies

Hydroforming, Superplastic Forming, Thixoforming (semi-solid metal casting), Powder Compacting Press, Friction Welding

Global companies in the automotive, aerospace, and defense industries rely on our experience to provide advanced manufacturing technology and contract manufacturing services. Through our network of industry-leading South Korean equipment manufacturers, we offer advanced technologies for hydroforming, superplastic forming (thermoforming and gas blow forming), and thixoforming (semi-solid metal casting; SSM).

For advanced manufacturing services, select our pre-qualified and highly-experienced partner manufacturers for prototyping services, engineering services, precision machining, and small batch contract manufacturing services. Our client list include companies, such as Hyundai-Kia, Faurecia, POSCO, LG Electronics, Agency for Defense Development (Korea), and KARI (Korea Aerospace Research Institute).

Advanced Manufacturing | Metal Forming Technologies

Hydroforming

Tube hydroforming is performed by applying hydrostatic pressure from inside the tube. This process results in uniform mechanical properties with low springback and low residual stress from the forming process. This forming technology allows for a broad range of part shapes and sizes and helps reduce the number of production steps to produce the same part using traditional manufacturing methods. Sheet metal hydroforming is performed by applying hydrostatic pressure on one side of the sheet metal. This advanced manufacturing technology allows for a higher forming ratio than deep drawing so is ideal for materials such as aluminum. Sheet hydroforming guarantees better mechanical properties due to uniform stretching during the forming process. The investment costs for tooling are also lower due to the use of a one-sided die.

We offer hydroforming prototyping services, contract manufacturing, and hydroforming presses for tube and sheet hydroforming. Used in the automotive and aerospace industries, our presses have been supplied to POSCO (800kN/250kN press), Samsung/Fine DNC (4000kN press), and Sekyo (15,000kN press).

Hydroforming Press | Advanced Manufacturing
Hydroforming Press | Advanced Manufacturing

Superplastic Forming | Thermoforming, Blow Forming

Superplastic forming is an advanced manufacturing process which has high shaping accuracy with no springback effect or residual stresses. Other advantages of superplastic forming lie in the high formability and design flexibility to produce complex shapes. The ability to produce larger parts minimizes the weight and assembly required, which is crucial for automotive lightweighting as well as for the aerospace industry.

Our prototype manufacturing and small batch superplastic forming manufacturing services are ideal for complex parts and specialized applications.

Superplastic Forming (SPF) | Thermoforming | Blow Forming | Advanced Manufacturing
Superplastic Forming (SPF) | Thermoforming | Blow Forming | Advanced Manufacturing

Thixoforming | Semi-solid Metal Casting

Thixoforming or semi-solid metal casting (SSM) is a manufacturing process that combines the advantages of both casting and forging of non-ferrous metals by forming parts between casting and forging temperatures. Thus, thixoforming allows the production of lightweight, near net shape complex parts with tight tolerances due to reduced shrinkage. Compared to typical castings, the parts produced by thixoforming are also porosity-free and have uniform microstructures. The lower temperatures required for production also result in lower investment costs for tooling since exotic metals for tooling are typically not required.

Other than contract manufacturing services, we also supply thixoforming presses with speeds up to 600mm/sec and precise control over the entire stroke.

Advanced Manufacturing | Joining Technologies

Friction Welding

Our rotary friction welding machines are designed and manufactured in-house. We offer both CNC and hydraulic friction welding machines depending on the application requirements as well as automatic flash removal and automatic loading/unloading systems if desired.

Advanced manufacturing divisions of various global companies in the oil and gas industry, energy industry, and automotive industry rely on our friction welding machine to produce complex parts and weld dissimilar metals.

Some of the products manufactured using our rotary friction welding machine include:

  • Camshafts
  • Engine Valves
  • Driveshafts
  • Battery Terminals
  • Shock Absorber Rods
  • Track Rollers
  • Propeller Shafts
  • Downhole Drilling Tools

To learn more about our joining technologies, please visit our Rotary Friction Welding Machinery page.

High Precision Machining | Advanced Manufacturing Services

The advanced manufacturing technology companies we select as manufacturing partners are industry experts in machine building, automotive, and aerospace industries. Our select partners have up to 40 years of extensive manufacturing experience with quality and management certificates for their facilities, such as TS16949 and AS9100 certificates. Through our network of pre-qualified companies, we provide contract manufacturing services for the high precision machining of molds and forging dies, industrial products, and precision machined parts for machine tools.

 

Precision Machine Components | Machine Tools

We are a trusted partner of global companies, such as Caterpillar, Mazak, Tsudakoma, Makino, NTC, Toshiba, and Hyundai-Wia. Manufacturing experience of precision machine parts for machine tools include gears, spindles, housings, sleeves, bushings, pistons, collets, shafts, couplings, caps, spacers, manifold blocks, brackets, and sprockets.

 

Turbines | Turbo Compressors | Turbopumps

Precision machining and engineering capabilities include the manufacturing of turbines and turbo compressors for power generation, automotive, aerospace, gas turbine engines, turbomachinery, and turbopump rocket engines.

Advanced Manufacturing Clients | Automotive, Aerospace, Defense, Research

Global Companies

  • Faurecia
  • Hyundai-Kia
  • Hyundai Hysco
  • Hwashin
  • DongHee
  • IHI Turbo
  • Hitachi
  • TATA
  • POSCO
  • TI Metal Forming
  • Samsung
  • LG Electronics

Aerospace, Defense, Military

  • Agency for Defense Development (Korea)
  • Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI)
  • Korean Air Force

Research Institutions and Organizations

  • Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM)
  • Korea Automotive Technology Institute (KATECH)
  • Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (KRISO)
  • Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI)
  • Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH)

Advanced Manufacturing | Quality & Management Certifications

To provide the utmost quality and service, we exclusively partner with highly experienced machinery manufacturers and manufacturers of advanced manufacturing technologies. Our partners have up-to-date quality and management certificates as applicable:

  • ISO9001
  • ISO14001
  • ISO/TS16949
  • AS9003/AS9100

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