Hydroforming - the futuristic creation of steel framing using water pressure.
Since the beginning of the horse drawn carriage people have relied on some sort of vehicle to help transport them from one place to another. Although people may have taken these carriages for granted there was a definite science to the creation of these various types of vehicles.
A critical element in how these vehicles were constructed was by a Master. Before he was a master he had to learn the many necessary skills to design and build carriages. During the application of his craft as a professional the master craftsman had to use all of the theory and tools to work with wood, necessary in early frame construction. .
In working with these materials the master eventually learned what would work and what would not work in making his designs. The basis of the carriage, the frame was probably the most important component of the carriage in that all the weight of the body rests upon this basic platform. Without this platform the carriage lacked the rigidity to withstand the pressure of its own weight much like the keel of a ship. Problems like doors that closed evenly and solidly would not work without this type of support to balance the weight of the carriage. ( Hauer).
Current frame production uses rails that are cut and welded together in much the same way as early frames during the beginning of motorized vehicles.
A new way to produce these vehicle frames is called hydroforming. Hydroforming is a process that uses internal hydraulic water pressure to bend or force metal to take the shape of a die. ( Hauhinco).
During the hydroforming process, the hydraulic liquid presses the piece outward towards the die. Simultaneously, cylinders push in from the ends of the die with material where needed. The relationship between the increase in pressure in the liquid and the increase in axial force is a very important part of hydroforming.
