Our Custom Flowforming Process

Redefining Metal-Shaping Possibilities

When you combine the flow forming process with PMF’s other strategic, in-house metal forming, fabricating, and assembly processes, you take metal flowforming to the next level.

We call it FlowformingPlus™ — a powerful assortment of custom flow forming and metal-working solutions, from concept to final product, that have very tangible benefits for our customers.

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Seamless Construction

Flow forming can produce seamless components with varying contours and wall thicknesses, resulting in parts with no or few welds, thus reducing welding and related testing costs and the need to maintain inventories of different components. Even if there is a welded joint in the preform, after our process has been done, the weld is virtually indistinguishable in the final flow formed component.

Complete Assemblies

PMF's unique FlowformingPlus™ process allows us to manufacture far more than simple flowformed components. We can use any of our metal forming processes in combination to produce complex parts with weldments, multiple assembly operations, or sophisticated machining or EDM work.

Review our full list of processes that make up FlowformingPlus™.

Precise Thickness Control

The wall thickness is controlled very precisely. As a result, a uniform wall thickness can be produced, or one that varies precisely along the length of the part. In addition, the material is only displaced and not removed, in the metal forming process.

These facts allow the engineer to use less material where it is not required while at the same time maintaining material thickness where more material is needed for strength or other purposes such as forming flanges or joining other components by welding.

Lower Cost

Flow forming metal enables one-piece construction of assemblies and saves money on material, inventory, tooling, and assembly. This process enables PMF to manufacture finished parts using less material, and therefore, in a more cost-effective way. One piece construction also eliminates the need for non-destructive testing which is typical in welded parts.

Less Weight

Flowforming eliminates the need for thicker materials that would otherwise be required if the part was welded. Increased mechanical properties due to cold working reduce the need for thicker cross section areas in high stress areas.

Review our case studies for real-world examples of how we helped other customers manufacture their custom parts more efficiently.

Accurate Profiles

Flow forming’s precision over the length of the component, through variable contours and wall thicknesses, controls tolerances to within the range of machined parts.

Components can be produced with diameters ranging from 0.75 to 48 inches, wall thicknesses from 0.015 to 0.50 inch, and lengths up to several feet. The feasibility and accuracy of these dimensions depend on the combination of material, wall thickness, length and diameter.