Press Forming May Save You Time And Money

Recently, a customer came to us for a 3D printing quotation. “Lead Time” was a very important factor for the project, so 3D printing was a clear option. However, upon evaluation of the parts and follow-up discussions it became clear that the most economical and effective way to produce the parts would be through press forming on one of MTI’s hydraulic presses.

Press forming can be an excellent option for your project if the part starts from sheet and the alloy of choice has enough ductility to go through significant deformation under load.

If the answer to the previous statement is “yes” (sheet as the starting material and with good ductility), MTI might prescribe press forming as a quick and economical option for your project. MTI manufactures nearly all of its own tooling before running trials for customer evaluation. Modification of tooling may be required after a qualification run to account for spring-back or other considerations.
With years of experience making tooling for press forming and deep draw processing, MTI can predict with pretty-good accuracy how a project should go.

Once a part is produced, MTI has the inspection capabilities to ensure that there
are no surface defects. Dye Penetrant testing and Florescent Dye Penetrant are options for customers if their parts warrant this level of inspection.

The zirconium parts shown in this blog post have been produced at MTI for 25-plus years and require 100% inspection, as they are used in medical isotope production.

About Metal Technology (MTI)

With more than forty years of experience applying innovative, proprietary technologies, Metal Technology (MTI) is making possible the use of difficult alloys for a wider range of applications with greater efficiency, versatility, and reliability.Alloys include Tantalum, Niobium, Zirconium, Titanium, Tungsten and Molybdenum. MTI uses specialized deep-draw, spinning, forging, machining,
EDM, and additive manufacturing methods to deliver superior products according to your exacting specifications.

Contact us for more information on our press-forming abilities.