Pressure equipment - Forming manufacturing rules

When designing and calculating equipment, the choice of materials must be based on the operating boundary conditions and applicable regulatory requirements. It is also important to take into account the specific requirements of the corresponding specifications. The manufacturing and inspection operations required to produce the various components of such equipment are also of prime importance, failing which the manufacturer will run the risk of encountering difficulties in the production of certain components due to the capacity of the materials to be used.

The main selection criteria concern the mechanical properties of the materials, which are specified in standards and specifications. The basic materials, essentially flat products and straight tubes, generally have to undergo various forming operations to obtain the final shape of the component (dished ends, cylindrical or conical ferrules, bent tubes, etc.). Depending on the conditions under which these manufacturing operations are carried out (cold forming, warm or hot forming, welding, etc.), the properties of the materials undergo significant modifications. The extent of these modifications also depends on the severity of the operations and the technologies used by the manufacturer.

Technical and technological studies have been carried out to provide manufacturers with the rules they need to analyze the behavior of the chosen materials in advance, and to plan the appropriate means of implementation.

Forming processes and technology are described in the article