What is HFQ®?

PAB Project ManagementA new aluminium forming technology has been developed which has the potential to reduce carbon emissions, energy consumption and increase recycling in the automotive industry.
Until now it has been difficult to form complex shapes as current technologies are inadequate in producing sophisticated shapes and structures for high volume applications.

 

Heat Treatment Forming and in-die Quench (HFQ®), is a new pioneering technology that allows stronger structural aluminium panels to be formed for use in the automotive and transport sectors and PAB is the only production license holders in Europe.

Developed by Professor Lin of Imperial College London and Professor Dean of the University of Birmingham, and Impression Technologies Limited, HFQ® technology provides a cost-competitive means of producing lightweight, complex aluminium components, opening the door to a new generation of solutions for the automotive, aerospace and rail industries.

In this patented process, Aluminium sheet is heated above its Solution Heat Treatment temperature, formed while hot, and quenched in the press. This process allows pressings to be formed which are lighter, deeper and with tighter radii than has been possible to date. The process is quicker and more cost effective than the alternatives, results in superior metallurgical properties, and allows stronger and lighter structures to be formed.

The world automotive and transport industries need to make a step change in their use of Aluminium, if they are to meet the environmental challenges of reducing energy consumption and meeting carbon emission targets.

HFQ® enables the production of lighter, stronger and more sophisticated structures in aluminium than has been possible to date cost-effectively. It creates new opportunities for car manufacturers and others to improve the performance of their vehicles while reducing their carbon footprint.

To discover more about the benefits of using HFQ® on your project, please contact us.

® HFQ is a registered trademark for Impression Technologies Ltd. Impression Technologies are the owners of the HFQ process and know-how.