What Is Hydroforming?
Hydroforming is a process used to remove the insulation coating from bundled enamel wires (such as Litz wires, lead wires, magnet wires, etc.) and crimp them together for use in electronic devices. This method is essential for dealing with copper enamel-coated wires, which often have loose tips that need to be consolidated into a cohesive unit.
To break the insulation coating on these wires, methods such as chemical removal or heating dissolution are employed. Hydroforming utilizes the principle of resistance welding, passing welding current to generate heat that melts the insulation film under pressure. This process integrates the wire tips by welding them together.
After integration, the tip is clamped from the top and bottom to apply uniform pressure, ensuring a tightly bonded state. A secondary process, resistance soldering, can also be performed on the tip for heat crimping.
Types of Hydroforming
Hydroforming comes in various types, each suited to specific applications:
- High-capacity inverter welding: Ideal for joining bundled magnet wires in motor coils and similar applications. It removes the enamel coating through electrical conduction and pressure, allowing for automation in tasks like hydroforming coils with multiple magnet wires and U-shaped terminals.
- Hydroforming using inverter resistance welding: Offers high-precision control for both the upper and lower positions. The process stops electrical conduction at preset finishing dimensions, ensuring precise dimensional accuracy. This method is particularly effective for joining crimping terminals with numerous enamel wires.