A forming device that forms a metal pipe by blow forming includes: a gas supply part that supplies a gas to a metal pipe material to expand the metal pipe material; a die attachment part to which a die that is brought into contact with the expanded metal pipe material to form the metal pipe is attached; a gas discharge part that discharges the gas from the metal pipe material; and a pressure detector that detects a pressure of the gas, the gas supply part includes a gas compression part that compresses the gas, and a supply line that transfers the gas compressed by the gas compression part to the metal pipe material, the gas discharge part includes a discharge line that transfers the discharged gas, and the pressure detector is provided in each of the supply line and the discharge line.

A method of, and arrangement for, producing shaped hollow metal objects by a hot process. A metal hollow semi-finished-product with at least one opening is heated to a forming temperature and placed into a cavity, whose shape corresponds to the desired final external shape of the hollow object. Then the cavity is sealed and water and/or steam is introduced therein. After the final shape of the semi-finished-product is achieved, the semi-finished-product is removed. The cavity is formed by a split mould, whose opening's entry edge has an expanded portion, against which a sealing feature is oriented. The outer surface of the sealing feature is arranged to close against this expanded portion. The sealing feature is also provided with a means of supply of water and/or steam, and a tube through which the water and/or steam is supplied. This tube extends into the interior space of the semi-finished-product, and can be provided with nozzles.

A method of, and arrangement for, producing shaped hollow metal objects by a hot process. A metal hollow semi-finished-product with at least one opening is heated to a forming temperature and placed into a cavity, whose shape corresponds to the desired final external shape of the hollow object. Then the cavity is sealed and water and/or steam is introduced therein. After the final shape of the semi-finished-product is achieved, the semi-finished-product is removed. The cavity is formed by a split mould, whose opening's entry edge has an expanded portion, against which a sealing feature is oriented. The outer surface of the sealing feature is arranged to close against this expanded portion. The sealing feature is also provided with a means of supply of water and/or steam, and a tube through which the water and/or steam is supplied. This tube extends into the interior space of the semi-finished-product, and can be provided with nozzles.

The present invention provides an integrated method for forming and performance control of NiAl alloy thin-walled tubular parts. A Ni/Al laminated foil tube is obtained after Ni foils and Al foils are alternately laminated and coiled; and the Ni/Al laminated foil tube is subjected to plastic forming, reaction synthesis and densification treatment in a gas bulging forming die to obtain a NiAl alloy thin-walled tubular part. The present invention solves the problem in the prior art that the preparation of an existing NiAl alloy sheet and the formation of the thin-walled tubular part from the sheet feature difficulty in material flow and structural performance control and a complicated process. Data of embodiments shows that the NiAl alloy thin-walled tubular parts obtained by using the method of the present invention has a high forming rate, high dimensional precision, uniform composition distribution, good tubular part compactness and no defects on the surface.

A tailor-layered tube, includes an inner tube, an outer tube having a greater diameter than the inner tube and disposed outside the inner tube, and at least one intermediate tube disposed between the inner tube and the outer tube and having a length different from the inner tube and the outer tube to be locally disposed between the inner tube and the outer tube. The inner tube, the intermediate tube, and the outer tube are hydroformed in a state of being laminated so that the inner tube, the intermediate tube, and the outer tube are sequentially brought into close contact with each other in a region where the intermediate tube is disposed and the inner tube is brought into direct contact with the outer tube in a region where the intermediate tube does not exist, and accordingly regions having locally different thicknesses are successively arranged.

Provided herein is a method of hot gas forming and heat treatment for a Ti.sub.2AlNb-based alloy hollow thin-walled component, which pertains to the technical field of plastic forming manufacture of thin-walled components made from difficult-to-deformation materials, more particularly, a forming method of Ti.sub.2AlNb-based alloy hollow thin-walled components is involved. The purpose of this invention is to solve the existing problems that Ti.sub.2AlNb-based alloy hollow thin-walled components are difficult to form, process steps are complex, and the shape and dimension precision is in contradiction with the control of the microstructure and properties. The method comprises the following steps: (1) hot gas forming to obtain hot gas formed tube components, and (2) controllable-cooling heat treatment to obtain Ti.sub.2AlNb-based alloy hollow thin-walled components. The advantages of this invention are as following: improving production efficiency, high dimensional accuracy, reducing energy consumption, achieving the integration of shape and performance control, and excellent mechanical properties. The invention also relates to Ti.sub.2AlNb-based alloy hollow thin-walled components manufactured by a hot gas forming and heat treatment method.

Provided herein is a method of hot gas forming and heat treatment for a Ti.sub.2AlNb-based alloy hollow thin-walled component, which pertains to the technical field of plastic forming manufacture of thin-walled components made from difficult-to-deformation materials, more particularly, a forming method of Ti.sub.2AlNb-based alloy hollow thin-walled components is involved. The purpose of this invention is to solve the existing problems that Ti.sub.2AlNb-based alloy hollow thin-walled components are difficult to form, process steps are complex, and the shape and dimension precision is in contradiction with the control of the microstructure and properties. The method comprises the following steps: (1) hot gas forming to obtain hot gas formed tube components, and (2) controllable-cooling heat treatment to obtain Ti.sub.2AlNb-based alloy hollow thin-walled components. The advantages of this invention are as following: improving production efficiency, high dimensional accuracy, reducing energy consumption, achieving the integration of shape and performance control, and excellent mechanical properties. The invention also relates to Ti.sub.2AlNb-based alloy hollow thin-walled components manufactured by a hot gas forming and heat treatment method.

An apparatus for crimping a radially expandable stent includes a pressure vessel, shaping balloon, and mandrel. The mandrel is configured to slidingly receive a stent thereon, and to be slidingly advanced into the pressure vessel. The shaping balloon is inflated to radially compress the stent onto the form of the mandrel; such compression need not be uniform. Pressurization of the shaping balloon facilitates the expansion of the balloon to achieve compression of the stent, with depressurization of the shaping balloon causing the balloon to return to an unexpanded state.

A forming apparatus that forms a metal pipe includes: a heating unit which heats a metal pipe material; a gas supply unit which supplies gas into a heated metal pipe material, thereby expanding the metal pipe material; a die which forms the metal pipe by bringing the expanded metal pipe material into contact with the die; a cooling unit which cools the metal pipe after the forming by a cooling medium; and a control unit which controls an operation of the die, the gas supply unit, and the cooling unit, wherein the control unit makes cooling of the metal pipe by the cooling medium be performed, by controlling an operation of the die such that the die is opened and controlling the cooling unit such that the cooling unit brings the cooling medium into contact with the metal pipe, subsequently to completion of forming by the die.

A forming apparatus that forms a metal pipe includes: a heating unit which heats a metal pipe material; a gas supply unit which supplies gas into a heated metal pipe material, thereby expanding the metal pipe material; a die which forms the metal pipe by bringing the expanded metal pipe material into contact with the die; a cooling unit which cools the metal pipe after the forming by a cooling medium; and a control unit which controls an operation of the die, the gas supply unit, and the cooling unit, wherein the control unit makes cooling of the metal pipe by the cooling medium be performed, by controlling an operation of the die such that the die is opened and controlling the cooling unit such that the cooling unit brings the cooling medium into contact with the metal pipe, subsequently to completion of forming by the die.