Fluid Cell Sheet Hydroforming Presses
Fluid Cell Presses
Precision Metal Forming: Complex Geometries Or Free-Form Surface Components With Excellent Repeatability And Part Quality.
WHAT IS Fluid Cell Presses?

Fluid Cell Presses, also known as fluid cell forming, provide a low-cost solution for sheet metal forming.
Fluid Cell Sheet Hydroforming Presses uses high pressure, ranging from 800 bar (11,600 psi) to 1,200 bar (17,400 psi), applied to a flexible rubber diaphragm. Designed for prototyping and low-volume part production, they precisely shape metal sheets into complex forms.
Fluid Cell Presses is widely used in forming high-toughness alloys, especially for jet engine components. With cycle times ranging from 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on tool size and pressure, Fluid Cell Presses deliver efficient and reliable performance.
For small to medium-sized aerospace, commercial lighting, and medical equipment manufacturers, the Fluid Cell Sheet Hydroforming offers higher productivity, greater design flexibility, and faster prototyping speeds.
How Fluid Cell Presses Work
The Fluid Cell Sheet Hydroforming process combines a single rigid half-die with a flexible rubber diaphragm to form metal sheet components under uniform high static oil pressure.
This method requires only one rigid half of the die; the other half is a large soft rubber bladder filled with high-pressure fluid. It presses the flat metal blank around the tool, forming a new part under 800 bar of pressure in a short time. Fluid Cell Presses significantly reduces tooling costs and eliminates multiple forming operations, intermediate heat treatments, and operator dependency.
Fluid Cell Presses uses hydraulic oil to form parts under pressure: pressurized, the bladder descends, and the part is formed; depressurized, the soft rubber bladder retracts under vacuum, and the conveyor table moves the workpiece out, ready for the next forming cycle.
Cycle times within the press vary depending on the thickness of the part.
Advantages of Fluid Cell Sheet Hydroforming
Fluid Cell Sheet Hydroforming supports forming complex shapes with excellent repeatability and high part quality. In the aerospace industry, the need for manual adjustments and intermediate heat treatments is often reduced or eliminated.
Proven technology: Reliable, fast, and cost-effective.
Increased productivity: High pressure reduces process steps and minimizes the need for secondary operations, boosting efficiency.
Versatile tooling: Allows multiple forming tools in a single operation.
Reduced surface wear: Minimizes downstream finishing requirements.
Stronger, thinner parts: Achieves durability with reduced material thickness.
Flexible: Simple tooling enables rapid design-to-production transitions.
With a high forming pressure of 800 bar (11,600 psi), the Fluid Cell Presses produces precise parts with tight tolerances, minimizing or even eliminating the need for secondary manual operations.
USES OF Fluid Cell Presses
Whether it’s aerospace, power generation, medical devices, commercial lighting, or other products, BIT offers the latest industry equipment and technical expertise to help you solve engineering challenges.
Thanks to BIT’s Fluid Cell Sheet Hydroforming Press forming capabilities, even smaller manufacturers can now produce long, deep-drawn complex shapes without the need for expensive sheet metal bending and forming machines.
Typical Applications of Fluid-Formed Components:
Aerospace parts made from aluminum alloys, stainless steel, and titanium.
Trays and other surgical equipment for medical use.
Components for prototyping and low-volume production.
Fixture housings and reflectors for commercial lighting.
In China, BIT’s Fluid Cell Presses has built a solid reputation in the aerospace industry for manufacturing fuselage, engine, and aerospace sheet metal components. This sector requires a limited number of high-quality, diverse parts, which makes this technology particularly well-suited to meet those needs.
Fluid cell forming is perfect for prototyping and small-batch production while also serving industries like automotive, trucks, food processing, appliances, and building facades.