Leifeld Metal Spinning GmbH has developed a new machine for manufacturing rims using a flow forming process, which, for the first time ever, also works with internal rollers: instead of hands, rollers are used to shape the inside and outside surfaces. Because the process works without tools, the user has maximum flexibility and can even economically produce lot sizes of one with the Leifeld WSC Flex. “Market developments and our own standards are continuing to drive the flow-forming process,” says Oliver Reimann, CEO of Leifeld Metal Spinning GmbH. The global market leader from Ahlen in Germany develops machine tools for chipless metal forming that are used in automotive, aerospace, energy, and other industries and in diverse industrial applications around the world. The CEO especially sees trends in the automotive industry. Growing design complexity and increasing wheel size along with increasing variant variety and rising cost pressures are only a few of many arguments that speak in favor of using the Leifeld WSC Flex. For manufacturers of aluminum wheels, the patented technology is a real sensation. It offers far-reaching potential in wheel manufacturing for improving productivity, lowering cost, and thus creating relevant competitive advantages for OEMs and after-sales wheel manufacturers. “Manufacturers must be able to react to these market developments with efficient solutions,” says Oliver Reimann. Thanks to this novel technology, the flow-forming process is gaining relevance for wheel manufacturing. “With our market-leading technologies and machines, we can form vehicle rims from cast aluminum in such a way that they are considerably lighter than conventional wheels and at the same time stronger,” promises Benedikt Nillies, Technical Director at Leifeld. With wheels formed in this way, manufacturers can meet the legal requirements for the reduction of CO2 emissions more easily. Lower weight means greater range, i.e., less fuel or energy consumption.
