What hydroforming is actually for
Hydroforming replaces stamping and welding with a single pressurised forming step. A tube or blank is placed in a closed die and fluid pressure expands it into the die cavity. The result is a part with fewer joints, more consistent wall thickness and better stiffness-to-weight than a fabricated equivalent.
Three applications dominate German capacity:
- Automotive structural tube. Engine cradles, roof rails, A-pillars, instrument panel beams. This is the highest-volume use and drives most press sales.
- Exhaust and thermal components. Manifolds and converter housings, where the seamless transition geometry matters for flow.
- Sheet hydroforming for low-to-mid volume. Aerospace panels, appliance shells, complex stainless parts where hard tooling for stamping would not amortise.
German and German-market suppliers
| Supplier | Base | Hydroforming position | Typical scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schuler Group | Göppingen (ANDRITZ) | Broadest programme; hydraulic press technology covers hydroforming, press hardening, tryout and precision blanking | Complete lines, 500 - 10,000+ t |
| Dieffenbacher | Eppingen | Large hydraulic forming presses, strong in composites and heavy platforms | Custom heavy presses, often 1,000 - 8,000 t |
| SMS group | Düsseldorf / Mönchengladbach | Heavy hydraulic and extrusion press engineering | Very large bespoke installations |
| Siempelkamp | Krefeld | Very large hydraulic presses, mainly non-automotive | Heavy plant, long-cycle forming |
| LASCO Umformtechnik | Coburg | Mid-size hydraulic and forging presses | 200 - 3,000 t, flexible configurations |
| Maximator | Nordhausen | High-pressure intensifiers, pumps and valves for forming lines | Pressure systems to 4,000+ bar |
| AP&T | Sweden, active in the German market | Servohydraulic press technology, press-hardening lines | Complete automated forming lines |
Specifying the press: the four numbers that matter
Internal forming pressure
Set by material, wall thickness and the sharpest corner radius in the part. Automotive tube work generally lands at 2,000-3,000 bar; thin-wall stainless and aluminium can be formed lower; small radii and high-strength steel push toward 4,000 bar.
Closing force
Internal pressure multiplied by the projected die area, plus a safety margin. This is where hydroforming presses get expensive - a modest part can demand several thousand tonnes simply because the die parting plane is large.
Axial feed capability
Tube hydroforming needs axial cylinders pushing material into the expansion zone while pressure rises. Insufficient axial feed produces thinning and bursts. Specify force, stroke and closed-loop control of the pressure/feed relationship.
Cycle time
Realistic production cycles are 15-45 seconds for automotive tube parts including load and unload. Intensifier flow rate, not press speed, is usually the limiter - a common and expensive specification mistake.
Indicative investment
| Configuration | Closing force | Indicative price | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| R&D / prototype cell | 300 - 800 t | €800k - €1.5M | Development, small series |
| Mid-volume tube line | 1,500 - 3,000 t | €2.5M - €5M | Exhaust, secondary structure |
| Automotive production line | 3,000 - 8,000 t | €4M - €12M | Chassis and body structure, automated |
| Intensifier package alone | — | €150k - €600k | Retrofit or line upgrade |
Add 12-20% of press value for tooling on the first part family, and budget 6-14 months from order to production release for a new line.
Buying used
Hydroforming presses appear regularly on the European used market as automotive programmes end. The machine frame and cylinders age well; the control system and intensifier usually do not. A realistic refurbishment budget on a 15-year-old line is 25-45% of the used purchase price, and control retrofit is the dominant item. See our guide to buying used German industrial machinery for the inspection sequence.
Related reading
- Top 10 German hydraulic press manufacturers
- German press brake manufacturers 2026
- Buying a hydraulic press from Germany
- German factory equipment price guide
Frequently asked questions
Which manufacturers build hydroforming presses in Germany?
Schuler Group in Goppingen (part of ANDRITZ) is the broadest supplier, covering tube and sheet hydroforming alongside its conventional press programme. Dieffenbacher in Eppingen and SMS group build large hydraulic forming presses that can be configured for hydroforming. Maximator in Nordhausen supplies the high-pressure intensifier systems that most hydroforming lines depend on, whoever built the press.
What pressure does a hydroforming press need?
Tube hydroforming for automotive structural parts typically operates at 1,000-4,000 bar internal pressure, with 2,000-3,000 bar covering most chassis and exhaust applications. Sheet hydroforming runs lower, commonly 400-1,500 bar. The press closing force must resist the internal pressure across the projected part area, which is why hydroforming presses are disproportionately large for the part they produce.
What does a hydroforming press cost?
A compact tube hydroforming cell for small parts starts around EUR 800,000 to EUR 1.5 million. A production automotive line with 3,000-8,000 tonne closing force, automated loading and integrated intensifier typically runs EUR 4 million to EUR 12 million. High-pressure intensifier packages alone are EUR 150,000 to EUR 600,000 depending on flow and pressure.
Is a servo-hydraulic press better than a conventional hydraulic press?
For hydroforming, servo-hydraulic drives mainly buy energy efficiency and ram-motion control rather than higher pressure. AP&T markets its servohydraulic press as combining hydraulic press force with servo-mechanical speed control. Expect 30-60% lower energy consumption than a constant-running conventional hydraulic press, with the payback depending heavily on your duty cycle - it is strong on multi-shift production and weak on intermittent work.