Hot Form Quench TECHNOLOGY FROM
Lighter. Stronger. SUSTAINABLE.
The future of aluminium forming
Shape the Future with HFQ®
The original and most advanced aluminium hot forming technology for lightweighting
Unlock the full potential of ultra-high strength aluminium alloys with Hot Form Quench – a new genre of aluminium forming and an alternative to cold stamping, machining, extrusion and casting.
HFQ® is a revolutionary manufacturing process designed and developed by Impression Technologies Limited (ITL) building on many years of research at The University of Birmingham and Imperial College, London. ITL has exclusive rights to the HFQ Technology platform, covering many years’ worth of materials modelling, simulation algorithm formulation and manufacturing process development.
With proven process scalability supported by sophisticated design and simulation capabilities, the HFQ® Technology platform is now being used for production of high strength aluminium structures across the globe for automotive, aerospace and industrial sectors.
Explore the wide array of technical, economic, sustainability and supply chain benefits that sets HFQ® apart as a global standard for OEMs and structure manufacturing tiers requiring lighter, cost-effective solutions.
Get in touch with us to speak to our world experts in aluminium hot forming who can guide you on alloy selection, design and manufacture of hot stamped aluminium parts for critical lightweighting applications.
Why HFQ®?
Hot Form Quench has many benefits over more traditional forming processes, particularly compared to cold stamping, machining and casting.
Cost reduction
Exceptional formability of HFQ® permits the combination of parts that would otherwise have to be split up and assembled. This reduces cost, design effort and potential for quality issues.
Weight reduction
HFQ® components designed optimally for the process can save 20-50% weight versus alternative aluminium or steel designs.
Virtually no springback
With no virtually no springback, HFQ parts have exceptional dimensional capability for stampings (usually well within +/-0.5mm).
Design flexibility
HFQ® Technology can achieve unparalleled depths of draw (over 200mm), tight radii (<1.0/t) and high levels of part integration.
Alloy flexibility
HFQ® Technology can form all standard grades of aluminium, including those in cheaper F-temper. HFQ® is ideal for highly recycled grades, offering enhanced sustainability.
Retained ductility
HFQ® parts retain a high residual ductility, therefore providing enhanced energy absorption properties for crash structures.
Supply choice
A worldwide network of partners offering hot stamped aluminium components, alloys, engineering services and equipment – all aligned to the HFQ® global technical standards. This is known as the HFQ® Partner Network.
The HFQ® Process
The HFQ® aluminium hot stamping process for aluminium alloys has some similarities to press hardening for steels. A designed blank is fed into the hot stamping line and undergoes four stages of transformation: solutionising, blank transfer, forming and quenching, and finally artificial aging.
Join the HFQ® supply ecosystem
If your company has a strategic interest in being a leading provider of innovative lightweight structures to automotive, aerospace or consumer products, or associated enabling equipment and technical services, it may be worthwhile joining our collaborative HFQ® Partner Network.
Latest Expert Knowledge Resources
Explore our curated selection of technical resources to further your understanding of how hot form quenched technology can deliver lightweight strength for your next product innovation.
News & Events | News
Spring 2024 Newsletter
In our Spring 2024 Newsletter, we announce the launch of our brand new HFQ website and our attendance at AIX Hamburg where we feature our 100% recycled seat backs and arm rests.
Videos
Thought Leadership
This series of videos showcases our Thought Leaders, who share their knowledge of lightweighting technology and how HFQ® can offer technical, sustainability and economic benefits to users of aluminium structures and the wider lightweighting ecosystem.
Technical Papers
Hot Form Quench Enables Complex, Lightweight Structures in High Strength Aluminium
This paper explores the unparalleled capabilities of the HFQ® process in unlocking the full potential of high-strength aluminium, thereby ushering in a new era of advanced engineering, innovative design, and sustainable manufacturing.
Technical Papers
Process optimisation and robustness analysis for HFQ® process
In this paper, the process parameters of the HFQ® process are closely analysed using AutoForm-Sigma solver.
Technical Papers
Microstructure and properties of aluminium alloy 6082 formed by the Hot Form Quench process
During a process development trial, two identical structural automotive parts were formed from a rolled sheet of commercial 6082 Al alloy by Hot Form Quench (HFQ®).
Technical Papers
Influencing parameters on the onset of galling during hot forming of aluminium
With HFQ® Technology paving the way for the lightweighting of aluminium, this paper explores what happens regarding influencing the parameters of galling during the HFQ® process.