Find an HFQ^® Supply Ecosystem Partner

Impression Technologies (ITL) has brought together a growing community of HFQ^® partners (the HFQ Partner Network), a collaborative global ecosystem of highly capable providers who can provide accredited HFQ aluminium hot forming components for OEMs, aluminium alloys, tooling, joining systems, equipment and engineering services. For such a new genre of metal forming that is HFQ, expertise from a wide range of disciplines is necessary to ensure a robust and competitive offering at a global scale. This group of leading companies, at the forefront of advanced lightweighting, work together to provide a complete design through to volume supply solution for OEMs in automotive, aerospace, transit and consumer product markets.

All partners can call upon the support of ITL’s technical specialists for alloy characterisation, forming simulation, design guidance, tooling specification, production line set up and post-forming operations.

Specialists from ITL often combine with HFQ partners to form dedicated project teams to support OEM programmes, combining expertise from two or more leaders in the lightweighting ecosystem. Recent examples have been ITL working with Atlas Copco to provide validated joining solutions for HFQ formed parts; FEV and ITL providing FEA and forming simulation respectively for a non-automotive OEM; Fagor and ITL providing HFQ manufacturing concepts for OEM and tiers; ITL and Ebner developing a new solutioning oven for new tier HFQ line.

This global network is expanding steadily, with the aim to provide choice of hot formed aluminium structures and supporting services to the latest HFQ technical standard. It is represented by HFQ stamping tiers in Germany, China and the US and leading aluminium alloy producers. This group meets at least once a year to share insights, coordinate activities and shape the pathway for the HFQ technology. It engages with OEMs and influencers to ensure that HFQ remains the leading lightweighting solution for aluminium and to understand priorities for future technology developments.