As the main structural component bearing internal and external pressure, the forming process of a pressure vessel shell directly affects its strength, tightness, and service life. With the continuous expansion of industry applications, shell forming methods are becoming increasingly diversified, with different processes offering advantages in material utilization, forming accuracy, applicable thickness, and complexity. FRHE has been deeply involved in the pressure vessel manufacturing field for many years, continuously optimizing various shell forming technologies to provide reliable technical support for different working conditions and industry needs. Choosing the appropriate forming method is crucial for ensuring product quality and production efficiency in the pressure vessel manufacturing process.

Common shell forming processes include plate rolling, spinning, stamping, bulging, and hot pressing. Among these, plate rolling is the most widely used, involving rolling and welding sheet metal into a cylindrical shape. It is suitable for manufacturing medium-thick steel plates and large pressure vessels, offering advantages such as flexible forming dimensions and lower manufacturing costs. However, it involves numerous welds, requiring strict control of welding quality and subsequent non-destructive testing.

Spin forming utilizes a spinning machine to continuously plastically deform a metal sheet under the action of spinning wheels, achieving high-precision, high-strength integral shell structures. This process is suitable for pressure vessels with small to medium diameters, thin walls, and high requirements for forming consistency, such as gas cylinders or high-pressure gas storage tanks. Its disadvantages include high equipment investment and complex process control.

Stamping is typically used for manufacturing structures such as elliptical heads and flat caps. The shape is achieved through one or more stamping operations using a die, making it suitable for small to medium-sized, mass production. It offers high forming efficiency and good surface quality, but the die cost is high and flexibility is limited.

Expansion forming relies on the internal pressure of a liquid or gas to induce plastic deformation in the shell, enabling the integral forming of complex curved surfaces. It is often used in the production of high-precision heads. This process offers good forming uniformity, but requires high material elongation.

Furthermore, hot pressing applies external force after high-temperature heating, making the material more prone to plastic flow. It is suitable for manufacturing shells made of high-strength steel or difficult-to-deform materials, especially showing significant advantages in thick-walled containers.

In general, the selection of different forming processes requires comprehensive consideration of container size, material properties, structural complexity, and cost requirements. A reasonable selection of forming methods can not only improve the overall performance of pressure vessels but also effectively optimize production efficiency and manufacturing costs.