Industrial applications of superplastic forming: Trends and prospects

What is the process that can take a flat sheet of metal and with the application of heat and just 100 psi or so, shape it into a myriad of complex shapes using simple tools and equipment? The answer is superplastic forming (SPF). Since the early 1970's SPF has been fulfilling its initial promise to create complex sheet metal parts for a wide range of end users; from the functional needs of the specialist automobile market to the creative world of architecture and sculpture. With all these beneficial attributes we might be prompted to ask this question, "Why isn't SPF used everywhere and more often if it is that good?" This paper examines current trends and the reasons for SPF's successes and what limits its wider application. Factors relating to available materials, their cost and performance, the process' techno-economics, R&D initiatives and the prospects of "breakthrough" developments are discussed.