Patent ID: 7028519

Claim:
A method of hot blow-forming a substantially three-dimensional component from a substantially two-dimensional blank using hot blow-forming tooling, said method comprising: moving said blank to a first stage forming tool of a first stage forming station; forming said blank into a first stage form by pressing one side of said blank so that an opposite side of said blank is brought into conformance with a forming surface of said first stage forming tool; moving said first stage form from said first stage forming tool of said first stage forming station to a second stage forming tool of a second stage forming station; and forming said first stage form into a second stage form by applying a pressurized working gas against one side of said first stage form so that an opposite side of said first stage form is brought into conformance with a forming surface of said second stage forming tool that is internally heated to a second stage forming temperature, and by increasing the pressure of said working gas from ambient pressure to a second stage forming pressure; said moving steps being carried out by a transfer apparatus that simultaneously transfers said blank and said first stage form.