Steelpan musical instrument hydroforming press

A method of forming a steel pan musical instrument, the method including:

• providing a metal sheet as a work piece from which to form at least a portion of the steel pan instrument;
• providing a pressure lid comprising (i) a press collar, (ii) a fluid passage extending through the pressure lid, (iii) a guide shaft extending from an underside of the pressure lid, and (iv) a groove formed in the underside of the pressure lid;
• coupling the press collar of the pressure lid with a hydraulic press;
• coupling the fluid passage of the pressure lid to a source of pressurized fluid;
• installing a ring in the groove of the pressure lid;
• installing a forming die onto the pressure lid by engaging the forming die with the ring, the forming die comprising (i) a main body having a partial dome shape and (ii) an outlet extending through the main body and in fluid communication with the fluid passage of the pressure lid when the forming die is installed on the pressure lid;
• providing a mold die comprising (i) a face groove in an upper side, (ii) a bowl profile recessed from the upper side and positioned radially inward from the face groove, and (iii) a guide passage configured to receive the guide shaft of the pressure lid, wherein the providing the mold die comprises:
• providing a base plate of the mold die;
• providing at least one spacer plate of the mold die;
• providing a cap plate of the mold die;
• positioning the base plate, the at least one spacer plate, and the cap plate together into a stack such that the at least one spacer plate is positioned between the base plate and the cap plate;
• and
• coupling the base plate, the at least one spacer plate, and the cap plate together by extending rods through the stack and securing the rods to secure the stack together;
• placing the work piece on the mold die;
• placing a diaphragm on the work piece;
• aligning the guide shaft of the pressure lid to travel within the guide passage of the mold die so as to maintain an alignment between the pressure lid and the mold die during movement of the pressure lid relative to the mold die;
• operating the hydraulic press to push the pressure lid toward the mold die so that the forming die coupled with the pressure lid engages the diaphragm for pressing the work piece into sealing engagement with the face groove of the mold die and for imparting a shape of the forming die into the work piece;
• hydroforming the work piece, wherein the hydroforming comprises:
• introducing pressurized fluid through the fluid passage of the pressure lid and the outlet of the forming die to the diaphragm so as to exert fluid pressure through the diaphragm to the work piece;
• and
• in response to the fluid pressure exerted through the diaphragm to the work piece, causing the work piece to be pressed against the bowl profile of the mold die to form the work piece into a corresponding bowl shape;
• operating the hydraulic press to separate the pressure lid from the mold die;
• and
• removing the work piece in the form of the bowl shape for incorporation into the steel pan musical instrument.