Explosive hydro-forming is a metal forming technique that uses the energy generated by an explosive detonation to form the metal work piece. This process can deliver a great deal of flexibility in the metal-forming process.

Since explosive forming transmits the explosively-generated energy through water, it can simulate a variety of other conventional metal forming techniques. With flat-plate designs, explosive hydro-forming is very comparable to stamp- or press-forming. Where cylindrical work pieces need to be formed, it can simulate spin-forming. Additionally, explosive hydro-forming openly competes with conventional hydro-forming and hot-stretch forming. In fact, where each of these metal-forming techniques come up short, explosive hydro-forming still has more to offer. Explosive hydro-forming can simulate a variety of these forming techniques in a single forming operation.