Formability of Friction Stir Welded AZ31 Magnesium Alloy Sheets
The formability of friction stir welded AZ31 magnesium alloy sheets was investigated by means of uniaxial tensile and hemispherical punch tests performed under different process conditions. The results of the tensile tests were analysed in terms of flow stress and ductility at different temperature and strain rate; the hemispherical punch tests, carried out at different temperatures, provided the limiting dome height. The formability of FSW-ed blanks was compared to the one exhibited by the base material in order to evaluate the quality of the welded joints.
The evaluation of springback in 3D stamping and coining processes
Abstract An effective predictive technique of the elastic springback in a fully 3D 90° V-punch V-die bending process is presented. This is based on a combined approach in which an explicit finite element code was used to simulate the loading phase of the process whilst an implicit procedure was used to analyse the springback phase. Two different punches with a nose radius of 4 and 8 mm were used. An increase in the springback ratio with the coining load was observed with the lower nose radius. Conversely, an increase in the springback ratio with the coining load up to a peak value (>1), corresponding to a force of about 20 kN, followed by a decrease in the springback ratio with increasing t…
Springback evaluation in fully 3-D sheet metal forming processes
Abstract In the modern manufacturing industries the knowledge and proper control of the sheet metal springback after forming is a fundamental aspect in the achievement of near net shape stamped parts. In this paper an effective springback prediction in some fully three-dimensional stamping processes is carried out. Such a prediction is based on a combined approach in which an explicit finite element code has been employed to simulate the forming phase while a traditional implicit procedure has been used to analyse the springback phase. The results obtained have been compared with a set of experimental tests and an excellent correlation between the predicted and experimental data has been fo…
Sheet metal forming of titanium blanks using flexible media
Abstract Sheet metal forming processes using flexible media are increasingly utilized in the industrial practice due to the relatively low tooling cost. In the present investigation, a rubber forming process is applied to the manufacturing cycle of a titanium alloy component for acoustic tweeters. The proposed process allows a reduction in manufacturing costs and production time since it permits the elimination of some joining operations. The FEM analysis has permitted the definition of the optimal process parameters and tooling geometry. Accordingly, several components have been produced; the achieved quality level is comparable with the one obtained utilizing the conventional technology a…
Computer simulation of metal flow in the hot upsetting of a high-strength aluminium alloy
Abstract The effects of metal-working temperature on the hot axisymmetric upsetting of AA 7012 aluminium alloy were investigated in the temperature range of from 250 to 400°C, at a strain rate of 4 s −1 . The material behaviour was studied by means of simulative methods based on the analysis of torsion-test results which have shown that when the strain increases, the flow stress increases to a peak value and then decreases to a fracture value. Furthermore, the flow stress decreases with decreasing strain rate and with increasing temperature. Constitutive equations, describing accurately the hot deformation behaviour of the material, were defined and used subsequently in a numerical model th…