Tube Hydroforming of Magnesium Alloys at Elevated Temperatures

Author(s):  
Yeong-Maw Hwang ◽  
Yan-Huang Su ◽  
Bing-Jian Chen

In this paper, a hydraulic forming machine with the functions of axial feeding, counter punch, and internal pressurization is designed and developed. This self-designed forming machine has a capacity of 50 tons for axial feeding and counter punch, 70 MPa for internal pressurization, and 300°C for forming temperature. Using this testing machine, experiments of T-shape protrusion of magnesium alloy AZ61 tubes at elevated temperatures are carried out. A commercial finite element code DEFORM 3D is used to simulate the plastic deformation of the tube within the die during the T-shape protrusion process. Different kinds of loading paths for the pressurization profile and the strokes of the axial feeding and the counterpunch are scheduled for analyses and experiments of protrusion processes at 150°C and 250°C. The numerical thickness distributions and the flow line configurations of the formed product are compared with the experimental results to validate this finite element modeling. The thickness distribution of the formed product or the flowability of AZ61 tubes at 150°C and 250°C is discussed. The effects of the forming rate on tube flowability at 250°C are also investigated. Through the observation of the flow line configurations of the tube material, adequate backward speeds of the counter punch relative to the axial feeding for preventing the material from accumulating at the die entrance region are verified. Finally, a sound product with a protrusion height of 49 mm is obtained.

2007 ◽  
Vol 340-341 ◽  
pp. 627-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeong-Maw Hwang ◽  
Bing Hong Chen ◽  
Wen Chan Chang

A successful THF process depends largely on the loading paths for controlling the relationship between the internal pressure, axial feeding and the counter punch. In this study, an adaptive algorithm combined with a finite element code LS-DYNA 3D is proposed to control the simulation of T-shape hydroforming with a counter punch. The effects of the friction coefficients at the interface between the tube and die on the loading path and thickness distribution of the formed product are discussed. Experiments of protrusion hydroforming are also conducted. The final shape and thickness distribution of the formed product are compared with the simulation results to verify the validity of this modeling.


2011 ◽  
Vol 473 ◽  
pp. 618-623
Author(s):  
Khalil Khalili ◽  
Seyed Yousef Ahmadi-Brooghani ◽  
Amir Ashrafi

Tube hydroforming process is one of the metal forming processes which uses internal pressure and axial feeding simultaneously to form a tube into the die cavity shape. This process has some advantages such as weight reduction, more strength and better integration of produced parts. In this study, T-shape tube hydroforming was analyzed by experimental and finite element methods. In Experimental method the pulsating pressure technique without counterpunch was used; so that the internal pressure was increased up to a maximum, the axial feeding was then stopped. Consequently, the pressure decreased to a minimum. The sequence was repeated until the part formed to its final shape. The finite element model was also established to compare the experimental results with the FE model. It is shown that the pulsating pressure improves the process in terms of maximum protrusion height obtained. Counterpunch was eliminated as being unnecessary. The results of simulation including thickness distribution and protrusion height were compared to the part produced experimentally. The result of modeling is in good agreement with the experiment. The paper describes the methodology and gives the results of both experiment and modeling.


Metals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1518
Author(s):  
Yeong-Maw Hwang ◽  
Yau-Jiun Tsai

Manufacturing of irregular bellows with small corner radii and sharp angles is a challenge in tube hydroforming processes. Design of movable dies with an appropriate loading path is an alternative solution to obtain products with required geometrical and dimensional specifications. In this paper, a tube hydroforming process using a novel movable die design is developed to decrease the internal pressure and the maximal thinning ratio in the formed product. Two kinds of feeding types are proposed to make the maximal thinning ratio in the formed bellows as small as possible. A finite element simulation software “DEFORM 3D” is used to analyze the plastic deformation of the tube within the die cavity using the proposed movable die design. Forming windows for sound products using different feeding types are also investigated. Finally, tube hydroforming experiments of irregular bellows are conducted and experimental thickness distributions of the products are compared with the simulation results to validate the analytical modeling with the proposed movable die concept.


2014 ◽  
Vol 622-623 ◽  
pp. 739-746
Author(s):  
Zhu Lin Hu ◽  
Lian Fa Yang ◽  
Yu Lin He

Tube hydroforming (THF) is one of metal forming technologies which has been widely used to manufacture complex hollow workpeices. In THF, a variety of failures may occur and one of them is wrinkling. But recent researches show that wrinkling may be used as a preforming process to improve the formability of tubes. In this paper, a new geometry-based wrinkling indicator is proposed to evaluate the wrinkling level in THF and the wrinkle evolution diagram (WED) based on the shape change of the wrinkles is presented to display the four-stage evolution of the useful wrinkles. The wrinkling levels in THF with axial feeding under various loading paths are predicted respectively via finite element simulation, the influence of loading paths on the wrinkling behavior is investigated, and the evolving stages of the useful wrinkles is revealed via the proposed WED. The results indicate that the proposed wrinkle indicator can distinctly evaluate the wrinkling level, the wrinkling level under pulsating loading path is higher than that under polygonal linear one and four-stage evolution of the useful wrinkles could be evidently demonstrated via the WED. Notation


2011 ◽  
Vol 473 ◽  
pp. 579-586
Author(s):  
Majid Elyasi ◽  
Hassan Khanlari ◽  
Mohammad Bakhshi-Jooybari

In this paper, the effect of pressure path on thickness distribution and product geometry in the tube hydroforming process is studied by finite element simulation and experimental approach. In simulations and experiments, low carbon stainless steel (SS316L) seamless tubes were used. The obtained results indicated that with increasing of the initial pressure, the bulge value of the part increases and the wrinkling value decreases. In addition, if the initial pressure is highly decreased, then bursting may occur.


2009 ◽  
Vol 83-86 ◽  
pp. 1135-1142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeong-Maw Hwang ◽  
H.C. Chuang ◽  
B.J. Chen

Evaluation of the formability of tubes is an important issue in tube hydroforming processes. Since tubular materials during tube hydroforming are under a biaxial even triaxial stress state, other biaxial-stress-based testing methods are needed. In this paper, uniaxial tensile tests at different temperatures are firstly employed to evaluate the material properties of magnesium alloy AZ61 tubes. A hydraulic bulge warm forming machine, which is used for hydraulic bulge tests with a fixed tube length, is also designed and manufactured. Using this self-designed testing machine, experiments of bulge tests of magnesium alloy AZ61 tubes at elevated temperatures are carried out. From the experimental results, the bulge formability of the magnesium alloy tubes at different temperatures is discussed.


2011 ◽  
Vol 264-265 ◽  
pp. 96-101
Author(s):  
Hassan Moslemi Naeini ◽  
Golam Hosein Liaghat ◽  
S.J. Hashemi Ghiri ◽  
S.M.H. Seyedkashi

Considering the necessity of using light weight, high strength and corrosion resistant materials, automotive and aerospace industries need to use advanced production technologies. Hydroforming has been regarded as one of the new technologies in forming of aluminium and magnesium alloys. These alloys have very low formability at room temperature which will be improved at elevated temperatures. In this paper, AA1050 aluminium alloy tube is numerically and experimentally investigated at different temperatures. Thickness distribution in forming zone is studied under different thermal conditions. Numerical results have been verified by experiments and there is a good agreement.


2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. T. Kridli ◽  
L. Bao ◽  
P. K. Mallick

Abstract The tube hydroforming process has been used in industry for several years to produce components such as exhaust manifolds. Recent advances in forming machines and machine control systems have allowed for the introduction and the implementation of the process to produce several automotive components, which were originally produced by the stamping process. Components such as side rails, engine cradles, space frames, and several others can be economically produced by tube hydroforming. The process involves forming a straight or a pre-bent tube into a die cavity using internal hydraulic pressure, which may be coupled with controlled axial feeding of the tube. One of the remaining challenges facing product and process engineers in designing hydroformed parts is the lack of an extensive knowledge base of the process. This includes a full understanding of the process mechanics and the effects of the material properties on the quality of the hydroformed product. This paper reports on the results of two dimensional plane strain finite element models of the tube hydroforming process, which were conducted using the commercial finite element code ABAQUS/Standard. The objective of the study is to examine the effects of material properties, die geometry, and frictional characteristics on the selection of the hydroforming process parameters. The paper discusses the effects of the strain-hardening exponent, friction coefficient at the die-workpiece interface, initial tube wall thickness, and die corner radii on the thickness distribution of the hydroformed tube.


2005 ◽  
Vol 128 (3) ◽  
pp. 613-621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Seok Kim ◽  
Muammer Koç ◽  
Jun Ni ◽  
Amit Ghosh

In this study, thermomechanically coupled finite element analysis (FEA) was performed for forming aluminum rectangular cups at elevated temperatures. In order to identify the onset of a failure during FEA, applicability, accuracy, and repeatability of three different failure criteria (maximum load, minimum thickness, and thickness ratio) were investigated. The thickness ratio criterion was selected since it resulted in accurate prediction of necking-type failure when compared with experimental measurements obtained under a variety of warm forming conditions. Predicted part depth values from FEA at various die-punch temperature combinations and blank holder pressures conditions were also compared with experiments, and showed good agreement. Forming limit diagrams were established at three different warm forming temperature levels (250°C, 300°C, and 350°C). An increasing limiting strain was observed with increasing forming temperature both in FEA and experiments. In addition, strain distributions on the formed part obtained under different die-punch temperature combinations were also compared to further validate the accuracy of FEA. A high temperature gradient between die and punch (Tdie>Tpunch) was found to result in increased formability; i.e., high part depths.


2011 ◽  
Vol 110-116 ◽  
pp. 1477-1482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Majid Elyasi ◽  
Hassan Khanlari ◽  
Mohammad Bakhshi-Jooybari

In this paper, the effect of load path on thickness distribution and product geometry in the tube hydroforming process is studied by finite element simulation and experimental approach. The pressure path was obtained by using finite element simulation and its validation with experiments. In simulations and experiments, low carbon stainless steel (SS316L) seamless tubes were used. The obtained results indicated that if pressure reaches to maximum faster, bulge value and thinning of the part will be more and wrinkling value will be less.


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