Strategies to improve the geometric accuracy in asymmetric single point incremental forming

Asymmetric incremental sheet forming (AISF) is a manufacturing process for the small batch production of sheet metal parts. In AISF, a sheet metal part is formed by a forming tool that moves under CNC control. AISF currently has two dominant process limits: sheet thinning and a limited geometric accuracy. This paper focuses on the latter limit. It is shown with a pyramidal part that multi-stage forming can yield an increased accuracy compared to single-stage forming. However, due to residual stresses induced during forming, the accuracy of the as-formed part can be lost if the part is trimmed after forming. A case study with a car fender section shows that the geometric accuracy of the final part can be improved compared to single-stage forming by a combination of multi-stage forming and stress-relief annealing before trimming.     

Review on the development of a hybrid incremental sheet forming system for small batch sizes and individualized production

Asymmetric Incremental Sheet Forming (AISF) has been developed as a flexible process for low-volume production of sheet metal parts. In AISF, a part is obtained as the sum of localized plastic deformations produced by a simple forming tool that moves under CNC control. In spite of about 20 years of research and development, AISF has not had much industrial take-up yet. The main reason for this is that attempts to improve, among other limitations, the accuracy, speed and range of feasible geometries of the process by adapted process strategies has not brought about general solutions. This paper presents an overview of the current state of development of hybrid asymmetric incremental sheet forming processes at RWTH Aachen University. The goal of the development of hybrid ISF processes is to allow for a quantum leap of the capabilities of AISF in order to enable a broader industrial use of AISF. Two hybrid process variations of AISF are presented: stretch forming combined with ISF and laser-assisted AISF. It is shown that the combination of stretch forming and AISF can improve the time per part, sheet thickness distribution and accuracy of the final part. Laser-assisted AISF is shown to enable the flexible forming of non cold-workable materials such as magnesium and titanium alloys when the forming conditions are adapted to the temperature and strain rate dependent formability of the sheet metal. In addition, first results of the forming of hybrid aluminum-steel sheet metal are shown.     

Tooling concepts to speed up incremental sheet forming

A major drawback of asymmetric incremental sheet forming (AISF) is the long cycle time. AISF is known in general as forming of a sheet metal by only one small forming zone. The developed concepts presented in this paper aim at decreasing the main process time by applying several forming zones on the part through multiple tools working in parallel. By the use of a systematic design process, four major structural tooling concepts were invented. Those variants were compared to each other by a cost-utility analysis. As a result, a prototype with two tools was produced to fasten the AISF process.     

Laser-assisted asymmetric incremental sheet forming of titanium sheet metal parts

Asymmetric Incremental Sheet Forming (AISF) is a relatively new manufacturing process. In AISF, a CNC driven forming tool imposes a localized plastic deformation as it moves along the contour of the desired part. Thus, the final shape is obtained by a sequence of localized plastic deformations. AISF is suitable for small series production of sheet metal parts as needed in aeronautical and medical applications. Two main process limits restrict the range of application of AISF in these fields. These are the low geometrical accuracy of parts made from titanium alloys or high strength steels and, for titanium alloys, the limited formability at room temperature. In this paper a new concept for laser-assisted AISF is introduced including the required components. Furthermore, the CAX tools used for programming the NC path for the forming tool and the laser spot are illustrated. First experimental results show that the formability of the alloy Ti Grade 5 (TiAl6V4), which is usually used in aeronautic applications, can be increased.     

基于冲压与数控渐进成形的复合成形

针对冲压工艺难以成形形状复杂板材件、冲压模具难以制造或加工成本高以及单独采用数控渐进成形加工效率低的问题,提出基于冲压工艺与数控渐进成形工艺相结合的复合成形方法,并给出了基于冲压与数控渐进成形的复合成形的数值模拟方法。采用冲压成形、数控渐进成形和复合成形3种成形方式,以有限元分析软件数值模拟分析同一形状板材件,对比分析数值模拟后的板材件的轮廓尺寸精度与厚度分布。结果可知,采用复合成形得到的板材件轮廓尺寸精度与厚度分布能够满足实际应用,所提出的复合成形方法具有可应用性。     

电磁平板自由胀形3D数值模拟(英文)

电磁成形是一种高速率成形方法,它能够有效提高金属板材的成形极限。但是电磁成形过程复杂,涉及到磁场?结构场之间的耦合分析。数值模拟提供一种手段去解决耦合问题。然而,大多数的数值模拟都限于2D。建立3D有限元模型去分析电磁平板胀形。成形过程中考虑了板料与底模的接触和板料变形对磁场的影响。板料中心节点和半径20mm处节点的位移随着时间的变化与实验结果一致。分析了塑性应变能和塑性应变。     

液体介质传热渐进温成形研究

由于液体介质的存在,在以导热油直接作为传热介质加热板料实现板料温热渐进成形中,成形初始的预胀以及成形过程中存在的背压是区别于其他渐进成形方法的显著特征。在数控渐进机床上,首先以2A12铝合金板料对成形过程中液体压力产生的板料预胀和过程背压的影响进行了研究,然后采用SUS304不锈钢板料对成形过程中的导热油温度影响进行了研究。研究结果表明：液体介质较小的压力产生的预胀和背压对成形过程没有显著影响,成形过程中为了保证导热油和板料充分接触,导热油可以保持一定的系统压力;采用液体介质直接作为传热介质加热板料进行板料温渐进成形是可行的;温度对SUS304不锈钢板渐进成形性能影响显著。     

基于韧性断裂准则的铝合金板材成形极限预测

为了准确地预测铝合金板材成形极限，将韧性断裂准则引入到数值模拟中。在数值模拟获得的应力应变值基础上，采用简单拉伸试验和数值模拟相结合的方法确定了韧性断裂准则中的材料常数，并应用该韧性断裂准则预测了铝合金LYl2(M)的圆筒件拉深和半球形凸模胀形的成形极限。预测结果与实验值吻合较好，该韧性断裂准则能够预测铝合金板材成形极限。     

板料零件数控渐进成形工艺研究

板料零件数控渐进成形工艺是一种通过数字控制设备 ,采用预先编制好的控制程序逐点成形板料零件的柔性加工工艺。本文就板料零件数控渐进成形工艺的成形过程、变形机理、极限半顶角等方面进行了探讨。认为 ,板料零件数控渐进成形是使板料的厚度减薄 ,表面积增大 ,靠逐次的变形累积产生整体的变形。变形区厚度的变化与成形半顶角有关 ,其中 ,成形极限半顶角是数控渐进成形能否成功的关键 ,它不仅与材料有关 ,而且与板料厚度有关。     

直壁矩形盒渐进成形技术

介绍了金属板料数控渐进成形的原理、板料变形过程及直壁矩形盒成形的工艺规划。根据正弦定律,直壁矩形盒采用数控渐进成形工艺不能一次成形。经设计平行线形工具路径方法,并进行试验和分析,得出影响直壁矩形盒成形的主要参数是成形半锥角。     

Two-step method of forming complex shapes from sheet metal

A two-step method of forming a part and a method of designing a preform shape are being discussed. The part may be formed from lightweight material to an extent that would normally exceed the forming limits of the material if the part were attempted to be formed in one-step conventional stamping die. Critical areas including deep pockets and sharp radius areas of the final part are formed from a preform or intermediate shape part. The first forming step can be conducted by variety of sheet metal forming methods; the preformed blank is further formed in a fluid pressure forming process to a final part shape wherein broad radius areas and pockets of accumulated metal of the preform are formed into deep pockets and sharp corners of the final shape. Electrohydraulic forming technology is employed for the second forming step.     

金属薄板直壁件数字化渐进成形过程的实验研究

金属薄板直壁件的成形是数字化渐进成形技术中的热点和难点之一。本文基于数字化渐进成形的基本原理提出了一种加工金属直壁件的方法,在实验中研究金属薄板直壁件的成形过程,了解直壁成形机理和控制成形过程的工艺措施。     

板料增量成形的研究进展

板料增量成形是采用简单模具对板料进行逐次塑性加工的一种工艺,不需要专用的模具就可以成形较为复杂的零件,同时还具有成形力小、柔性高的特点,特别适合多品种小批量零件的生产方式,因此得到国内外学者的重视。本文重点从板料的增量压弯成形、增量拉深胀形、增量微成形3个方面对板料增量成形的发展进行综述,还对板料增量成形工艺的发展前景进行了展望,指出进行理论创新、开发新的模拟软件、探索新的成形方案、开发增量成形新设备是发展趋势。     

基于数控渐进成形技术的方形盒成形工艺

介绍了金属板料数控渐进成形工艺的成形原理、变形分析以及直壁方形盒成形的工艺规划、实验和主要工艺参数的影响。由于成形工具球头的半径远远小于板料的外形尺寸,所以板料每次产生的变形仅仅发生在成形工具球头的周围,成形工具使板料产生变薄拉深变形,导致板料厚度减薄,表面积增大,靠逐次的变形累积产生整体的变形。影响直壁方形盒成形的主要参数是成形半顶角θ和圆角半径R。根据正弦定律,通过数控渐进成形工艺,直壁方形盒不能一次成形,必须通过多次成形。因此,为了加工直壁方形盒,设计了平行线型工具路径方法,并且进行了实验和分析。     

Formability limits by fracture in sheet metal forming

The aim of this paper is twofold: first, to revisit the forming limit diagram (FLD) in the light of fundamental concepts of plasticity, damage and ductile fracture mechanics and, second, to propose a new experimental methodology to determine the formability limits by fracture in sheet metal forming. The first objective makes use of the theory of plasticity applied to proportional strain loading paths, under plane stress conditions, to analyze the fracture forming limit line (FFL) and to introduce the shear fracture forming limit line (SFFL). The second objective makes use of single point incremental forming (SPIF), torsion and plane shear tests to determine the experimental values of the in-plane strains at the onset of fracture. Results show that the proposed methodology provides an easy and efficient procedure to characterize the formability limits by fracture in sheet metal forming. In particular, the paper shows that the FFL determined by means of tensile and conventional sheet formability tests is identical to that determined from SPIF tests on conical and pyramidal truncated specimens. The new proposed approach is expected to have impact in the established methodologies to outline the formability limits on the basis of the forming limit curves (FLC's) at the onset of necking.     

AZ31B镁合金热渐进成形实验研究

单点渐进成形中通常用最大成形角来表示成形极限,对于研究尚少的热渐进成形,研究其成形极限能够对后期该材料的相关实验研究有借鉴作用。提出一种以油浴方式对AZ31B镁合金板料进行加热处理,并以此辅助的热渐进成形实验,用升高温度梯度的方式探索了合适的加工温度,并在该温度下研究不同板料厚度下的成形极限。结果表明:在介质油温度为200℃左右时,板料的加工性能良好,可以进行渐进成形实验,成形件完整且无明显缺陷;在此温度下,1 mm厚的板料成形极限为45°~47°,1.5 mm厚的板料成形极限为60°~62°。     

板料成形极限理论与实验研究进展

成形极限是板材成形领域中重要的性能指标和工艺参数。文章在阐述成形极限在板料成形中的意义的基础上,综述并分析了成形极限在理论和实验方面的研究进展。成形极限图受应变路径的影响,给工业生产应用带来极大不便。以极限应力构成的成形极限应力图不受应变路径的影响,作为复杂加载路径的成形极限判据更加方便和实用。FLSD研究与FLD相结合,成为精确地确定破裂判别准则的主要途径之一,是近来研究的热点。十字形双向拉伸是实现复杂加载路径有效实用的试验方法。最后对成形极限应力图和十字形双向拉伸试验需要解决的关键问题作了阐述。     

薄板多点成形与模具成形过程数值模拟及成形性比较

基于动力显式有限元方法,针对不同工艺参数对带压边薄板类零件的多点成形和模具成形过程的影响进行了数值模拟与比较分析。由于成形方式的不同,各参数对起皱、破裂等成形缺陷的影响也不尽相同。通过对比分析发现,相同条件下多点成形对破裂的抑制效果优于模具成形;只要参数选取适当,板材在多点成形方式下的成形质量可以达到或超过模具成形方式。这些结果对于认识多点成形方法的塑性变形特点、合理设置多点成形工艺参数具有指导作用。     

DC04钢板胀形-渐进复合成形锥形件成形能力的实验研究

为了提高渐进成形过程中板料的成形极限和加工效率,提出了胀形-渐进成形的复合成形方法,通过胀形-渐进成形复合成形锥形件实验,研究了DC04钢板胀形-渐进成形复合成形锥形件和纯渐进成形锥形件的成形极限角和应变变化以及壁厚分布规律。结果表明:预成形高度为h=15 mm和h=25 mm时,复合成形零件的成形极限角分别为α极=66°和α极=69°;采用胀形-渐进成形复合成形锥形件,当胀形的最大减薄量发生在局部渐进成形区内,并且胀形和渐进成形的最大减薄量位置方向相反时,锥形件壁厚趋于均匀,提高了胀形-渐进成形的复合成形能力。     

Bulging in incremental sheet forming of cold bonded multi-layered Cu clad sheet: Influence of forming conditions and bending

Bulge is a defect that causes geometrical inaccuracy and premature failure in the innovative incremental sheet forming (ISF) process. This study has two-fold objectives: (1) knowing the bulging behavior of a Cu clad tri-layered steel sheet as a function of forming conditions, and (2) analyzing the bending effect on bulging in an attempt to identify the associated mechanism. A series of ISF tests and bending analysis are performed to realize these objectives. From the cause-effect analysis, it is found that bulge formation in the layered sheet is sensitive to forming conditions in a way that bulging can be minimized utilizing annealed material and performing ISF with larger tool diameter and step size. The bending under tension analysis reveals that the formation of bulge is an outgrowth of bending moment that the forming tool applies on the sheet during ISF. Furthermore, the magnitude of bending moment depending upon the forming conditions varies from 0.046 to 10.24 N·m/m and causes a corresponding change in the mean bulge height from 0.07 to 0.91 mm. The bending moment governs bulging in layered sheet through a linear law. These findings lead to a conclusion that the bulge defect can be overcome by controlling the bending moment and the formula proposed can be helpful in this regards.