Deformation characteristics during Y-shaped tube hydroforming of 6061 aluminum alloy

To manufacture lightweight tube components for aerospace oil circuit systems, an experiment was run to investigate the deformation characteristics on Y-shaped tube hydroforming of 6061 aluminum alloy. Both strain state and metallurgical structure indicate that there are four kinds of prevailing defects during Y-shaped tube hydroforming: bursting, lack of cylindricity, wrinkling, and thinning due to the poor plastic property of 6061 aluminum alloy. The danger of bursting prevails at the early stage of the operation as a result of excessively high internal pressure. In contrast, wrinkling prevails after the middle stage of the operation as a result of excessively axial feeding and cannot be eliminated during subsequent deformation. Lack of cylindricity is mainly because of insufficient axial feeding and internal pressure but can be eliminated by increasing internal pressure. Elongation and compression deformations are originated on protrusion and main pipe of Y-shape tube respectively all the way through the bulging process. Consequently, minimum and maximum thicknesses are at the top of protrusion and the bottom of Y-shape tube respectively, which induces a V-shape borderline of thickness distribution. According to the excessive plastic deformation, microstructure evolution is originated. Crystal grain of protrusion is elongated and its grain size is about 150 μm. In contrast, crystal grain of the middle zone of main tube is refined greatly, which grain size is 50 μm, decreased by 75%. These are useful to improve the component.