Significance-based optimization of processing parameters for thin-walled aluminum alloy tube NC bending with small bending radius

Thin-walled aluminum alloy tube numerical control （NC） bending with small bending radius is a complex process with multi-factor coupling effects and multi-die constraints. A significance-based optimization method of the parameters was proposed based on the finite element （FE） simulation, and the significance analysis of the processing parameters on the forming quality in terms of the maximum wall thinning ratio and the maximum cross section distortion degree was implemented using the fractional factorial design. The optimum value of the significant parameter, the clearance between the tube and the wiper die, was obtained, and the values of the other parameters, including the friction coefficients and the clearances between the tube and the dies, the mandrel extension length and the boost velocity were estimated. The results are applied to aluminum alloy tube NC bending d50 mm×1 mm×75 mm and d70 mm×1.5 mm×105 mm （initial tube outside diameter D0 × initial tube wall thickness t0 × bending radius R）, and qualified tubes are produced.

Cross-sectional distortion behaviors of thin-walled rectangular tube in rotary-draw bending process

The cross-sectional distortion usually appears during rotary-draw bending process of thin-walled rectangular tube with small bending radius.To study the cross-sectional distortion of the tube,a three-dimensional finite-element model of the process was developed based on ABAQUS/Explicit code and its reliability was validated by experiment.Then,the cross-sectional distortion behaviors of the tube were investigated.The results show that a zone of larger circumferential stress appears on the tube when bending angle reaches 30°.And in the larger circumferential stress zone,the sagging phenomenon is produced obviously.The maximum cross-sectional distortion is located in the larger circumferential stress zone and the angle between the plane of maximum cross-sectional distortion and the bending reference plane is about 50°.The position of the maximum cross-sectional distortion keeps almost unchanged with the variation of the clearances between dies and tube.

Experimental and numerical assessment of energy absorption capacity of thin-walled Al 5083 tube produced by PTCAP process

The energy absorption capacity of the Al5083 thin-walled tube produced by parallel tubular angular pressing(PTCAP) process was evaluated. Also, microstructure, mechanical properties, and anisotropy coefficients were studied in the peripheral and axial directions. Results showed that values of energy absorption decreased with processing pass increasing and the values for the unprocessed, first and second passes were obtained to be 167, 161.4 and 160.7 J, respectively. The differences between the simulation results for the energy absorption values and their experimental values for the unprocessed, the first and the second PTCAP passes samples are about 5%, 10%, and 13%, respectively. The energy absorption capacity was related to the anisotropy coefficient and microstructure. The results demonstrated that grain refinement occurred and ultimate tensile strength(UTS) and microhardness after the first and second PTCAP passes were enhanced, while the increase rate in the first pass was much severer. Also, by applying PTCAP, the deformation modes were altered, such that the deformation mode of the annealed tube was quite symmetrical and circular while for the first and second passes there have been triple and double lobes diamond. The results of the numerical simulation for the deformation mode of the annealed and PTCAPed tubes were consistent with the experimental results. The deformation mode of tubes is dependent on their mechanical properties and variation of the mechanical properties during PTCAP process.

Forming limits under multi-index constraints in NC bending of aluminum alloy thin-walled tubes with large diameters

With increasing diameters of aluminum alloy thin-walled tubes (AATTs), the tube forming limits, i.e. the minimum bending factors, and their predictions under multi-index constraints including wrinkling, thinning and flattening have been being a key problem to be urgently solved for improving tube forming potential in numerical control (NC) bending processes of AATTs with large diameters. Thus in this paper, a search algorithm of the forming limits is put forward based on a 3D elastic-plastic finite element (FE) model and a wrinkling energy prediction model for the bending processes under axial compression loading (ACL) or not. This algorithm enables to be considered the effects of process parameter combinations including die, friction parameters on the multi-indices. Based on this algorithm, the forming limits of the different size tubes are obtained, and the roles of the process parameter combinations in enabling the limit bending processes are also revealed. The followings are found: the first, within the appropriate ranges of friction and clearances between the different dies and the tubes enabling the bending processes with smaller bending factors, the ACL enables the tube limit bending processes after a decrease of the mandrel ball thickness and diameters; then, without considering the effects of the tube geometry sizes on the tube constitutive equations, the forming limits will be decided by the limit thinning values for the tubes with diameters smaller than 80 mm, while the wrinkling for the tubes with diameters no less than 80 mm. The forming limits obtained from this algorithm are smaller than the analytical results, and reduced by 57.39%; the last, the roles of the process parameter combinations in enabling the limit bending processes are verified by experimental results.

Geometry-dependent springback behaviors of thin-walled tube upon cold bending

As one kind of key lightweight components with enormous quantities and diversities, the bent tubular parts have attracted in- creasing applications in aerospace, automobile, etc. Thus, how the inevitable springback behaves under different bending specifications should be fully addressed to efficiently achieve the precision forming of various bent tubes. Taking the medium strength thin-walled 6061-T4 Al-alloy tube as the objective, via the deformation theory of plasticity, explicit/implicit FE method and experimental approaches, we explored and clarified the nonlinear springback rules of the tubes and corresponding mechanisms in universal rotary draw bending regarding angular springback and radius growth by deliberately changing the tube diameter D and wall thickness t. The geometry dependent springback behaviors of thin-walled tube upon cold bending are thus revealed: 1) With the increasing of D, the tangent tensile strain increases and the proportional coefficient decreases, which causes the angular springback to decrease, while the radius springback increases due to the larger bending radius. 2) With the increasing of t, the tangent tensile strain decreases and the proportional coefficient increases, resulting in the increase of both angular springback and radius springback. 3) Under the same D/t, the angular springback varies little, while the radius springback increases with the larger diameter D. 4) The D/t can be used as a reasonable nondimensional index to evaluate the springback angle; as to the radius growth, the individual effects of the D and t should be considered. 5) The verification of the above results was conducted by experiments and analytical analysis.

表面粗糙度对6061铝合金薄壁管冲击膨胀断裂性能的影响

采用分离式霍普金森杆实验技术,对表面加工后不同粗糙度的6061铝合金薄壁圆柱管进行动态膨胀断裂冻结回收实验,并对薄壁金属圆柱管动态膨胀断裂过程中裂纹萌生、扩展情况以及最终断裂模式等进行了研究。结果表明:相同冲击压力条件下,薄壁金属圆柱管表面粗糙度越大,材料越容易发生膨胀破裂;裂纹萌生于外壁面,由外向内扩展,并且裂纹的扩展主要受裂纹处应力状态的影响;薄壁金属圆柱管的断裂模式由拉伸和剪切断裂机制起主导作用,其断口为拉剪混合型断口。

泡沫铝填充薄壁铝合金圆管轴向压缩性能的数值模拟

采用ABAQUS软件建立薄壁铝合金圆管及泡沫铝填充薄壁铝合金圆管的有限元模型,对这2种结构的轴向压缩力学行为进行数值模拟,并且与相应的实验结果作对比。结果表明,数值模拟与实验结果基本吻合。依据薄壁铝合金圆管及泡沫铝填充薄壁铝合金圆管的应力应变图,对2种结构的力学性能做对比,发现填充泡沫铝后,层合圆管承受压力的能力大大提高。