SIX SIGMA OPTIMIZATION IN SHEET METAL FORMING BASED ON DUAL RESPONSE SURFACE MODEL

Iterations in optimization and numerical simulation for the sheet metal forming process may lead to extensive computation. In addition, uncertainties in materials or processing parameters may have great influence on the design quality. A six sigma optimization method is proposed, by combining the dual response surface method （DRSM） and six sigma philosophy, to save computation cost and improve reliability and robustness of parts. Using this method, statistical technology, including the design of experiment and analysis of variance, approximate model and six sigma philosophy are integrated together to achieve improved quality. Two sheet metal forming processes are provided as examples to illustrate the proposed method.

FAST ACCURATE PREDICTION OF BLANK SHAPE IN SHEET METAL FORMING

By using the Finite Element Inverse Approach based on the Hill quadratic anisotrop-ically yield criterion and the quadrilateral element, a fast analyzing software-FASTAMP for the sheet metal forming is developed. The blank shapes of three typical stampings are simulated and compared with numerical results given by the AUTOFORM software and experimental results, respectively. The comparison shows that the FASTAMP can predict blank shape and strain distribution of the stamping more precisely and quickly than those given by the traditional methods and the AUTOFORM.

Sheet Metal Forming Optimization by Using Surrogate Modeling Techniques

Surrogate assisted optimization has been widely applied in sheet metal forming design due to its efficiency. Therefore, to improve the efficiency of design and reduce the product development cycle, it is important for scholars and engineers to have some insight into the performance of each surrogate assisted optimization method and make them more flexible practically. For this purpose, the state-of-the-art surrogate assisted optimizations are investigated. Furthermore, in view of the bottleneck and development of the surrogate assisted optimization and sheet metal forming design, some important issues on the surrogate assisted optimization in support of the sheet metal forming design are analyzed and discussed, involving the description of the sheet metal forming design, off-line and online sampling strategies, space mapping algorithm, high dimensional problems, robust design, some challenges and potential feasible methods. Generally, this paper provides insightful observations into the performance and potential development of these methods in sheet metal forming design.

NC INCREMENTAL SHEET METAL FORMING PROCESS AND VERTICAL WALL SQUARE BOX FORMING

The forming principle and deformation analysis of NC incremental sheet metalforming process as well as the process planning, experiment and key process parameters of verticalwall square box forming are presented. Because the deformation of sheet metal only occurs around thetool head and the deformed region is subjected to stretch deformation, the deformed region of sheetmetal thins, and surface area increases. Sheet metal forming stepwise is to lead to the whole sheetmetal deformation. The forming half-apex angle 9 and corner radius R are the main processparameters in NC incremental forming of vertical wall square box. According to sine law, a verticalwall square box can't be formed by NC incremental sheet metal forming process in a single process,rather, it must be formed in multi processes. Thus, the parallel line type tool path process methodis presented to form the vertical wall square box, and the experiment and analysis are made toverify it.

STUDY ON THE FINITE ELEMENT NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF SHEET METAL FORMING

Based on the Finite Element Theory of Rigid Plastic, relevant problems during plas-tic simulation on sheet metal forming were technologically studied and simplified; asimplified model of the blank holder during the drawing process was established andthe effects of related parameters on the forming processes were also studied. At thesame time, a finite--element numerical simulation program SPID was developed. Thedistribution of strain and relationship of stress--stroke simulated were compared withexperimented, the results are well coincided with each other. It is verified that theanalytical program is reliable.

EXPERIMENTAL TESTING OF DRAW-BEAD RESTRAINING FORCE IN SHEET METAL FORMING

Due to complexities of draw-bead restraining force calculated according to theory and depending on sheet metal forming properties experiment testing system, a simplified method to calculate draw-bead restraining force is put forward by experimental method in cup-shaped drawing process. The experimental results were compared with numerical results and proved agreement. It shows the method is effective.

Experimental Investigation of the Effect of the Material Damage Induced in Sheet Metal Forming Process on the Service Performance of 22MnB5 Steel

The use of ultra-high strength steels through sheet metal forming process offers a practical solution to the lightweight design of vehicles.However,sheet metal forming process not only produces desirable changes in material properties but also causes material damage that may adversely influence the service performance of the material formed.Thus,an investigation is conducted to experimentally quantify such influence for a commonly used steel（the 22MnB5 steel） based on the hot and cold forming processes.For each process,a number of samples are used to conduct a uniaxial tensile test to simulate the forming process.After that,some of the samples are trimmed into a standard shape and then uniaxially extended until fracture to simulate the service stage.Finally,a microstructure test is conducted to analyze the microdefects of the remaining samples.Based on the results of the first two tests,the effect of material damage on the service performance of 22MnB5 steel is analyzed.It is found that the material damages of both the hot and cold forming processes cause reductions in the service performance,such as the failure strain,the ultimate stress,the capacity of energy absorption and the ratio of residual strain.The reductions are generally lower and non-linear in the former process but higher and linear in the latter process.Additionally,it is found from the microstructure analysis that the difference in the reductions of the service performance of 22MnB5 by the two forming processes is driven by the difference in the micro damage mechanisms of the two processes.The findings of this research provide a useful reference in terms of the selection of sheet metal forming processes and the determination of forming parameters for 22MnB5.

Fabrication of directional solidification components of nickel-base superalloys by laser metal forming

Straight plates, hollow columns, ear-like blade tips, twist plates withdirectional solidification microstructure made of Rene 95 superalloys were successfully fabricatedon Nickel-base superalloy and DD3 substrates, respectively. The processing conditions for productionof the parts with corresponding shapes were obtained. The fabrication precision was high and thecomponents were compact. The solidification microstructure of the parts was analyzed by opticalmicroscopy. The results show that the solidification microstructure is composed of columnardendrites, by epitaxial growth onto the directional solidification substrates. The crystallographyorientation of the parts was parallel to that of the substrates. The primary arm spacing was about10 mum, which is in the range of superfine dendrites, and the secondary arm was small or evendegenerated. It is concluded that the laser metal forming technique provides a method to manufacturedirectional solidification components.

THE ADAPTIVE FINITE ELEMENT REMESHING IN LARGE DEFORMATION OF METAL FORMING

The adaptive remeshing technique for quadrilateral elements consists of modules thetrigger of remeshing, the new mesh generation, adaptive refinement and interpolationof field variables. The new adaptive mesh genemtion is the key problem. First, acoarse mesh is created by using 'loop algorithm'. Subsequent local mesh adaptiverefinement is performed based on effective strain. Finally, a typical example of upset-ting is given to test efficient of techniques, from which it is verified that the remeshingalgorithm developed here exhibits good performance and has high accuracy.

Numerical Methodology for Metal Forming Processes Using Elastoplastic Model with Damage Occurrence

Ductile damage often occurs during metal forming processes due to the large thermo-elasto （visco） plastic flow Iocalisation. This paper presents a numerical methodology, which aims to virtually improve any metal forming processes. The methodology is based on elastoplastic constitutive equations accounting for nonlinear mixed isotropic and kinematic hardening strongly coupled with isotropic ductile damage. An adaptive remeshing scheme based on geometrical and physical error estimates including a kill element procedure is used. Some numerical results are presented to show the capability of the model to predict the damage initiation and growth during the metal forming processes.

MESHFREE METHOD BASED ON POINT COLLOCATION FOR METAL FORMING SIMULATION

A meshfree method based on reproducing kernel approximation and point collocation is presented for analysis of metal ring compression. The point collocation method is a true meshfree method without the employment of a background mesh. It is shown that, in a point collocation approach, the remesh problem because of the mesh distortion in FEM （finite element method） and the low efficiency in Galerkin-based meshfree method are avoided. The corrected kernel functions are introduced to the stabilization of free-surface boundary conditions. The solution of symmetric ring compression problem is compared with a conventional finite element solution, and reasonable results have been obtained.

Development and Prospect on Optimum Design of Metal Forming Process

1.IntroductionThe research of metal forming theoryand technology always takes an importantplace in materials science and engineering.However,in a long period,the developmentof technology goes ahead of the theoreticalstudy.Most design principles used in prac-

A MODIFIED ALGORITHM FOR DEALING WITH HOLDER FRICTION BOUNDARY CONDITION IN SIMULATION OF SHEET METAL FORMING

This paper investigates the equivalent model for the friction boundary condition between blank and holder during sheet metal forming simulation, and proposes an equivalent algorithm, the thickness threshold value algorithm, for the first time based on thickness weighting. This algorithm assumes that the holder clearance is uniform during sheet metal forming; and the main reason for the unevenness of friction force distribution under the holder is that the uneven deformation of the blank leads to its uneven thickness distribution, which makes the local pressure on the blank distributed unevenly. The algorithm proposed in this paper can effectively simulate the influence of the unevenness on the forming process. Validity of this algorithm is verified by a comparison between the simulation results and the experimental ones for the drawing process of a car spring base.

Solidification Microstructure of Rene95 Superalloy by Laser Metal Forming

Rene95 powder and different substrates were selected to be conducted by the laser metal forming technique. It is found that the cladding layers with either columnar or equiaxed grains can be obtained under different solidification conditions. As the crystallography orientation of the substrate influences that of the cladding layers strongly. Multi-grain cladding layers can be obtained on the multi-grain substrate, while directional solidification columnar or even single crystal cladding layer can be achieved on the directional solidification or single crystal substrate.The mechanism of microstructure formation in the cladding layer was furtherly investigated according to the columnar/equiaxed transition profile. In addition,an ear-like single crystal component was manufactured using the DD3 single crystal as substrate. The yield strength at room temperature was examined on the heat-treated slice sample. The results indicate that the yield strength is about 97.9% of that of the powder metallurgical tensile sample while the plasticity overpasses 80% of the powder metallurgical tensile sample.

A first order friction model for lubricated sheet metal forming

This paper presents the derivation of a first order friction model for lubricated sheet metal forming.Assuming purely plastic real contacts, Newton's law of viscosity, and a square root behavior of the hydrodynamic coefficient of friction with respect to the hydrodynamic Hersey parameter an analytic model is found. The model predicts the coefficient of friction as a function of the relative pressure, the relative Hersey parameter and the real contact coefficient of friction. Questions about local and global friction are raised in the validation of the model against flat tool sheet experiments. For some flat tool sheet experiments reasonable agreements are obtained assuming a rigid punch pressure distribution. The restricted number of user inputs makes the model useful in early tool design simulations.

Interactive mechanism and friction modelling of transient tribological phenomena in metal forming processes: A review

The accurate representation of tribological boundary conditions at the tool–workpiece interface is crucial for analysis and optimization of formability,material flow,and surface quality of components during metal forming processes.It has been found that these tribological conditions vary spatially and historically with process parameters and contact conditions.These time-dependent tribological behaviours are also known as transient tribological phenomena,which are widely observed during forming processes and many other manufacturing application scenarios.However,constant friction values are usually assigned to represent complex and dynamic interfacial conditions,which would introduce deviations in the relevant predictions.In this paper,transient tribological phenomena and the contemporary understanding of the interaction between friction and wear are reviewed,and it has been found that these phenomena are induced by the transitions of friction mechanisms and highly dependent on complex loading conditions at the interface.Friction modelling techniques for transient behaviours for metal forming applications are also reviewed.To accurately describe the evolutionary friction values and corresponding wear during forming,the advanced interactive friction modelling has been established for different application scenarios,including lubricated condition,dry sliding condition(metal-on-metal contact),and coated system.

Overview on the Prediction Models for Sheet Metal Forming Failure:Necking and Ductile Fracture

The formability of the material determines the amount of available deformation before failure and thus is important for the production of various structural components in industries. The workability of materiMs is commonly evaluated by different forms of failure mod- els during sheet metal forming （SMF） processes. In order to provide a whole picture about the prediction models for SMF failure, necking-related formability and ductile fracture-related forma- bility studies in SMF processes are systematically summarized, the applicability and limitation of each model are highlighted, and the link between forming limit diagram and ductile fracture criterion is pointed out, Conclusions about some critical issues on failure in SMF are made.

NUMERICAL PREDICTIONS AND EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATIONS OF DUCTILE DAMAGE EVOLUTION IN SHEET METAL FORMING PROCESSES

Prediction of forming limit in sheet metal forming is among the most important challenges confronting researchers. In this paper, a fully coupled elastic-plastic-damage model has been developed and implemented into an explicit code. Due to the adoption of the plane stress and finite strain theories, model can predict deformation and damage of parts quickly and accurately. Also, damage initiation, propagation, and fracture in some operations are predicted and validated with experiments. It is concluded that finite strain combined with continuum damage mechanics can be used as a quick tool to predict ductile damage, fracture, and forming limits in sheet metal forming processes.

Galling phenomena in metal forming

Galling phenomena in metal forming not only affect the quality of the engineered surfaces but also the success or failure of the manufacturing operation itself.This paper reviews the different galling conditions in sheet and bulk metal forming processes along with their evolution and the effects of temperature on galling.A group of anti-galling methods employed to prevent galling defects are also presented in detail.The techniques for quantitatively measuring galling are introduced,and the related prediction models,including friction,wear,and galling growth models,are presented to better understand the underlying phenomena.Galling phenomena in other processes similar to those occurring in metal forming are also examined to suggest different ways of further studying galling in metal forming.Finally,future research directions for the study of galling in metal forming are suggested.

Influence of PVD-duplex-treated, Bionic Surface Structures on the Wetting Behavior for Sheet-Bulk Metal Forming Tools

Bionic surface structures, inspired by the flora, were developed for Sheet-Bulk Metal Forming （SBMF） in order to locally control the friction condition by adjusting the wetting behavior. Five bionic structures were micromilled on ASP 2023 in annealed as well as hardened and tempered conditions. Subsequently, the structured surfaces were plasma-nitrided and coated with a CrA1N thin film. The influence of the treatment method on the structural geometry was investigated with the aid of a scanning electron microscope and 3D-profilometer. The wetting behaviors of water and deep drawing oil （Berufluid ST6007） on bionic surfaces were evaluated using contact angle measurements. The resulting micro-milled structures exhibit an almost identical shape as their bionic models. However, the roughness of the structured surfaces is influenced by the microstructure. The combination of plasma-nitriding and Physical Vapor Deposition （PVD） leads to an increase in roughness. All bionic struc- tures possess higher contact angles than that of the unstructured surfaces when wetted by water. This can be explained by the fact that the structural elevations block the spreading. When the bionic surfaces are wetted by deep drawing oil, the lubricant spreads in the structural cavities, leading to smaller contact angles. Furthermore, the anisotropy of the structure has an influence on the wetting behavior.