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Simulation of dissimilar tailor-welded tubular hydroforming processes using EAS-based solid finite elements

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Abstract

Developments in the numerical simulation of the hydroforming process of tubular metallic components, tailor-welded before forming, are presented. Both technologies, tailor-welded joining operations and hydroforming processes, are well known in industry, although most commonly separately used. Tailor-welded joining operations are usually encountered in plain sheets, subsequently formed by stamping. Tube hydroforming processing, on the other hand, is frequently associated with parts consisting of uniform thickness, material properties, and dimensions. The present analysis focuses on the influence of process parameters, such as the position of the weld-line and initial thickness values, in the innovative process of combining tailor-welded tubes (with distinct thickness values) and hydroforming. Particular attention is posed on the relation of imposed axial displacement vs. imposed hydraulic pressure into the tube, forming parameters that are not known a-priori in the manufacturing of a new part. Another point of practical interest is the numerical simulation of the weld-line movement, after forming is complete. The finite element method is directly employed in the numerical simulation by means of innovative solid elements suited for incompressibility applications, and included by the authors into the commercial program ABAQUS as user-elements. The obtained results can then lead to a better understanding, along with design tools, for the process of hydroforming of tailor-welded tubular parts, accounting for dissimilar thickness of the basic components.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

    R. A. F. Valente

  2. IDMEC-Pólo FEUP, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    R. M. Natal Jorge, A. P. Roque, M. P. L. Parente & A. A. Fernandes

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s/n, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal

    R. M. Natal Jorge

Authors
  1. R. A. F. Valente
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  2. R. M. Natal Jorge
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  3. A. P. Roque
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  4. M. P. L. Parente
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  5. A. A. Fernandes
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. M. Natal Jorge.

Additional information

Funding by Ministerio da Ciência, Inovação e Ensino Superior (FCT -Portugal) and FEDER/FSE, under grants POSI SFRH/BD/13013/2003, PTDC/EME-TME/66435/2006 and POCTI/EME/47289/2002, are gratefully acknowledged.

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Valente, R.A.F., Jorge, R.M.N., Roque, A.P. et al. Simulation of dissimilar tailor-welded tubular hydroforming processes using EAS-based solid finite elements. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 37, 670–689 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-007-1015-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-007-1015-y

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