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Improved forming accuracy through controlling localized sheet metal deformation in the friction-assisted stretch bending process

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Abstract

Tension-dominated stress state in the stretch bending process probably leads to localized tensile stress, especially in the manufacture of thin-walled, high-strength, or complex-shaped components. That results in nonuniform residual stress distribution and inferior shape accuracy. In this paper, a friction-assisted stretch bending (FASB) process is proposed to deal with this problem. A rubber sheet is attached with sheet metal to generate tangential friction at rubber/metal interface. The tangential friction assists in modifying stress distribution in the loading process. Finite element analysis was conducted to determine the effects of process parameters on deformation behaviors of the sheet metal. The results show that a rubber sheet with hardness ranging from Shore 57D to 70D and a rubber/metal thickness ratio (ξ) value around 1.0 can effectively reduce sheet metal thinning and decrease springback in the stretching and bending stress states. By taking the simulated process parameters as a reference, fuselage profiles with variable bending curvature and sections were successfully manufactured. Maximum thinning ratio of the formed part was 6.1%, and the section deviation after unloading was reduced by 52.9%, on average, compared with conventional stretch bending. The improved forming accuracy can be attributed to the relatively uniform distribution of longitudinal stress. That results in uniform elastic recovery in longitudinal direction. Further industrial application of the FASB process for the manufacture of large-sized and complex-shaped parts will be expectable.

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Funding

The presented investigations have been supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51905156 and No. 51805309) and the fellowship of the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2020M672221). The authors kindly acknowledge these supports.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471023, China

    Nan Xiang, Yiquan Shu, Tao Huang, Xiuhua Guo, Junqing Guo, Xuewen Chen & Fuxiao Chen

  2. National Key Laboratory for Precision Heat Processing of Metals, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China

    Nan Xiang & Pengyi Wang

  3. College of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi’an, 710021, China

    Pengyi Wang

  4. Henan Key Laboratory of Nonferrous Materials Science and Processing Technology, Luoyang, 471023, China

    Xiuhua Guo

Authors
  1. Nan Xiang
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  2. Yiquan Shu
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  3. Pengyi Wang
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  4. Tao Huang
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  5. Xiuhua Guo
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  6. Junqing Guo
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  7. Xuewen Chen
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  8. Fuxiao Chen
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Contributions

Nan XIANG: conceptualization, methodology, writing – original draft, funding acquisition

Yiquan SHU: formal analysis, data curation

Pengyi WANG: investigation, funding acquisition

Tao HUANG: formal analysis, data curation

Xiu-hua GUO: writing – review and editing

Jun-qing GUO: visualization

Xuewen CHEN: writing – review and editing

Fuxiao CHEN: project administration

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Nan Xiang or Tao Huang.

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All the authors listed agree to publish this paper. The work described was original research that has not been published previously and not under consideration for publication elsewhere, in whole or in part.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Highlights

A novel friction assist stretch bending (FASB) method is proposed.

Interfacial friction is used to decrease stress localization and spring back.

Optimal rubber hardness and rubber-metal thickness ratio are determined.

Fuselage profiles with variable curvature and sections are produced via FASB process.

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Xiang, N., Shu, Y., Wang, P. et al. Improved forming accuracy through controlling localized sheet metal deformation in the friction-assisted stretch bending process. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 116, 3635–3650 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-021-07723-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-021-07723-x

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