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Investigation on a new compound-forming method of flanging and bulging with rubber flexible die

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Abstract

The T-shaped tube is a common component in aviation pipeline systems and has broad application prospects. However, the severe wall thickness thinning has been the bottleneck problem restricting the application of T-shaped tubes. In order to avoid rupture due to excessive thinning and improve the forming quality, a new rubber compound-forming method combined with the flanging and bulging of the T-shaped tube using a prefabricated hole is proposed. The optimization model of the prefabricated hole is established based on the geometric analysis method and the incremental finite element method. The optimal prefabricated hole is achieved through two iteration optimizations. The experiments for the compound-forming method are carried out to reveal the forming height and the wall thickness distribution mechanism. Both the simulation and experiment results are in good agreement, the numerical simulation results with the optimal prefabricated hole are that the maximum thickening rate is 45.60% and the maximum thinning rate is 22.93%, and the experimental results with the optimal prefabricated hole are that the maximum thickening rate is 48.67% and the maximum thinning rate is 16.67% which are satisfied with the requirements of practical production with the maximum thickening rate no more than 50% and the maximum thinning rate no more than 30%. The new compound-forming method using the prefabricated hole could effectively avoid fracture on the branch’s top. The comparison results are further verified to be the correctness of the prefabricated hole optimization model and the effectiveness of the new compound-forming method.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Aviation Science Foundation, China (No. 2018ZE54028); National Natural Science Foundation of China, China (No. 52275355); Liaoning Provincial Department of Education Fund, China (No. JYT2020005); National Natural Science Foundation of China, China (No. 52001217); and Open Foundation of Key Lab of Fundamental Science for National Defense of Aeronautical Digital Manufacturing Process, China (No. SHSYS202005). The authors wish to express their gratitude.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Aerospace Engineering, Shenyang Aerospace University, Shenyang, 110136, China

    Chuang Wei, Zhiren Han & Zhen Jia

  2. Key Laboratory of Fundamental Science for National Defense of Aeronautical Digital Manufacturing Process, Shenyang Aerospace University, Shenyang, 110136, China

    Chuang Wei, Zhiren Han & Zhen Jia

  3. Engineering Training Center, Shenyang Aerospace University, Shenyang, 110136, China

    Baoming Liu

Authors
  1. Chuang Wei
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  2. Zhiren Han
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  4. Zhen Jia
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Contributions

The first author performed the numerical simulation and experimental research and wrote the paper. The second author (corresponding author) is the supervisor teacher, who provided financial support to manufacture the experiment equipment and helped with the experiments. The third author helped process the prefabricated holes in experiments. The fourth author is another supervisor teacher in our team who provided experiments suggestions.

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Correspondence to Zhiren Han.

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Wei, C., Han, Z., Liu, B. et al. Investigation on a new compound-forming method of flanging and bulging with rubber flexible die. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 129, 5561–5580 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-023-12669-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-023-12669-3

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