Numerical simulation of multi-point stretch forming and controlling on accuracy of formed workpiece

A finite element model was built for the sheet metal multi-point stretch forming (MPSF), and the model was applied to the MPSF of a typical part. The numerical simulation of the MPSF for a saddle and cylindrical surface workpiece was performed. The effects of non-uniform deformation of elastic cushion and spring back after unloading on the precision of formed workpiece were investigated. The simulation results show that using elastic cushion can effectively suppress generation of dimples, but have an effect on precision of formed workpiece. In addition, the amount of spring back after unloading is small, and the effect of the non-uniform deformation of the elastic cushion on the precision of the MPSF workpiece is larger than that of the spring back. A method based on the iterative corrections according to the numerical simulation results was proposed to compensate the non-uniform deformation of elastic cushion and the spring back to enhance the accuracy of MPSF.     

Numerical investigation of the influence of punch element in multi-point stretch forming process

Multi-point stretch forming (MPSF) technology is a flexible forming method, and it eliminates the need to the traditional fixed shaped-stretching die and, therefore, is a suitable method for forming small batch quantities of aircraft outer skin parts. Multi-point stretch die (MPSD) is composed of a punch element matrix, the size of punch elements and the radius of the hemispherical end of elements are the two important geometrical parameters of MPSD and they are major factors to influence the shape accuracy of MPSF parts. The smaller size of punch elements makes the punch element number of MPSD larger in the same area. MPSDs with different element numbers and different hemispherical end radii are used for stretch spherical and toroidal saddle-shaped parts. The dimples and the shape error of MPSF parts were analyzed, and the results show the influences of punch element number and element hemispherical end radius on forming results. MPSF tests show that the forming effect of MPSF is excellent.     

马鞍面件多道次多点模具成形数值模拟

通过对马鞍面件多道次多点模具成形的有限元数值模拟,阐述了多道次多点模具成形数值模拟的关键技术,并与单工步多点模具成形进行比较,分析了马鞍面件的成形过程,研究了不同曲率半径步长对成形结果的影响.结果表明:多道次多点模具成形与单工步多点模具成形相比改善了板材的受力状况,达到了消除变形集中的目的;多道次多点模具成形时,随着曲率半径步长的减小,板料厚度分布越来越均匀,不易形成集中失稳.     

多点数字化拉形成形性能的数值模拟分析

以鞍形曲面蒙皮件为例,对多点数字化拉形过程进行了数值模拟分析.通过模拟所得到的最佳水平预拉力与实际拉形工艺中通过经验公式确定的值相符,验证了算法的准确性.从材料、板厚、曲面形状和变形程度等方面入手分析多点数字化拉形的成形性能,结果表明:随着板料厚度减小、变形程度增大,板料起皱的趋势增大,并且不同的曲面形状及材料对板料的成形结果都有影响.同时给出了临界变形量极限图.研究结果为多点数字化拉形技术的实用化提供了重要依据.     

Generation and suppression of local severe plastic deformation in sectional multi-point forming

Sectional multi-point forming (SMPF) technology provides a new solution for forming large-size sheet metal. With this technique, large-size parts of sheet metal can be manufactured on a smaller multi-point forming press. But the force status and deformation of the workpiece are complicated in SMPF; the local severe plastic deformation will be produced easily in the transition region, and strain-hardening will be commonly produced subsequently. The hardening is difficult to eliminate in subsequent processes, which will largely affect the final deformation quality. In this paper, the generation of local severe plastic deformation was discussed; NURBS-based modeling method was used to construct the shape of the assortative region to suppress the defect. Experiments proved that the method is fairly effective. Finally, a plan was suggested to raise further the forming limit of materials and enhance the work efficiency by combining multi-point press forming with assortative region method.     

Numerical simulation of mold filling and deformation behavior in rheology forming process

Rheology forming is a novel semi-solid processing method, which is different from traditional mold forging and conventional casting processes. The rheological behavior of metallic alloys containing both solid and liquid phases investigated the low and high solid fraction ranges. Rheology forming has several obvious advantages including its excellent forming ability resulting in the easier production of complex work pieces, more flexibility in shaping pieces, and more compact inner quality because of its high pressure. This research paper presents the theory of the rheology forming process and the results of a finite element simulation of rheology forming for aluminum alloys. The algorithms for both a single- and two-phase flow model, developed for this study, gives the die filling patterns, velocities, temperatures and solid fractions of the rheology material during the rheology process. To calculate the velocity and temperature fields, the respective governing equations corresponding to the liquid and solid regions were used. Therefore, the respective numerical models that take the co-existing solid and liquid phases within the rheology material into consideration have been developed to predict the defects of parts manufactured by the rheology process. This study compares of the velocity, temperature, and solid fraction between the single- and two-phase flow models. And, to predict the liquid segregation in the parts, the deviation of velocity between the liquid and solid regions in the two-phase flow model was analyzed.     

Modeling and numerical simulation of multi-gripper flexible stretch forming process

Multi-gripper flexible stretch forming (MGFSF) is a recent technological innovation of sheet metal forming process. Straight jaws in traditional stretch forming machines are substituted for a pair of opposed clamping mechanisms movable relative to each other during the forming process. In this paper, spherical part is selected as the study object, and numerical simulations of the MGFSF process under two representative loading paths of horizontal-vertical (HV) loading path and horizontal-tilting-vertical (HTV) loading path have been carried out using a commercially available FEM software (ABAQUS). Four levels of horizontal forces in HV loading path are selected to investigate their influences on strain and forming error distributions of the simulated parts. In addition, four levels of tilting forces in HTV loading path are also taken into consideration. The simulation results reveal that HV loading path would result in a larger strain but a smaller forming error in the forming zone. In contrast, HTV loading path would result in a smaller strain but a larger forming error in the forming zone. Finally, experimental validations are conducted on self-developed apparatus, and the experimental results show a good correlation with the simulation results.     

可重构柔性多点模具蒙皮拉形工艺设计系统

针对可重构柔性多点模具蒙皮数字化拉形中的钉柱高度计算和工艺设计问题,开发了可重构柔性多点模具蒙皮拉形工艺设计系统.给出了系统的功能模块和体系结构,研究了曲面空间定位、模面补充、钉柱调形高度计算、毛料尺寸及拉形轨迹计算等关键技术和相关算法.在CATIA环境下,采用组件应用架构二次开发技术,实现了系统的开发.通过对实际蒙皮零件的分析和计算,验证了系统的实用性和有效性.     

板材多点成形使用弹性垫后回弹的数值模拟

利用有限元软件LS-DYNA对板材冲压成形的回弹进行数值模拟。使用3mm厚的弹性垫抑制板材成形产生的压痕,但弹性垫的使用加上板材的回弹会导致成形误差的增大。基于数值模拟的结果,提出了修正基本体群成形面补偿回弹。经过两次补偿,精度得到了很好的提高,证明该方法可以很好地补偿多点成形中的回弹。     

斜壁矩形盒件多点拉深成形的数值模拟

通过对斜壁矩形盒件多点拉深成形的有限元数值模拟,分析了成形过程中起皱与拉裂缺陷的产生,研究了四种不同压边力加载曲线即恒压边力、↘形压边力曲线、V形压边力曲线、■形压边力曲线对成形结果的影响。结果表明:斜壁矩形盒件在整个多点拉深成形过程中,在宽度方向的侧壁底部极易发生破裂缺陷,在法兰直边对称轴处起皱最严重;不同的压边力曲线对斜壁矩形盒件多点拉深最终成形结果的影响很大,其中■形状的压边力加载曲线最有利于斜壁矩形盒件的多点拉深成形。     

Numerical investigation of multi-point forming process for sheet metal: wrinkling, dimpling and springback

Multi-point forming (MPF) is a new flexible technique for manufacturing three-dimensional sheet metal parts. In this procedure, a pair of opposed matrices of punch elements substitute for the conventional fixed shape die sets, and the sheet metal can be formed rapidly between the matrices. Extensive numerical simulations of the processes for forming spherical and saddle-shaped parts were carried out by dynamic explicit finite element analysis. The contacting process between sheet metal and punch elements in MPF was investigated, and the variations of forming force with respect to the tool travel were analyzed. The wrinkling processes were simulated, and the MPF limit curves without wrinkles for spherical and saddle-shaped parts were obtained. Dimple is a particular defect in MPF, through the comparison of the thickness strains calculated by solid FE and shell FE, the finite elements appropriate for the numerical analysis of dimpling were detected, and the limit forming force without dimples was determined. Springback processes of MPF were simulated based on explicit-implicit algorithm. The springbacks and their distributions under different conditions were investigated.     

Numerical simulations on reducing the unloading springback with multi-step multi-point forming technology

Multi-point forming (MPF) is an innovative flexible manufacturing technology for three-dimensional sheet metal forming. It replaces the conventional solid dies with a set of height-adjustable discrete punches, called the “punch group”. A set of punches can construct various three-dimensional curved surfaces freely and conveniently, through adjusting the relative position of each punch. MPF technology not only saves a significant amount of money and time in the design, manufacture, and adjusting of the dies but it can also be applied to change the deformation path and to improve the forming quality. Unloading springback is an inevitable phenomenon in sheet metal forming using MPF. To control and reduce springback, numerical simulations for the MPF process and the unloading springback are carried out using the explicit-implicit coupled finite element method. Subsequently, influencing factors such as thickness, deformation amount, and material properties of MPF springback are researched to investigate the MPF springback tendency. Next, the multi-step MPF technology is introduced to reduce MPF springback. Based on numerical simulation analysis, it is obviously validated that the unloading springback is decreased when the multi-step MPF method is applied. Finally, it is verified that the equidifferent deformation path and small deformation amount of each forming step can improve the workpiece stress state and minimize the unloading springback effectively by an evaluation result of the deformation path effect on the multi-step MPF.     

连续多点成形中的成形载荷分析

研制了连续多点成形装置来完成三维曲面工件的高效、柔性加工,并对其成形载荷的变化趋势以及不同工艺参数对成形载荷的影响进行了研究.首先,介绍了连续多点成形原理;基于一定的假设条件,建立了成形载荷的理论公式;以双曲率元件为研究对象,建立有限元模型,分析了y方向载荷、z方向载荷以及合成载荷的变化情况.接着,分析了上辊压下量、板材厚度以及柔性辊曲率半径对成形载荷的影响.最后,设计出成形装置并进行实验.结果表明,y方向载荷最大值为6.693 kN,成形载荷的最大值为6.716 kN,成形载荷主要由y方向载荷决定;z方向载荷最大值为1.412 kN,为驱动工件运动的力;随上辊压下量的增加、板材厚度的增加以及柔性辊曲率半径的减小,y方向载荷均增加.成形载荷的变化情况与实际情况吻合,为成形装置的研制提供了指导作用.实验结果证明,连续多点成形是一种连续、高效、柔性的三维曲面成形方法.     

Surrogate-based multi-point forming process optimization for dimpling and wrinkling reduction

Multi-point forming (MPF) has been gaining attention for use in flexible sheet metal forming, since it is conducive to the manufacture of various shapes. However, discrete punch elements may induce either dimples or wrinkles, resulting in defective products. To address these forming issues, this study aims to eliminate both dimpling and wrinkling by adjusting parameters such as the punch speed, punch pressure (cushion compressive strain ratio), and elastic cushion thickness through multi-objective optimization. Evaluation of dimpling and wrinkling under variation in these three MPF parameters benefits from ordinary Kriging for computational efficiency. Multi-objective optimization with a genetic algorithm is used to determine the Pareto fronts of the dimpling and wrinkling measures, and a technique for order preferences by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) is performed for identifying the best candidate among the Pareto optima. Finally, a dimpling-and-wrinkling-free TOPSIS solution is numerically verified by comparison with results of a full model simulation and experimentally validated by its application to a manufactured product.     

螺旋台阶零件多步成形过程数值模拟

鉴于零件对材料增厚及表面质量没有严格要求,采用无压边拉深来完成零件螺旋台阶面的成形,不仅模具结构简单,而且材料利用率高.围绕零件成形难点部位,以特征点的形式详细分析了拉深成形过程中特征区域的应力、应变、厚度和成形极限等模拟结果.在分析拉深工序的基础上,进一步对零件进行多工步模拟分析.结合等效塑性应变、厚度分布及成形极限等信息分析了其它工步作用过程中的变形特点.通过数值模拟结果与实际冲压结果的对比,验证了多工步数值模拟结果的有效性.     

Formability analysis on the process of multi-point forming for titanium alloy retiary sheet

The multi-point forming (MPF) process of spherical surface parts of titanium alloy retiary sheet and titanium alloy sheet metal with different thickness and curvature radius was simulated by an explicit finite element software. Contradistinctive analysis between retiary sheet and sheet metal forming parts with different modes were done. The simulation results show that under the same forming conditions, titanium alloy retiary sheet is not easy to wrinkle and springback, whereas it is easy to form. The reason for differences in the formability of above-mentioned sheet metal is also analyzed. A non-wrinkling limited graph and a fracture critical graph for spherical surface parts of retiary metal sheet and metal sheet were obtained. Finally a forming test of titanium alloy cranial prosthesis was done in MPF press. Testing results indicate the customized 3D curved surface of prosthesis can be adequately shaped and the forming quality was guaranteed.     

虎克式万向节热挤压成型有限元数值模拟

采用三维弹塑性有限元法对虎克式万向节热挤压成形过程进行了数值模拟分析.提出了虎克式万向节热挤压成型的可行性.根据模拟的结果预测了在实际生产中的成形情况及可能产生的缺陷,为获得合理的毛坯尺寸、模具设计以及设备选择提供了理论依据.