| Abstract: | Computer simulation and experimental investigation of the sheet metal bending into a V-shape by the laser beam scanning without an external force exerted onto it have been performed. A 3-D FEM simulation has been carried out, which includes a non-linear transient indirect coupled thermal-structural analysis accounting for the temperature dependency of the thermal and mechanical properties of the materials. The bending angle, distribution of stress–strain, temperature and residual stresses have been obtained from the simulations. The sheet metal bending had been performed for different materials, thicknesses, scanning speeds and laser powers. The measurement of real-time temperature and bending angle was carried out. The bending angle is affected by the mechanical and thermal properties of the sheet metal material, the process parameters, and the output of laser energy. The bending angle is increased with the number of laser beam scanning passes and is the function of the laser power and the laser beam scanning speed. The simulation results are in agreement with the experimental results. |
