OCTOBER 19-20, 2012 - YMCA University of Science & Technology

Proceedings of the National Conference on
Trends and Advances in Mechanical Engineering,
YMCA University of Science & Technology, Faridabad, Haryana, Oct 19-20, 2012
FINITE ELEMENT MODELLING OF TUBE HYDROFORMING
PROCESS USING PURE ALUMINIUM (Al 99)
Dhairya Pratap Singh 1 , Dilip Johari 2 , Jitendra Kumar Verma 3
1 PhD Scholar ,Department of Mechanical Engineering, YMCA University of Science & Technology, Faridabad,
Haryana, India, Email: d.psingh220785@gmail.com
2 M.Tech Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dayalbagh Educational University,, Agra, U.P.,
India, Email: jkverma14@gmail.com
3
M.Tech Student ,Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dayalbagh Educational University, Agra, U.P., India
Email: dilipjohari@gmail.com
Abstract
Hydroforming process may be defined as a metal forming technology using hydraulic or fluid pressure to
deform the tubes and sheet. Increasing use of hydroforming in automotive applications requires intensive
research and development on all aspects of this relatively new technology to satisfy an ever-increasing demand
by the industry. Tube hydroforming process and sheet hydroforming process are some variations of
hydroforming process. Tube hydroforming is one of the most popular unconventional metal forming processes
which is widely used to form various tubular components. By this process, tubes are formed into different shapes
using internal pressure and axial compressive loads simultaneously to force a tubular blank to conform to the
shape of a given die cavity. Initially, Factors affecting the output of the process are reviewed in the paper.
Moreover, common types of failure of the process are introduced and improvements to avoid them are also
mentioned. Review of sheet hydroforming process is also done. Comparison of conventional deep drawing
process and deep drawing process with hydroforming process is done. S-shape rail is simulated in FORGE
2011.Pure Aluminium is used as tube material to form double T-joint under different friction conditions is
simulated using Forge 2011 and results are analysed.
Keywords: Hydroforming Process, Tube Hydroforming Process, Sheet Hydroforming Process, Finite Element
Modeling (FEM), Deformation behaviour, Friction.
1. Introduction
Hydroforming processes have become popular in recent years, due to the increasing demands for lightweight
parts in various fields, such as bicycle, automotive, aircraft and aerospace industries [01]. This technology is
relatively new as compared with rolling, forging or stamping, therefore there is not much knowledge available
for the product or process designers. Compared to conventional manufacturing like stamping and welding, Tube
Hydroforming Process (THF) and Sheet Hydroforming Process (SHF) offers several advantages, such as
decrease in work piece cost, tool cost and product weight, improvement of structural stability and increase of the
strength and stiffness of the formed parts, more uniform thickness distribution, fewer secondary operations,
better surface finish etc. [01].
Hydroforming process uses fluid pressure in place of the punch as comparing with a conventional tool set to
form the component into the desired shape of the die. Generally, hydroforming processes can be classified as
tube or sheet hydroforming depending on the initial shape of workpiece. In the tube hydroforming process
(THP), the initial workpiece is placed into a die cavity, which corresponds to the final shape of the component.
Next, the dies are closed under the force and the tube is internally pressurized by a liquid medium to effect
the expansion of the component (internal pressure, p i ) and axially compressed by sealing punches to force
material into the die cavity (axial force). Hence the component is formed under the simultaneously controlled
action of internal pressure p i and axial force. [01]
In the present work finite element method has been applied to analyse the equivalent strain obtained, formability
achieved and shape achieved by using 'FORGE 2011' aiming to investigate the effect of friction between die
channel and specimen on the equivalent strain distribution and shape achieved. Moreover FEM analysis indicates
that higher equivalent strain means the higher yield strength and higher hardness.
FORGE 2011, based on the finite element method, is software package used to simulate hot, warm and cold
forging of both 3D parts and 2D geometry parts (such as long products where a cross section is studied or such as
products with a revolution axis when a radial section is studied). The software uses thermo-viscoplastic laws for
hot forging. For warm and cold forging, a thermo-elasto-plastic model enables the prediction of residual stresses
and geometrical dimensions at the end of the forming.
633