Title: The simulation of temperature field in the laser forming of steel plates

Authors: Hong Shen, Zhenqiang Yao, Yongjun Shi, Jun Hu

Addresses: School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. ' School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. ' School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. ' School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

Abstract: Laser forming of metal plates is a flexible forming process that forms sheet by means of thermal stresses induced by external heat source instead of using external forces. The stresses are generated by temperature gradient induced by laser. In this paper, a finite element analysis model including convective and radiation boundary conditions to predict the three-dimensional temperature field is established for a metal plate under the influence of a moving Gaussian heat source. The effects of various laser forming parameters on temperature distributions are investigated using the established model. By using variable scanning velocities a constant temperature gradient in the plate plane is achieved, which can be used to accurately form differently desired shapes of the plate.

Keywords: laser forming; temperature field; finite element method; FEM; FEMLAB; simulation; temperature distribution; steel plates; thermal stresses; mathematical modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIC.2007.014942

International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control, 2007 Vol.2 No.3, pp.241 - 249

Published online: 20 Aug 2007 *

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