Title: Modelling and simulation of single and multi-pass flow forming to investigate the influence of process parameters on part accuracy

Authors: Mithun Haridas; Gopi Gopal; Ajith Ramesh; Ramesh Kumar Katta

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amrita School of Engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (University), Amrita Nagar P.O. 641112, Coimbatore, India ' Defense Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Kanchenbagh, Hyderabad – 500058, Andhra Pradesh, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amrita School of Engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (University), Amrita Nagar P.O. 641112, Coimbatore, India ' Defense Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Kanchenbagh, Hyderabad – 500058, Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract: Flow forming is an incremental forming process used for making long, thin-walled seamless tubes with high strength and dimensional accuracy. This is carried out by compressing the pre-formed tube using one or more rollers, leading to the plastic flow of material in the radial, axial, and tangential directions. This ultimately results in reduction in thickness and elongation of the tube. In order to achieve the required accuracy and to reduce the shop floor costs, a better understanding of the influence of process parameters on part geometry, deformation mechanism, and stress-strain patterns will be required. This paper describes the development of a detailed finite element model, using Abaqus/Explicit, to accurately simulate the flow forming process for AISI-1045 MC-Steel, and attempts to predict the influence of process parameters like axial stagger, feed ratio, and percentage reduction, on output parameters like ovality, diametral growth, and spring back. The effect of multi-pass on surface finish is also investigated. [Received 26 August 2015; Revised 1 July 2016; Accepted 12 July 2016]

Keywords: multi-pass flow forming; finite element method; FEM; springback; diametral growth; ovality; axial stagger; percentage reduction; feed rate; Taguchi methods; ALE; arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian; mass scaling; modelling; simulation; part accuracy; part geometry; deformation; stress-strain patterns; surface finish; surface quality; medium carbon steel.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMR.2016.079473

International Journal of Manufacturing Research, 2016 Vol.11 No.3, pp.274 - 289

Received: 21 Sep 2015
Accepted: 12 Jul 2016
Published online: 28 Sep 2016 *

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