Prediction of load requirement and instabilities during end forming of friction stir processed AA 6063-T6 thin-walled tubes

Abstract

PurposeThe current work aims to propose a finite element (FE) simulation methodology to predict the formability of friction stir processed (FSPed) tubes by end forming. Moreover, a strain mapping method is also presented to predict the end forming instabilities.Design/methodology/approachIn this work, FE simulation of end forming of raw tubes and FSPed AA6063-T6 tubes are done using Abaqus (explicit) incorporating anisotropic properties of the raw tube and FSPed zone. Actual thickness of the FSPed zone is also implemented. Expansion, reduction and beading are the end forming operations considered. Load requirement and instabilities are predicted. A new method “strain mapping method” is followed to predict the failure instabilities in expansion and beading, while during reduction, wrinkling is predicted by FE simulations. Lab scale experiments on FSP and end forming are done for validation at various rotational speeds.FindingsResults reveal that in the case of expansion and reduction of FSPed tubes, forming load predictions are accurate, while in beading, after initiation of bead, predictions are not accurate. Experimental observation on the type of instability is consistently predicted during numerical simulations. Prediction of displacement at failure by strain mapping method is encouraging in most of the cases including those that are FSPed. Hence, it is suggested that the method can be utilized to evaluate the onset of failure during tube expansion and beading.Originality/valueFE simulation methodology including anisotropic properties of raw tube and FSPed tubes is proposed, which is not attempted until now even for normal tubes. Strain mapping method is easy to implement for instability predictions, which is done usually by failure theories and forming limit diagram.