A Multipath Process-Based Inherent Strain Method for Prediction of Deformation of Hull Plate for Integrated Heating and Mechanical Rolling Forming Process

Abstract

Integrated heating and mechanical rolling forming (IHMRF) has recently been introduced for manufacturing complex curvature hull plates. It fabricates the target curved plate by sequential loading along the multipath. Accurate and efficient prediction of the deformation of the plate is the basis for developing the process planning and ensuring the quality of the forming. The inherent-strain method is ideal for this purpose, but its prediction accuracy needs to be improved. This paper proposes a multipath process-based inherent-strain method (MPISM), which considers the effect of the sequential loading process of the multipath on plate deformation. First, the effect of loading paths near the plate edge was investigated, which in turn clarified the rationale for obtaining the inherent strain only in the plate center. Secondly, a strain correction strategy was established by analyzing the variation pattern of the inherent strain caused by the crossing or proximity of the previous path and the subsequent path. This allowed the effects of the loading process to be taken into account in the elastic analysis. Based on the plate-and-shell theory, the idea of an equivalent inherent strain distribution is also presented. This makes the loading of inherent strains more accurate in the elastic finite-element model. MPISM predictions and experimental results show good agreement. Compared with the thermo-elastic–plastic finite element method, the MPISM substantially improves efficiency while maintaining accuracy. Compared with the original inherent-strain method, the MPISM is more accurate in terms of deformation magnitude prediction.