Development of the forming limit diagram for fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites and its temperature effect

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The aim of this study is to investigate the formability properties of thermoplastic composite sheets and to develop a forming limit diagram (FLD) for them under ambient and elevated temperatures. Polypropylene thermoplastic composite sheets reinforced with unidirectional continuous glass fibers in a four-layer 0–90 layup were used in this research. Experimental findings demonstrate that the failure of samples at room temperature is more similar to brittle failure and occurs suddenly, whereas at elevated temperatures, the failure resembles ductile failure and occurs gradually. Employing the Nakajima method, a forming limit diagram for the composite material was successfully established at both ambient and elevated temperatures. The resultant forming limit diagrams illustrate an augmented strain tolerance of the material at elevated temperatures. Notably, despite the increased depth of stretch observed at elevated temperatures in comparison to ambient conditions, a concomitant reduction in the force requisite to induce deformation is evident.