Effects of friction model on forging process of Ti-6Al-4V turbine blade considering the influence of sliding velocity

Abstract

This work is motivated by the fact that one key parameter of sliding velocity at die-workpiece interface in numerical analysis of blade forging process is usually ignored, thereby resulting in poor prediction accuracy and limited application of friction model. A realistic description of the friction boundary conditions shows great practical importance for the usability of simulation results. In this paper, an advanced friction model named IFUM considering the influence of sliding velocity is introduced in the simulation of Ti-6Al-4V turbine blade forging operation, and its effects on metal flow and forging forces are compared and evaluated with two traditional friction models. The results indicate that the Institute of Metal Forming and Metal-Forming Machines (IFUM) friction model gives the better match with the experimental results than the traditional ones, in which the material flow velocity distribution and forging forces characterized by the sliding velocity are found to be more uneven and smaller, respectively. This research improves the accuracy of the simulation results and can be served as a basis for design and optimization of blade forging process.