Influences of key process parameters on orbital forging of thin-walled smartphone shell frame of aluminum alloy

Abstract

Smartphone shell frame is a thin-walled component, which is quite difficult to be fabricated by integral die forging process because of narrow die cavity and high forging load. In this paper, an orbital forging process is proposed to forge the thin-walled smartphone shell frame. Firstly, a FE model on orbital forging of thin-walled smartphone shell frame is developed under Deform-3D platform. By using this model, the influences of initial temperature of workpiece T, tilt angle of swing die γ and feed moment per rotation λ on temperature distribution, equivalent strain distribution and forging load are comprehensively discussed. The results show that final temperature of workpiece compared with initial temperature of workpiece T can be improved with decreasing initial temperature of workpiece T, increasing tilt angle of swing die γ and increasing feed moment per rotation λ. Equivalent strain is positively correlated with tilt angle of swing die γ, negatively correlated with feed moment per rotation λ and almost unaffected by initial temperature of workpiece T. Moreover, forging load can be obviously reduced by increasing initial temperature of workpiece T, increasing tilt angle of swing die γ and decreasing feed moment per rotation λ.