Investigation on Formability of Tailor Welded Blanks (TWBs) During Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) Process

Abstract

AbstractTailor Welded Blanks is defined as two or more separate pieces of flat material, dissimilar thickness, and/or mechanical properties joined together before forming. TWBs are associated with limitations of weld line shift and reduced formability. To improve the formability of homogenous blanks, Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) has given good results. The present work aims to investigate the effect of SPIF process parameters on forming behaviour of TWBs using a simulation method. ABAQUS/Explicit is used as a simulation tool and SPIF process parameters like feed, spindle rotational speed and coefficient of friction are selected for investigation. The responses like thinning and weld line shift are studied for different conditions of SPIF process. It has been found that feed is the most significant parameter affecting the weld line shift, plastic equivalent strain and thinning of the TWBs. The significance of coefficient of friction and spindle speed is found negligible. During SPIF process, nature of weld line shift is sinusoidal and the shift of weld line is on both sides of the weld region. For weld line shift, tool dragging and deformation of weak material play important roles.KeywordsTailor welded blanksSingle point incremental formingABAQUS/ExplicitThinningWeld line shift