Multi-objective optimisation of thickness and strain distribution for automotive component in forming process

Abstract

Automotive manufacturing industry has emerged as one of the important facet of economy boost in developing countries like India. Globalisation, with invited competition, is demanding best quality products from manufacturer. Most of the parts of automotive, which contribute to safety and aesthetics, i.e., body parts are manufactured from sheet metal. Metal forming is complex, strain distribution process in formed part from flat blank involving range of processes from simple bending to deep drawing. Ideally the volume of the blank and formed component must remain constant, but decrease/increase in thickness of sheet metal is observed along with strains in major and minor direction. This results in various failures as wrinkling and fracture. The paper presents innovative methodology to distribute uniformly the thickness, preventing thinning/thickening. Multi-objective optimisation problem has been framed with two contradictory objectives as thinning and thickening correlating the process variables. Petrol tank cover, automotive component has been selected for study and numerical experimentation, from Vishwadeep Enterprises, Pune. Multi-objective genetic algorithm [MOGA] has been applied for process optimisation. The results obtained are encouraging and avoids thinning/thickening and results in uniform distribution of thickness in all sections of petrol tank cover.