Numerical and experimental investigation of formability in incremental sheet forming of particle-reinforced metal matrix composite sheets

Abstract

Aluminium matrix composites (AMCs) have a high strength-to-weight ratio, high stiffness, and good damage resistance under a wide range of operating conditions, making them a viable alternative to traditional materials in a variety of technical applications. Because of their high strength, composite materials are hard to deform to a desired shape and depth at room temperature. As a result, additional treatments are required to enhance the composite’s ductility at room temperature prior to deformation. In this investigation, as-received 6092Al/silicon carbide particle (SiCp) composite sheets (T6-condition) are heat-treated to O-condition annealing to enhance its ductility in order to assess the formability and fracture behaviour of the Al/SiC particle composite sheets under single point incremental forming (SPIF) using different forming parameters at room temperature. The annealed sheets are heat-treated to T6-condition to enhance the strength and achieve properties equivalent to as-received sheet properties. The results demonstrate that the Al/SiC particle composite sheets with T6 treatment could not be deformed to the specified depth due to low ductility at room temperature. Further treatment, such as O-condition annealing, is required to enhance its ductility to enable successful deformation of the Al/SiCp sheets using SPIF. After SPIF processing, the annealed Al/SiCp composite sheets are heat-treated back to T6. The sheets exhibit properties comparable to the as-received sheets. Al/SiC particle composite sheets with low values of SPIF parameters, i.e. small tool diameter, low step size and feed rate, are able to achieve greater formability and fracture depth with low strain hardening under SPIF processing conditions.