Residual stresses and strains analysis in press-braking bending parts considering multi-step forming effect

Abstract

Press-braking bending is a multi-step bending process and widely applied in the aerospace industry. Residual stresses and strains generated during the forming process play an important role in determining its forming parameters and bending path. This work aims to analyze the residual stresses and strains in press-braking bending parts using both the theoretical method and numerical method. First, the analytical model of residual stress and strain is established based on the elastic–plastic bending theory. Second, a fully finite element model of press-braking bending has been developed, and a procedure to simulate the multi-step bending process is presented by using the elastic–plastic large deformation finite element method. The simulation results are then compared with three-point bending experiments in terms of forming force and final shapes of the bent specimens, and excellent agreement is achieved. Finally, the results calculated from the analytical model are compared with the numerical results. The distributions of residual stresses and strains on the finished plate along the length and thickness direction, and particularly the multi-step forming effect on residual stresses and strains, are discussed. It is found that the residual stresses and strains decrease at the initial loading position along the thickness direction during the forming process of subsequent loading positions. With the same punch displacement, the residual stresses and strains at the initial loading position are less than those at the subsequent bending position.