Dual-pressure tube hydroforming (THF) is a tube hydroforming process variant whereby deformation of the tubular specimen is achieved by exerting fluid pressure on both the inside and outside surfaces of the tube. Dual-pressure THF experiments are conducted to study tribological conditions when producing pear-shaped and triangular parts. The pressure-loading paths are designed to exert pressure in oscillatory pattern: I.e., the pressure on the inside was alternated with pressure on the outside causing the tube to expand and contract/buckle as deformation progressed. During tube contraction, the metal-to-metal contact area is substantially reduced. This leads to reduction in friction stress at the tube-die interface, thus increasing formability. Comparing the geometries of the formed parts produced by dual-pressure THF and conventional THF reveals that the former results in a substantial increase in the protrusion height of a pear-shaped specimen.
Dual-pressure tube hydroforming (THF) is a tube-forming process that involves applying fluid pressure to a tube’s inner and outer surfaces to achieve deformation. This study investigates the effect of dual-pressure loading paths on material formability and tribological conditions. Specifically, pear-shaped and triangular cross-sectional parts were formed using dual-pressure modes where fluid pressure on the inside of the tubular blank was alternated with pressure on the outside surface of the tubular blank, causing the tube to expand/stretch and contract. During expansion, the tube conformed to the die’s cavity, while during contraction, the contact area between the die and the workpiece reduced, leading to decreased friction stress at the tube–die interface. Additionally, the reversal of pressure loadings caused the tubular blank to buckle, altering the stress state and potentially increasing local shear stress, improving material formability. Dual-pressure THF has demonstrated that the pressure loading paths chosen can substantially influence material formability. Comparing the geometries of parts formed by dual-pressure THF and conventional THF shows a significant increase in the protrusion height of both the pear-shaped and triangular specimens using dual-pressure THF.
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