Numerical Investigation of Process Parameters on External Inversion of Thin-Walled Tubes

In this paper, a computational study of development of external inversion mode of deformation of round-metallic aluminum tubes over a fixed profile die is presented. Inversion mode of deformation is analyzed in detail by using a finite element code FORGE2. The proposed finite element model for this purpose idealizes the deformation as axisymmetric. Six-noded triangular elements are used to discretize the domain. The material is modeled as rigid-viscoplastic. Typical variations of the equivalent strain rate and equivalent strain along the length of the deforming tube are studied to predict the development of inversion mode of deformation. The influence of the friction present at the contact interface between the tube and the die is also examined to suggest a successful inversion of tube. Energy absorbed in overcoming the frictional stresses between the tube-die interfaces is compared with the total energy required in the inversion of tube. A few predicted results which include the geometry of inverted tube load-compression variation during inversion process are compared with their experimental counterparts to validate the computational model.