New approach to gas pressure profile prediction for high temperature AA5083 sheet forming

A new theoretical approach to the prediction of gas pressure profiles that vary smoothly with time in high temperature forming of fine-grained AA5083 sheet is presented. The required pressure-flow stress relationship, which couples the gas pressure profile and the material constitutive model, was implemented in ABAQUS implicit. Forming of a rectangular pan in a die with variable entry radii was simulated with a single creep mechanism model that accounts for hardening/softening in AA5083. Predicted sheet thickness and thinning in a die entry radius region at the end of forming are examined in detail. Results are compared with those from two additional gas pressure schemes. One of these is taken directly from experiments and the other is based upon an algorithm that is internal to ABAQUS. The effect of friction on forming time is explored in the absence of a stability criterion for necking. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.