Modelling the superplastic deformation process of 2024 aluminium alloys under constant strain rate: use of finite element technique

In recent years, there is a considerable interest in the application of superplastic forming for the fabrication of complex parts in the aircraft and automobile industries. In this field, the existing analytical theory is far from perfect and the results deduced from it do not describe the real conditions very well. Therefore numerical and modelling procedures are essential. In this study, ANSYS finite element code is used and a systematic approach was developed to carry out the forming analysis at constant strain rate. In this approach experimentally obtained material data at different cross-head speeds were used to model and analyse processes at constant strain rate. This was ensured by writing software using a parametric design language (PDL) to lead the analysis. Uniaxial tension and deep drawing processes for 2024 Al. alloy sheet were modelled and analysed. The results showed the effectiveness of this approach in describing the superplastic forming process at predefined process conditions. Furthermore, it is established that in using the systematic approach it is possible to allocate the proper process conditions parallel with the complexity of the product. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved