| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2024 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
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Formability and Spring-back Issues in Ultra-high Strength Steels and High Strength Aluminum Alloys
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| Presentation Title |
Roller Bending/Unbending Process for Improving the Local Mechanical Properties of Aluminum Sheets |
| Author(s) |
Katherine Rader, Wahaz Nasim, Angel Ortiz, Nathan Canfield, Kyoo Sil Choi, Mert Efe |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Katherine Rader |
| Abstract Scope |
This study introduces a novel thermo-mechanical process to modify the local mechanical properties of 6xxx aluminum alloy sheets. In this process, rollers travel along the length of a sheet while locally bending and unbending it so that the final shape and thickness of the sheet is unchanged. Room temperature bending/unbending produces local hardening in both T4 and T6 sheets (with 41% and 18% greater Vickers hardness, respectively). High temperature bending/unbending, which can be performed at temperatures between 350°C and 550°C via induction heating, produces significant improvements in local formability as measured by bend testing. Formability levels equivalent to the T4 temper are achieved within the processed zones of T6 sheets (with bend angles of 161° and 164°, respectively). These mechanical property improvements are explained through finite element simulations and microstructural characterization. This process could be integrated with roller hemming robots to process selective regions of high strength aluminum sheet materials. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Shaping and Forming, Aluminum, Mechanical Properties |