Temperature gradient mechanism in laser forming of thin plates

Abstract To obtain further insight into the deformation of a plate in the laser forming process, the temperature gradient mechanism (TGM) is studied. Through the investigation, it can be found that, under the processing conditions of TGM, the plate not only bends about the x -axis but also about the y -axis. An analytical model estimate of the bending angle about the y -axis is constructed based on the theories of heat transfer and the mechanics of elastoplasticity. Numerical simulations are carried out to investigate the deformation of the plate about the y -axis by choosing the different process parameters. The analytically based estimate is used to suggest suitable starting values for the simulation process of calculated results. The study of the bending about the y-axis may describe more fully the deformation of a plate, which is helpful in high-precision forming.