Cold and Warm Hydroforming of AA754‐O Sheet: FE Simulations and Experiments

The sheet hydroforming with punch (SHF‐P) process offers great potential for low and medium volume production, especially for forming: (1) lightweight sheet materials such as aluminum (Al) and magnesium (Mg) alloys and (2) thin gage high strength steels (HSS). Mg and Al alloys are being increasingly considered for automotive applications, primarily due to their lightweight and high strength‐to‐weight ratios. However, there is limited experience‐based knowledge of process parameter selection and tool design for SHF‐P of these materials. Thus, there is a need for a fundamental understanding of the influence of process parameters on part quality. This paper summarizes analyses of the SHF‐P process of AA5754‐O sheet using finite element (FE) simulations. FE simulations and preliminary experiments of SHF‐P were conducted to determine the process parameters (blank holder force versus punch stroke and pot pressure versus stroke) to form a challenging shape (a cylindrical cup with a reverse bulge) successfully at...