The study is concerned with the rigid-plastic finite element analysis for axisymmetric hydro-mechanical deep drawing in which the fluid flow influences the metal deformation. Due to the fluid pressure acting on the sheet material hydro-mechanical deep drawing is distinguished from the conventional deep drawing processes.
In considering the pressure effect, the governing equation for fluid pressure is solved and the result is reflected on the global stiffness matrix. The solution procedure consists of two stages; i.e., initial bulging of the sheet surface before the initiation of steady fluid flow in the flange and fluid-lubricated stage. The problem is decoupled between fluid analysis and analysis of solid deformation by iterative feedback of mutual computed results.
The corresponding experiments are carried out for axisymmetric hydro-mechanical deep drawing of annealled aluminium sheet as well as for deep drawing. It has been shown from the experiments that the limit drawing ratio for hydro-mechanical deep drawing is improved as compared with deep drawing.
The computed results are in good agreement with the experiment for variation of punch head and chamber pressure with respect to the punch travel and for distribution of thickness strain. It is thus shown that the present method of analysis can be effectively applied to the analysis of axisymmetric hydro-mechanical deep drawing processes.
