A method of forming oblique rings

Ring rolling can be used to manufacture cylindrical, conical and profiled rings. However, due to its nature, it is limited to forming only axisymmetrical rings. If the application requires an oblique ring, it has to be machined from a straight ring, which is associated with substantial loss of material and high machining cost. A new metal forming process is proposed that converts a straight ring into an oblique ring and, therefore, saves both the material and the machining effort. To check feasibility of this process, a finite element simulation was carried out. The simulation results, in terms of the final shape of an oblique ring and the maximum equivalent plastic strain, proved feasibility of the process. Physical modelling experiments using Al 1070 were also successful.