Forming 1050 Aluminium Alloy by Implementing SPF Concept

AA1050H14 sheets with commercial identification of Al1050 are formed by
implementing superplastic forming technology for industrial applications. Numerical
simulations are modelled via built-in Bailey-Norton creep law material model in
ABAQUS. The published uniaxial test data on Al1050 are utilized in the FEM (finite
lament methods) simulations for AA1050 flow stress curves at different uniaxial
loading strain rate and testing temperature conditions. The strain rate sensitivity of
AA1050, published by the author, was implemented in the numerical models to adopt
the SPF (superplastic forming) concept. The pressure cycles were extracted from
the outcomes of the FEM simulations to determine the loading condition in the SPF
press to blow the AA1050 sheets into the die cavity by hot gas pressure. The simulation mimics the formation of the SPF part in the press for both aspects of geometrical
and formation time, which in turn captures the material flow rate using creep model.
The outcomes of forming trials confirm that the lead time for the stretching AA1050
sheets via SPF is suitable for forming AA1050 complex boxes used in food industry or
the relevant sectors.