Enhancement of dimple formability in sheet metals by 2-step forming

초록

In this study, a 2-step stamping model with an additional 1st stamping tool is proposed to reduce stamping flaws in the curved parts of a dimple in a nuclear fuel spacer grid. First, the strains of curved part of dimple are characterized via a comparison with strain solutions in pure bending. A reference 2D finite element (FE) model of 1- step stamping is then established, and the corresponding maximum strain is obtained. By varying the values of design variables of the 1st stamping tool in the 2-step stamping model, FE solutions are obtained to express the strain as a function of process variables, which provides the optimum values of process variables. Finally, applying these optimum values to a 3D FE model, we demonstrate the enhanced formability of the proposed 2-step stamping model. © 2013 The Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers.

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