Research on the Compound Process of Hot Stamping and Heat Treatment for Duralumin Alloy Fairing with Large Aspect Ratio: Experiment and modeling

Abstract

The compound process of hot stamping and solution quenching heat treatment (HFQ®) was utilized to fabricate hard aluminium fairing of high aspect ratio. A simulation model was established by MSC.Marc to optimize the shape and size of the blamk as well as the effects of process parameters, namely, initial temperature, stamping speed, blank holder force (BHF), on extreme final temperature and thickness distribution of formed component were investigated. The reliability of finite element simulation was proved by the hot stamping experiments with self-designed moulds under the optimize process parameters achieved by simulation results. The results indicated that the optimized blank is well deformed without flange wrinkle and broken round; the maximum cooling rate in quenching can inhibite the precipitation when the initial temperature ranges from 350 to 450℃; BHF effects dominated on thickness distribution and 10KN is the most reasonable value under the studied condition while the optimum stamping speed is 100mm•s-1. Compared with the thickness of the stamping trials and numerical simulation, the deviation is less than 3.6%. Furthermore, The desired mechanical property is achieved without significant inhomogeneity.

Keywords

• Aluminium
• Finite element method
• Hot stamping
• Manufacturing process