International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED RESEARCH IN 0976 6480(Print),

, ISSN 0976 6499(Online) Volume 4, Issue 3, April (2013), IAEME ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (IJARET) ISSN 0976 - 6480 (Print) ISSN 0976 - 6499 (Online) Volume 4, Issue 3, April 2013, pp. 194-201 IAEME: www.iaeme.com/ijaret.asp Journal Impact Factor (2013): 5.8376 (Calculated by GISI) www.jifactor.com

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STUDY ON THE MECHANISM OF FORCE CALCULATIONS IN FLOW FORMING: A REVIEW

G Venkateshwarlu, 2K Ramesh kumar, 3T. A. Janardhan Reddy, 4G. Gopi,

Assistant professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University college of Engineering, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. 500007.
2&4

Scientist-G and Scientist-D, Defence research development and laboratory, Hyderabad, Andhrapradesh, India 500012

Professor and Head, Department of Mechanical Engineering, CVR college of Engineering, Hyderabad, Andhrapradesh, India,500013;

ABSTRACT In metal working industry, flowforming processes is widely used. Flow forming is a metal forming process in which a shorter and thinner ring, called preform, is elongated to a thin and long tube over a rotating mandrel by means of three rollers. In this method, a hollow axisymmetric preform is affixed to a mandrel. When the both are made to rotate, compression forces can be applied on the outside diameter of the preform by hydraulically-driven CNC-controlled rollers. By a premeasured quantity of wall thickness reduction, in one or more passes, the material is compressed above its yield strength, plastically deformed and made to flow. The needed geometry of the workpiece is gained and equipped when the outer diameter and the wall of the preform are reduced and the available material volume is forced to flow longitudinally over the mandrel. Typically, the preform can be flowformed up to six times its starting length before a need for reannealing of the metal is required. There are certain parameters like mandrel speed, roller feed, roller geometry etc. which directly affect the dimensional accuracy of flow formed component. In connection to these parameters the work piece metallurgical properties like hardness variation and grain size variation will have effect on the dimensional accuracy of flow formed components. The inside surface quality of the finished workpiece almost resembles with the outside surface quality of the mandrel. Flow forming is used to produce rocket nose cones, rocket motor cases, gas turbine components and dish antennas in the aerospace industry. It can also be used to produce power train components and wheels in the automobile industry, gas bottles and containers for storage applications. The analysis of flow forming has been undertaken by several researchers. Most of the work is on the soft materials like lead, aluminum, low carbon steel, copper etc. A very few authors have tried with the forming process of hard-to-work materials. Concise definitions

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International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976 6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online) Volume 4, Issue 3, April (2013), IAEME of the research done by other researchers on soft as well as hard-to-work materials is observed and comprehended here. Advances in process simulation have been spurred essentially by the development of general-purpose, finite-element-method (FEM) packges such as DEFORM, ABAQUS, and MSC. Mar are generally applied for the study of elastic-plastic structural problems. The main advantages of these methods are that they reduce the computational time, and make possible some degree of optimization of the process parameters. This paper presents a study on the various mechanisms of flow forming process and the potential applications of it in defense, automotive and aerospace industries. Index Terms: CNC Flow forming, degree of optimization, Elasto-plastic FEM, Mechanics, Power spinning, Preform, staggered flow forming. NOMENCLATURE
= initial thickness (mm) tf= final thickness (mm) f= feed (mm/min) R= roll radius (mm) kc= strength coefficient of material n= strain hardening coefficient ft= tangential force (N) fa= axial force (N) fr= radial force (N) = strain(three times of ln(ti/tf)) m1 = Effective and mean effective stress = Reduction angle CS= over roll depth (mm) R=roller nose radius(mm) = half apex angle of mandrel (deg) = effective stress corresponding to an effective strain cot = outer cone radius = average value of deformation zone angle d= infinitesimal effective strain At, Ar, Aa = projected areas of the contact surface between roller and cone in the tangential, radial, and axial directions, respectively. N = speed of rotation of the mandrel, rpm = effective stress, m = mean effective stress. d = total effective strain = one half the cone angle, deg o, o = angle for deformation zone and its average value, respectively, radian o,o = angle functionally related to o and o respectively, radian

1. INTRODUCTION Flow forming is a relatively new technique which is ideally suited to take the place of the current forging and machining processes in components like the mortar tube. The flow forming operation begins with a considerably short and thick-walled hollow cylinder preform.The preform is fit to a mandrel with the same diameter as the product. Circumferential rollers rotate axially along the preform, thus cold working the billet, making it thinner and longer, until it has a near net shape to that of the finished mortar tube. Flow forming produces a highly uniform, round and smooth, surface finish. The amount of time spent on machining is additionally reduced, which effectively reduces fluid replacement costs after machining. For most applications three rollers are used. 2. CLASSIFICATION OF FLOW FORMING 195

International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976 6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online) Volume 4, Issue 3, April (2013), IAEME

The classification of Flow forming process can be done based on two criteria. (i) According to fixing necessities of preform shapes. (ii) According to length of position of rolls during the forming process. 2.1. According to fixing necessities of preform shapes

Figure.1.Forward Flow forming

Figure.2.Backward Flow forming

The First type is forward flow forming (Fig.1) and it is used to form preforms which have a shape with one side is partially closed or fully closed. In forward flow forming, a tailstock is used to fix the preform to the mandrel. The elongation of the workpiece during forward flow forming is at the same direction with the relative axial movement of the rollers. Second type of flow forming is backward flow forming (Fig.2) and it is used to form preforms with a constant hole inside. In backward flow forming, a toothed ring is used to fix the preform to the mandrel and it is also used for reloading of the finished workpiece. The elongation of the workpiece during backward flow forming is at the opposite direction to the relative axial movement of the rollers. For precision long flow forming operations, typically three rollers placed with 120 design is used. These rollers have precalculated radial and axial offsets between each other to achieve necessary forming conditions shown in (Figs.3,4). The analysis of tube making has been adopted by several researchers.

Figure.3. the flow form process

Figure.4. Offsets of 3-rollers

2.2. According to the length of position of rolls during the forming process

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International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976 6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online) Volume 4, Issue 3, April (2013), IAEME 2.2.1. Staggered-Roll Flow Forming Process In the staggered-roll process, three rolls are staggered axially and radially. Each roll has a specific geometry and job function during the forming process. The three rolls, which are positioned at 120o from one another moving equally. They are driven by hydraulic force and rotate at the same speed as the mandrel, so that, when they initially contact the preform they are moving at the same speed so as not to score or gall the preform on initial contact. After the flow forming action is initiated, the rollers are disengaged so that, they spin only by the friction of the rotation of the preform on the mandrel and are then no longer driven by the hydraulic force. The staggered-roll process is used primarily for cold forming, tubular products with thin walls open ends, and closed or semi-closed cylinders on one end. The staggered-roll configuration allows for greater contact surface with the material than that of the in-line process, which keeps the material from belling in front of the rolls and allows for a larger reduction in cross sectional area in one pass. As noted, each roll has a specific geometry and job function. The first roller is predominately responsible for making sure the wave condition on the preform doesnt fold over and flake. The second roller is predominately responsible for forming the large wall reduction. Usually this angle is steeper than the first because, it is not concerned with the wave phenomena. This facilitates and maximizes the amount of wall reduction that can be taken in one pass. The last roller does not take as much of a reduction as the second roller, and it is responsible for the finish or burnishing of the part. The sharper the leading angle, the better the surface finish will be on the flow-formed part. 2.2.2. In-line Flow Forming Process Unlike the staggered-roll method, flow forming with in-line rolls is characterized by either three or four rolls that are in-line both axially and radially (Fig.6). The rollers also are not independently driven as in the staggered roll process, rather than the rollers begin to rotate as they engage the spinning workpiece.The rollers engage the workpiece at the specified angle and feed rate so as not to create galling or other dimensional or surface imperfections. Some of the other distinctive characteristics of the in-line process are described later in this section. Some of the distinctive characteristics of the in-line process are Both cold and hot flow-forming processes can be readily used depending on workpiece ductility and the amount of area reduction taken at each pass. Integral-end fittings or flanges can be rolled on both ends of the tube maintaining taper angles and linear dimensions consistently during the run without adjustment to the tooling. Springback, straightness, and dimensional distortion are controlled by roll configuration, feed rate, and rate of rotation. The roll arrangement permits self-centering of the component between the rollers, with the provision that the work is divided equally between the rollers and the forces are perfectly balanced. 3. Flow Forming Process Details In flow forming, as shown schematically in Fig.7, the blank is fitted into the rotating mandrel and the rollers approach the blank in the axial direction and plasticize the metal under the contact point. In this way, the wall thickness is reduced as material is encouraged to flow mainly in the axial direction, increasing the length of the work piece. The flow of metal directly beneath the roller consists of two components, axial and circumferential.

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International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976 6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online) Volume 4, Issue 3, April (2013), IAEME So=starting wall thickness S1=Finished wall thickness L0=Starting Length di=Inside diameter FR=Radial force FA=Axial force FT=Tangential force =Trailing angle =Leading angle r = nose radius

Figure.7. Principal of flow forming (deformation zone and forces) If the length of circumferential contact is much longer than the axial contact length, then the axial plastic flow will dominate the circumferential one. In this case, reduction in thickness will resemble that of plane strain extrusion and a sound product will be produced. On the other hand, if the opposite is true, then circumferential flow will dominate leading to high constraint of flow in the axial direction. This situation will normally give rise to bulges in front of the rollers causing defects. As the workpiece volume is constant, with negligible tangential flow, the final component length can be calculated As L1 = L0 S0 (di + S0) /S1 (di +S1) . (1) Where L1 is the work piece length, L0 is the blank length, S0 is the starting wall thickness S1 is the final wall thickness, di is the internal diameter. 4. MAIN ADVANTAGES OF FLOW FORMING Flow forming is a chipless, seamless and cold manufacturing processes. Improved material properties such as yield strength, fatigue life, etc. Manufacturing capability of very accurate long hollow parts. Preventing secondary operations such as turning, grinding, etc.. Highly Precise, seamless construction to net shapes Improved mechanical properties Tubular, conical & contoured geometry Uniform axially-directional, and stable grain micro structure Better surface finish Very high diameter-to-length ratio Repeatable accuracy part-to-part & lot-to-lot 5. TYPICAL APPLICATIONS OF FLOW FORMING 198

International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976 6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online) Volume 4, Issue 3, April (2013), IAEME

Fast and economical production rates inclined to other methods various applications are listed Tubular- type components i.e., Missile casings, flight and launch motor housings, Rockets and cartridge case. Rocket nose cones, rocket motor cases, gas turbine components and dish antennas in the aero-space Industry. Power trained components and wheels in the Automobile Industry, and gas bottles and containers for storage applications. The manufacturing of thin walled tubes and closed and cylinders for the chemical, nuclear, food, pharmaceutical, cryogenic, beverage, filtration and printing Industries. Mass production of small containment vessels for drum packages. Various typical applications are shown in fig.8. Furthermore, flow forming produces a highly uniform, round and smooth, surface finish. Flow forming method also allows achieving high dimensional accuracies and required to mechanical properties.

Figure.8. Typical flow forming applications 6. LIMITATIONS OF FLOW FORMING Following are the limitations of flowforming The flow forming process is limited to forming radially symmetrical hallow parts such as cones and cylinders. Flow forming reduces the ductility and elongation of the material and spring back may be problem with some results. Not competitive with deep drawing for long production runs accepting even when counter are complexes. Tooling cost for flow forming are lesser than for drawing, but advantage is lost in long runs because of longer operation time per piece. 7. CONCLUSIONS 199

International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976 6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online) Volume 4, Issue 3, April (2013), IAEME

According to the analytical models stated above, most of the researchers have worked on the soft materials like lead, aluminum, low carbon steel, copper etc. A very few authors have tried with the forming process of hard-to-work materials. A brief description of the work done by other researchers on soft as well as hard-to-work materials was studied. The studies revealed that more power was consumed while working on the hard materials. While working on soft materials observed that the increase in percentage of reduction, increase in power consumption of radial force and axial force. As the diameter of the roller increases there was increase in power consumption, axial force and the radial force. This is due to the fact that as the diameter of the roller increases, more volume of the material comes into contact due to which more power and forces are required. Most of the analytical models developed the tangential force by few authors. This is because the tangential force consumes most of the power in the Spinning, and it is thus significantly important for the design of spinning machines. From the calculations the tool force based on the assumption that the deformation mode in spinning is a combination of bending and shearing. Moreover, by assuming uniform roller contact pressure, Through comparing the finite element simulation results with the Thamasett algorithm calculation results of spinning forces, the finite element simulation results differ slightly from the Thamasett algorithm calculation results of the spinning force measurement experimental results. As review, a result of the flow formed component will have considerably higher mechanical properties than the ones of the starting material. Typically, the preform material is plastically deformed with wall reductions causing a substantial refinement of the grain structure and a total realignment of the grains microstructure in Flow forming method also allows to achieve high dimensional accuracies and required mechanical properties. REFERENCES [1] Avitzur B, Yang CT. Analysis of power spinning of cones. Journal of Engineering for Industry, Transactions of the ASME 1960; 82:23145. [2] Kalpakcioglu S. On the mechanics of shear spinning. Journal of Engineering for Industry. Transactions of the ASME Series B 1961;83:12530. [3] Kobayashi S, I.K., Hall, Thomsen EG.A theory of shear spinning of cones. Journal of Engineering for Industry.Transactions of the ASME 1961; 83:48595. [4] Hayama M, Kudo H, Shinokura T. Study of the pass schedule in conventional simple spinning. Bulletin of the JSME 1970; 13(65). [5]Ram Mohan.T, and Mishra.R., Studies on power spinning of tubes, International Journal of product Research, 10,4 Oct. 1972, page (351-64). [6]Chandra Sekharan. N and Venkatesh. V.C., Theory of Mechanics of flow turning, Journal of Institution of Engineerings, vol. 57, November 1976. [7] M. Hayama, H. Kudo, Analysis of diametrical growth and working forces in tube spinning, Bulletin of Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers 22 (1979) 776784. [8] T. Wang, Z.R. Wang, Q. Wang, Y. Zhao, S. Wang, The slipline fields of thickness reduction spinning and the engineering calculation of the spinning forces, in: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference of Rotary Forming, October, 135139, 1989,pp. 8993. [9]Thomsett, Rotational symmetric of Aluminum A doctrol dissertation, University of stuggart, West Germany. 1976. [10] Held M. Determination of the material quality of copper shaped charge liners. Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics 1985; 10:1258. [11] Ming-Der Chena, Ray-Quan Hsua,_, Kuang-Hua Fuhb An analysis of force distribution in shear spinning of cone International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 47 (2005) 902921

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International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976 6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online) Volume 4, Issue 3, April (2013), IAEME [12]Sukhwinder Singh Jolly and D.S. Bedi Analysis of Power and Forces in the Making of Long Tubes in Hard-to-Work Materials Proceedings of the World Congress on Engineering 2010 Vol II WCE 2010, June 30 - July 2, 2010, London, U.K. [13]Yang Yu12, Xu Hongji1 Finite Element Analysis of Power Spinning and Spinning Force for Tube Parts International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 23, October, 2010 [14] Dr.R.Uday Kumar, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Technology, Mathematical Modeling And Evaluation Of Radial Stresses In Hydroforming Deep Drawing Process International Journal Of Mechanical Engineering & Technology (IJMET) Volume 3, Issue 2, PP: 693 - 701, ISSN PRINT: 0976 6340, ISSN ONLINE: 0976 6359

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