https://popups.uliege.be/esaform21/index.php?id=590 Publications of Auteurs Gianfranco Palumbo fr 0 https://popups.uliege.be/esaform21/index.php?id=4086 The continuous research for progressively lighter components moves the attention on the massive adoption of Al alloys. The achievement of such an ambitious goal passes through the definition of innovative manufacturing methodologies able to overcome some of the most hindering limitation of Al alloys, i.e. their poor formability at room temperature. A viable approach is based on the modification of the blank properties through a local heat treatment (to achieve an optimized spatial distribution of ductility/strength), so that the subsequent forming operation can be carried out at room temperature. The implementation of such approach relies on finite element simulations, where the use of a proper constitutive material model plays a fundamental role. In the present work an innovative methodology, already proposed by the authors in a previous research, is again adopted to enrich the characterization of a strain-hardenable Al alloy (AA5754), initially purchased in a pre-strained condition (H32), and locally annealed by means of a laser treatment: in particular, Thanks to the adoption of the DIC, the investigation of the anisotropy showed a strict correlation between the value of the Lankford parameter and the material condition reached at the end of the local treatment. The experimental data were fitted by a sigmoidal function and implemented in a modified Hill plasticity model for the simulation of the tensile test of a locally treated dogbone specimen, showing a good accordance with the experimental results. Tue, 30 Mar 2021 12:28:09 +0200 Mon, 05 Apr 2021 18:15:43 +0200 https://popups.uliege.be/esaform21/index.php?id=4086 https://popups.uliege.be/esaform21/index.php?id=1555 Lightweight alloys can be considered among the most promising materials thanks to their capability to reduce the environmental impact, without affecting mechanical properties. In addition, when very complex shapes are required, a viable strategy could be represented by the adoption of non-conventional forming processes applied to tailored blanks that allow to obtain local variation of the material properties. In fact, referred to the Mg alloys, both grain size and temperature strongly influence the deformation behavior, as well as the mechanical properties. In this work, the effects of a selective Laser Heat Treatment (LHT) on a Mg AZ31B-H24 alloy sheet were investigated both numerically and experimentally. Experimental tests were performed, using a Diode laser source and keeping a square spot stationary in the center of the sample. The microstructure evolution was evaluated by means of light microscopy. Subsequently, the heat-treated samples were subjected to bulge tests under superplastic conditions (450°C) and using pressurized argon gas. The experimental microstructure distributions obtained were used for the numerical bulge tests analyses performed in the same conditions of the experimental trials. Experimental LHT results showed the capability to locally modify the microstructure when suitable temperatures and interaction times are selected. Regarding the bulge tests, the obtained results showed the possibility to effectively affect the thickness distribution of the final shapes. Mon, 22 Mar 2021 20:11:00 +0100 Mon, 05 Apr 2021 18:13:10 +0200 https://popups.uliege.be/esaform21/index.php?id=1555 https://popups.uliege.be/esaform21/index.php?id=1536 The hydraulic bulge test represents an effective experimental method to characterise sheet metals since the equivalent strains before failure are much larger than those measured during tensile testing and there is nearly no frictional effect on the results. Recently this test has been proposed not only for extracting data concerning the equi-biaxial strain condition, but to determine the forming limit diagram (FLD) in the range of positive minor strains. In the proposed methodology, different strain paths can be obtained by merely using a test blank having two holes with a suitable geometry and position to be tested, without the need of dies with elliptical apertures. However, a carrier sheet is necessary, thus implying results may be affected by friction effects. This paper proposes a new methodology for the determination of the right side of the Forming Limit Curve (FLC), based on the adoption of local heat treatments aimed at determining different strain paths on the blank to be tested while using the classical circular die for bulge tests. In particular, the formability of the alloy AA5754-H32 was investigated; 3D Finite Element simulations were conducted setting different laser strategies and monitoring the resulting strain path. Results revealed that the proposed methodology supports obtaining many additional points in the right side of the FLC, thus being effective and friction free. Mon, 22 Mar 2021 20:08:58 +0100 Mon, 05 Apr 2021 18:11:07 +0200 https://popups.uliege.be/esaform21/index.php?id=1536