Numerical investigation on the laser bending of stainless steel foil with pre-stresses

In this paper, a new laser bending process of stainless steel foils with applied pre-stresses is presented. Three different loading models are analyzed. The desired pre-stress distribution in the heated zone of the stainless steel foil is obtained. Using the thermal elastic–plastic finite element method (FEM), the 3D thermal–mechanical FEM models of laser bending process with various pre-stresses are developed and the forming mechanism is analyzed. The simulation results show that under buckling mechanism, the deformation of the stainless steel foil depends on the integration of the thermal stress and the pre-stress when the laser beam irradiates the foil. The forming performance can be improved significantly under pre-stress, and the deformation direction can also be controlled easily by changing the direction and value of the pre-loading. The bending angles of the stainless foils increase remarkably with the increase of the pre-loading, and both are almost in linear relationship.