Hydroforming of aluminum extrusion tubes for automotive applications. Part II: process window diagram

Based on the mathematical formulations for predicting forming limits induced by buckling, wrinkling and bursting of free-expansion tube hydroforming, a theoretical “Process Window Diagram” (PWD) is proposed and established in this paper. The theory developed in the first part of the present work was formulated within the context of free-expansion tube hydroforming with both combined internal pressure and end feeding. The PWD is designed to provide a quick assessment of part producibility for tube hydroforming. The predicted PWD is validated against experimental results conducted for 6260-T4 60×2×320 (mm) aluminum tubes. An optimal loading path is also proposed in the PWD with an attempt to define the ideal forming process for aluminum tube hydroforming. Parametric studies show that the PWD has a strong dependency on tube geometry, material property and process parameters. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt that a PWD is being formulated theoretically. Such a concept can be advantageous in deriving design solutions and determining optimal process parameters for tube hydroforming processes.