Prediction of Residual Stresses for a Hollow Product in Cold Radial Forging Process

Radial forging is an open die forging process used for reducing the diameters of shafts, tubes, stepped shafts and axles and also for creating internal profiles such as rifling the gun barrels. The radial forging of tube is usually performed over a mandrel to create an internal profile and/or size the internal diameter. Most of the previous studies conducted on the radial forging process have used axisymmetric models. In this research, residual stresses of a short hollow tube in a cold radial forging process are investigated using 3-D finite element simulation. In this study, a mandrel with six helical grooves and two steps along its length is used. This kind of mandrel is innovated in this research. The workpiece is modeled as an elastic-plastic material and the commercial finite element software, ABAQUS is used to simulate of the process. The accuracy of the model is tested by comparing the predicted results with available experimental work and also validated by both slab and upper bound methods. Residual stresses in the radial forged product and the influence of the process parameters on stress distribution, such as workpiece motions, friction and percentage of reduction are studied to determine the optimized parameters of simulation and improve the condition of this process.