Theoretical and experimental analysis on deformation of sheet metal under waterjet impact loading

Waterjet incremental sheet metal forming technology (WJISMF) is a new research field in sheet metal forming industry. It uses a high-speed waterjet instead of a rigid tool to form the work piece, so the forming principle is different from conventional rigid tool incremental forming (RTISMF). This paper studied the deformation of sheet metal under waterjet impact loading by both theoretical analysis and experimental method. The distribution of axial dynamic waterjet pressure and the impact pressure on sheet metal surface were studied by theoretical analysis. Some FEA simulations were carried out to predict the sheet metal plastic deformation under different parameters including waterjet pressure, nozzle diameter and sheet metal thickness. Experiments were designed and carried out, and the experimental results matched the simulation results well. The theory and the method this paper presents provides a basis for the further study of WJISMF.