The Maximum Drawing Ratio in Hydroforming Processes

Abstract

The concept of Maximum Drawing Ratio (MDR), supplementary to the well-known Limit Drawing Ratio (LDR), is defined, examined, and illustrated by experiments. In essence the MDR is reached when the two basic failure modes, namely: rupture (due to tensile instability) and wrinkling (due to buckling instability) are delayed till they occur simultaneously. Thus the process is beneficially utilized for higher drawing ratio by postponing earlier interception of either one of the above failures alone. The ability to suppress (up to a certain extent) the appearance of these failure modes depends heavily on the fluid-pressure path which controls the hydroforming process. The effect of the material properties, like the strain hardening exponent, the normal anisotropy of the blank, etc., as well as the geometrical properties (i.e., the thickness of the blank, the radius of curvature at the lip, etc.) on the MDR, are considered here in some detail. The nature of the solutions by which MDR is reached is discussed.