Multi Stage Seaming Process for Large Tubular Mechanical Bonded Structure

This study is dedicated to three-dimensional finite element analysis of seaming process, which consists
of bending, curling and caulking process, of a large tubular mechanical bonded structure. The seaming process is often used to improve a high bonding strength as avoiding any kind of defect. Finite element simulations of the seaming process were preformed for two different initial conditions with pre-analyzed results and without those from bending process. The mechanical bonding strength of the seamed area in the large tubular structure was estimated and compared through finite element analysis among several different analysis conditions of the bending and the caulking. Tensile test for the specimen extracted from the large tubular mechanical bonded structure was also executed and compared with the results of finite element analysis, in order to verify which initial condition in finite element analysis was suitable for this kind of multi stage seaming process. As a result, the effect on an accuracy of finite element analysis for the multi stage seaming process was evaluated in this study. Finally, it is noted that the pre-analyzed results from bending process should be considered in order to obtain the accurate results from finite element analysis.