Papers by Author: Albert Van Bael

Abstract: Owing to the progressive use of cold-formed high strength steel (HSS) for transportation applications, a characterisation of the fatigue behaviour of HSS has become a focal point for material scientists and design engineers. To mimic the behaviour of cold-formed components, a specimen was adopted from previous research that features multiple bent sections. The geometry was obtained by consecutive bending operations at room temperature. When subsequent tensile cyclic loading is applied to the specimen, the localised damage from forming and stress concentrations cause crack initiation on the inside of the bent area. To investigate the effect of cold-forming on the fatigue behaviour experimentally, the evolution of the strain, displacement or stiffness can be monitored during fatigue testing. The current paper presents an experimental framework for investigating the strain fields of a bent specimen during fatigue. The evolution of the strain fields is then linked with characteristic fatigue mechanisms, such as crack initiation and growth.

Abstract: The typical textures developed in aluminium alloys for deep drawing applications are less favourable as those in competing steel sheet material. The {111} fibre texture in steel, associated to high r-values, is favourable to this purpose, but the typical textures of the aluminium materials, the {001}<100> "cube" texture component and the β-fibre component, are not. Asymmetric rolling (ASR) as part of the production process generates a shear component at the expense of the unfavourable components. Modelling was tried out as a possible tool to fine-tune the process parameters. A multiscale FEM model (with a built-in polycrystal deformation model to predict the texture) was used to this purpose. The effect of the shear component on the resulting texture is discussed in function of the values of the process variables, as well as its effect on the resulting plastic anisotropy parameters (r and q values).

Abstract: The present study addresses the difficulties in heating thermoplastic sheets for ther-moforming applications. In industrial environments, the sheets are heated in a contact free method by means of convective hot air ovens and infrared radiation. In this study the temperature evolution at the outer surface as well as the core of thermoplastic sheets as a function of time is measured by means of thermocouples. These measurements reveal significant through thickness temperature dif-ferences which need to be resolved before high quality products can be made. The temperature dif-ferences can be decreased by decreasing the radiative power. This is however not acceptable in in-dustry since it lowers the number of produced parts per unit of time.In order to gain insight in the time-temperature relationship during the heating phase, a finite differ-ence model is developed. The model clearly shows the constantly changing through thickness tem-perature distribution and can be used as a tool by the thermoforming industry to optimize the pro-duction process.

Abstract: The aim of this study is to establish general guidelines for minimizing the number of tests required to determine optimum process parameters in terms of formability for laser assisted single point incremental forming (LASPIF). An automotive aluminium alloy (AA5182-O) is selected and the room temperature failure angle of this material is determined experimentally. The straining behaviour as well as sheet thinning of the test part (at its maximum forming angle) is studied using an experimentally validated finite element model. From the thinning rate of the sheet metal and the shape of the contact zone between tool and sheet it is concluded that continuous straining of the sheet on the wall region of the contact area is responsible for extra thinning and failure. Based on the size and position of the contact zone, different laser tool positioning strategies have been used to achieve the highest forming angle. It is concluded that due to an elongated shape of the contact zone in steep wall angle parts and considering a small deviation of the forming robot, the selection of a large spot diameter is necessary in terms of maximum obtainable wall angle. It has been observed that the maximum forming angle is still achievable using a large forward offset. It is concluded that the partial stress-relief annealing of the deformed geometry during the approach of the forming tool, is responsible for this formability enhancement.