Papers by Author: Walter Hotz

Abstract: The ISO standard 12004-2:2008E for the determination of forming limit curves based on the section method was approved in 2008. About 4 years of measuring experience in different laboratories has shown advantages and weaknesses of the standard and is leading to some minor changes in the specification. In the years from the development of this standard until today a further technical development of the optical measuring devices occurred, so that it is now possible to determine forming limit curves using the time history of the test. This procedure of determination is referred to a time dependent technique and could be the basis of the ISO 12004 part 2 proposal worked out by the work group Erweiterung FLC ISO 12004 of the German group of the IDDRG. This publication recapitulates existing work which was carried out from the IDDRG work group regarding the determination of forming limit curves for sheet metal materials. On one hand known issues with the current section based approach are discussed and on the other hand it deals with a comparison of different algorithms to determine the FLC from the time history of the Nakajima test using strategies to identify the instant of onset of instable necking. The different time dependent algorithms [ utilised are automatically selecting the area where necking is leading to fracture and then analyze the time history of such points using the first or the second time derivative of the true major strain, or of the true thinning strain using methods like: correlation coefficient (modified method based on [2]), gliding correlation coefficient, linear best fit (modified method based on [3]) and gliding difference of mean to median. The resulting experimental FLC points are compared with the results from the section technique described in ISO 12004 part 2 and with the maximum strain values measured in each test. Further a large number of forming limit curves were determined and used for a comparison of these different methods to define the most promising time dependent algorithm, which was selected as a suggestion for the working group defining the new proposed ISO standard 12004 part 2.

Abstract: In order to evaluate the formability of sheet materials forming limit diagrams (FLD) are recorded which represent the values of major and minor strain when necking occurs. FLDs are recorded based on the assumption that exclusively linear strain paths occur. In real forming parts, however, particularly in those with complex shapes, predominantly non-linear strain paths occur which reduce the accuracy of the failure prediction according to a conventional FLD. For this reason forming limits after loading with non-linear strain paths have to be investigated. In this contribution a systematic analysis of the forming limits of a conventional AA6014 alloy after loading with non-linear strain paths is presented. This material is pre-stretched in uniaxial, plane strain and biaxial direction up to several levels before performing Nakajima experiments in order to determine FLDs. During the pre-stretching process as well as during the Nakajima experiment the strain distribution can be measured online very precisely with the optical deformation measurement systems GOM Aramis or VIALUX. The gained curves are compared to the FLD of the as-received material. The results prove a significant influence of the pre-stretching condition on the forming limits of the used aluminum alloy. For a low pre-stretching in uniaxial as well as in biaxial direction the FLDs show a slightly reduced formability while after higher pre-stretching levels the forming limit can be improved such as for biaxial loading after uniaxial pre-stretching. The formability after pre-stretching in plane strain direction was changed. Also, a shift of the FLD depending on the direction of pre-stretching can be observed.