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Extending the Process Window of Sheet Injection in AW6082-T6 Aluminium via Localised Laser Heat Treatment

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Abstract:

Integrating functional features into lightweight aluminium components remains a key challenge in advanced manufacturing, particularly when forming operations impose severe local deformation. This study focuses on the sheet injection process, a variant of Sheet-Bulk Forming (SBF), where thickening and lateral extrusion occur in previously bent aluminium sheets. The material investigated is AW6082-T6, a medium-strength Al-Mg-Si alloy widely used in transportation and structural applications due to its good strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. To improve formability and reduce the risk of defects such as fracture and folding, an approach based on Tailored Heat-Treated Blanks (THTB) was employed. Localised Laser Heat Treatment (LHT) was applied to selectively reduce strength and enhance ductility in critical deformation zones. Mechanical characterisation was performed via compression tests on both as-received (T6) and heat-treated (HT) materials. Experiments were conducted on a flexible SBF demonstrator using a two-stage process: bending followed by sheet injection. Numerical simulations were performed to guide LHT pattern design and predict material flow. Among the tested LHT strategies, one demonstrated superior performance, enabling higher injection volumes and reducing process forces while avoiding failure. The experimental results confirm that THTB are an effective method for extending the process window of sheet injection in AW6082-T6, offering a promising solution for the production of complex aluminium components with enhanced functionality.

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Periodical:

Solid State Phenomena (Volume 389)

Pages:

135-142

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4028/p-Li672G

Citation:

Cite this paper

Online since:

April 2026

Authors:

João P.G. Magrinho*, Angela Cusanno, Miguel Jesus, Antonio Piccininni, Gianfranco Palumbo, Maria Beatriz Silva

Keywords:

Laser Heat Treatment, Sheet Injection, Sheet-Bulk Forming, Tailored Blanks

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Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

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* - Corresponding Author

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