Experimental, Numerical Analysis and Parametric Optimization of Press-Brake Bending Process of Perforated Aluminium Alloy (AA)

Abstract

Spring-back is one of the problems in the press-brake v-bending process due to the elastic recovery of the material. It can be influenced by various technological, geometrical, and material parameters. In this thesis, the spring-back effect of the press-brake v-bending process of plain and perforated sheet aluminium alloy (AA3003) were conducted and analyzed using FEM and experimental results. It attempts to study the effects of press-brake v-bending process parameters (bend angle and blanks parameters (viz. thickness and pitch perforation) on the formability and spring-back of aluminum alloy. Finite element analysis is done using Abaqus software. Plain and perforated sheet metal is modeled using Solidworks and then imported to Abaqus/CAE where simulation of the press-brake v-bending process were carried. Subsequently, the effects of pressbrake bending angle, thickness and pitch perforation were studied based on FEM. The experiments are performed on the hydraulic press brake machine (WC67Y-160X3200). The simulation were compared with experiments that shows permissible limits and it is observed that the experimental results have a good agreement with the simulated ones. Out of all the 36 simulations carried out for plain sheet metal and perforated sheet metal, it is observed that a minimum spring-back value 1.58° is generated for square pitch perforated of 1.5mm thickness. Multi-objective optimization is carried out to determine which group has the best condition for the press- brake v- bending process. Finally, a parametric analysis is carried out using simulation results to optimize process parameters using a multi-objective optimization method. Staggered pitch perforation of 1.5mm thickness having the largest MPI value 1.16 × 10-3 is optimal parameters for 60° bend angle.