PhD-Research-Proposal

ResearchProposalatImperialCollegeLondon,theUnitedKingdomProposedTitleSpringbackinwarm/hotsheetmetalformingoflightalloysSupervisorDr.LiliangWangApplicantXXXXX2TheProposedTitleSpringbackinwarm/hotsheetmetalformingoflightalloys1.TheProposedSupervisorDr.LiLiangWang(ResearchfellowinMechanicsofMaterialsDivision,DepartmentofMechanicalEngineering)2.IntroductionTheincreasingdemandformorefuelefficientvehiclesinordertoreduceCarbonDioxide(CO2)emissionsisasignificantchallengefortheautomotiveindustry.Carsareresponsibleforapproximately12%ofthetotalEuropeanUnion(EU)emissionofCO2,themaingreenhousegas.WeightreductionisthemosteffectiveroutetoachievingmandatoryEUlegislationforfutureemissiontargets.Inaddition,lightweightingisthekeytoachievingworldclassvehicledrivingdynamics.Aluminiumalloysarethemostpromisingmaterialstoreplacesteelswhicharetheprimarymaterialsformanufacturingcarbodypanelcomponents.However,thepoorformabilityofaluminiumalloysatroomtemperaturehasimpededtheirapplications.Intherecentyears,newsheetmetalformingtechnologies,suchaswarmandhotforming(HFQ),havebeendevelopedandstudied,andthespringbackphenomenonattheseformingconditionshasnotbeenfullyunderstoodyet.3.Aims&ObjectivesTopredictspringbackaccuratelyisthekeyforadvancedformingtooldesignintheautomotiveindustry.Themainaimoftheproposedresearchistodevelopmodellingtechniquestopredictspringbackafterwarm/hotsheetmetalformingprocesses.Thiswouldenabletheengineerstodesigntheformingtoolsformanufacturingcomplex-shapedpanelcomponentswithgreataccuracy.Theobjectivesoftheprojectaregivenbelow:-Evaluatespringbackofdifferentaluminiumalloysatwarmandhotformingconditions.-Studytheeffectsofformingparameters,e.g.formingspeed,formingtemperatureandblankholdingforceetc.onspringback.3-Developscientificunderstandingofthespringbackphenomenonatwarm/hotformingconditions.-Developmodellingtechniquestopredictspringbackatwarmandhotformingconditions.4.MajorTasks&MethodsToachievetheseobjectives,theresearchprogrammehasbeendividedintothefollowingdistincttasks:-Reviewandanalyzespringbackphenomenon:effectsofformingparametersonspringback;FEmodellingtechniquesforspringbackprediction;theoreticalmodellingtechniquesforspringbackprediction.6months-ExperimentalstudyofspringbackbyusingU-shapeandL-shapebendingtests.Testingmaterialsinclude:ultra-highstrengthaluminiumalloys,e.g.AA7075;highstrengthaluminiumalloys,e.g.AA6082;magnesiumalloys,e.g.AZ31(optional)andtitaniumalloys,e.g.Ti-6Al-4V(optional).6months-Studypost-formheattreatmentparameterstooptimizepost-formstrength.6months-DevelopFEmodellingtechniqueforU-shapeandL-shapebendingprocessesandmodelverification.6months-TheoreticalanalysisofL-shapebendingprocessandmodelverification.3months-Identifyademonstrativepanelcomponentforautomotiveapplications.Warm/hotformingofthedemonstrativecomponent.Examinethedimensionalaccuracy(springback)offormedcomponentbyusinge.g.CMMequipment.6months-FEsimulationoftheformingprocess,FEmodelverificationandindustrialimplementation.6months-CompletePhDthesis.6months4WorkplanRM–ReviewMeeting9M18M27M36MTheProjectPeriod(36Months);Thelast6monthsismainlyforthesiswritingStartingon01October2014(1)Review–stateoftheart.(2)Studyofpost-formheattreatment(4)FEmodellingforU-shapeandL-shapebendingprocess(6)Examinespringbackofpanelcomponent(5)TheoreticalanalysisofL-shapebendingprocess(8)CompletethesisRM(1)RM(5)RM(4)RM(3)RM(2)RM(6)(3)U-shapeandL-shapebendingtest(7)FEsimulationofformingprocess