Previous studies have shown that the presence of a pulsed electrical current, applied during the deformation process of an aluminum specimen, can significantly improve the formability of the aluminum without heating the metal above its maximum operating temperature range. The research herein extends these findings by examining the effect of electrical pulsing on 5052 and 5083 aluminum alloys. Two different parameter sets were used while pulsing three different heat-treatments (as-is, , and ) for each of the two aluminum alloys. For this research, the electrical pulsing is applied to the aluminum while the specimens are deformed without halting the deformation process (a manufacturing technique known as electrically assisted manufacturing). The analysis focuses on establishing the effect of the electrical pulsing has on the aluminum alloy’s various heat-treatments by examining the displacement of the material throughout the testing region of dogbone-shaped specimens. The results from this research show that pulsing significantly increases the maximum achievable elongation of the aluminum (when compared with baseline tests conducted without electrical pulsing). Another beneficial effect produced by electrical pulsing is that the engineering flow stress within the material is considerably reduced. The electrical pulses also cause the aluminum to deform nonuniformly, such that the material exhibits a diffuse neck where the minimum deformation occurs near the ends of the specimen (near the clamps) and the maximum deformation occurs near the center of the specimen (where fracture ultimately occurs). This diffuse necking effect is similar to what can be experienced during superplastic deformation. However, when comparing the presence of a diffuse neck in this research, electrical pulsing does not create as significant of a diffuse neck as superplastic deformation. Electrical pulsing has the potential to be more efficient than the traditional methods of incremental forming since the deformation process is never interrupted. Overall, with the greater elongation and lower stress, the aluminum can be deformed quicker, easier, and to a greater extent than is currently possible.
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October 2010
Research Papers
Formability of Al 5xxx Sheet Metals Using Pulsed Current for Various Heat Treatments
Wesley A. Salandro,
Wesley A. Salandro
Behrend College Mechanical Engineering,
Penn State Erie
, 4701 College Drive, Erie, PA 16563
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Joshua J. Jones,
Joshua J. Jones
Behrend College Mechanical Engineering,
Penn State Erie
, 4701 College Drive, Erie, PA 16563
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Timothy A. McNeal,
Timothy A. McNeal
Behrend College Mechanical Engineering,
Penn State Erie
, 4701 College Drive, Erie, PA 16563
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John T. Roth,
John T. Roth
Behrend College Mechanical Engineering,
Penn State Erie
, 4701 College Drive, Erie, PA 16563
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Sung-Tae Hong,
Sung-Tae Hong
Energy Materials and Manufacturing Group,
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA 99352
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Mark T. Smith
Mark T. Smith
Energy Materials and Manufacturing Group,
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA 99352
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Wesley A. Salandro
Behrend College Mechanical Engineering,
Penn State Erie
, 4701 College Drive, Erie, PA 16563
Joshua J. Jones
Behrend College Mechanical Engineering,
Penn State Erie
, 4701 College Drive, Erie, PA 16563
Timothy A. McNeal
Behrend College Mechanical Engineering,
Penn State Erie
, 4701 College Drive, Erie, PA 16563
John T. Roth
Behrend College Mechanical Engineering,
Penn State Erie
, 4701 College Drive, Erie, PA 16563
Sung-Tae Hong
Energy Materials and Manufacturing Group,
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA 99352
Mark T. Smith
Energy Materials and Manufacturing Group,
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA 99352J. Manuf. Sci. Eng. Oct 2010, 132(5): 051016 (11 pages)
Published Online: October 5, 2010
Article history
Received:
August 27, 2008
Revised:
March 30, 2010
Online:
October 5, 2010
Published:
October 5, 2010
Citation
Salandro, W. A., Jones, J. J., McNeal, T. A., Roth, J. T., Hong, S., and Smith, M. T. (October 5, 2010). "Formability of Al 5xxx Sheet Metals Using Pulsed Current for Various Heat Treatments." ASME. J. Manuf. Sci. Eng. October 2010; 132(5): 051016. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4002185
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