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Experimental Studies on Thinning Characteristics of Superplastic Hemi-

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 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 5, Issue 1, January 2015)
Experimental Studies on Thinning Characteristics of
Superplastic Hemi-spherical Forming
Akash D Jose1, J. Babu2
1,2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, St. Joseph’s College of Engineering & Technology, Choondacherry, Kerala, India
Abstract— Manufacturing of complex lightweight
automotive structures that meet cost and product goals is a
competitive challenge facing industry. Superplastic forming
(SPF) is a valuable tool for the fabrication of complex parts
used in aircraft and automobile industries. Superplastic
forming (SPF) of a sheet metal has been used to produce very
complex shapes and integrated structures that are often
lighter and stronger than the assemblies they replace.
Superplastic formed shapes like conical, hemispherical poses a
problem of large thickness variation, minimum thickness
results at the portion where die contact is made last. The
present investigation focused on the study of thickness
variation of hemi-spherical component formed at different
pressures. Experiments were carried on a model material Sn-
Pb, which can be applicable for any other Superplastic
materials. Results revealed that combinations of pressures will
results minimum thickness variation with optimum forming
time.
Keywords— Thickness Variation, Superplastic forming,
Hemi-spherical shape, Dial gauge, Combination of pressures
I. INTRODUCTION
Superplastic materials are a unique class of
polycrystalline solids that have the ability to undergo very
large, uniform tensile elongations prior to failure.
Elongations in excess of 200% usually indicate
superplasticity. Owing to its simplicity, high extendibility
of difficult to manufacture materials, the superplastic
forming (SPF) is increasingly used in aerospace industry to
manufacture very complex geometries at much lower costs
compared to conventional machining [1-5]. Materials such
as titanium and aluminum alloys shall exhibit the
phenomena of super plasticity, when subjected to certain
conditions of pressure, temperature and strain-rates [6-8].
The conditions are summarized as grain size ≤ 10µm,
strain- rates ≤ 10-3 s-1 and temperatures ~ 0.5 Tm where Tm
is the melting point of the material under investigation [9].
Superplastic forming of conical, hemi-spherical and box
shaped products invariably poses a problem of large
thickness variation between apex and base of the product.
This variation is inevitable in Superplastic forming.
104
K. Kalaichelvan, R. Sivaramakrishnan et.al. [10], used
eutectic lead and tin composition for study the thickness
distribution in superplastic forming process. The Pb –
61.9% and Sn – 38.1% alloy was prepared by melting it
for 1 hour at 1840C and cast into a mould of the dimension
100 mm×70 mm×2.5 mm. The sheets are prepared with a
thickness of 1mm by thermo-mechanical treatments. The
microstructure of the sheets was observed for uniform
distribution of lead-rich solid solution and required grain
size. Finally the circular sheets with 1mm thickness and an
effective diameter 50mm (free to be bulge) were prepared.
Multhan, J. Babu et.al [11], conducted experiment on
gas pressure cone forming using Tin-Lead eutectic alloy.
Tin–Lead (Sn–Pb) eutectic alloy (60: 40) was melted at 453
K and cast to slab with dimensions of 68 mmx72 mmx30
mm and then cold rolled at room temperature to a thickness
of 2 mm at Defense Metallurgical Research Laboratory in a
2 high rolling mill of 200 tons capacity. The lamellar grains
broke down to fine globular grains of average size 8 μm,
and a blank of 80mm diameter was made and the sheet is
blown in a conical die. Initial experiments were carried out
with uniformly disc shaped blanks, which have shown a
large variation in thickness at different stages of forming of
conical shapes. They developed a simple mathematical
manipulation leads to a design of profiled blank, which was
thicker at centre and thinner at periphery. After forming to
an average strain of 0.54, they noticed reasonably uniform
thickness.
Hani Aziz Ameen and Rahman Ali Hussain [12]
conducted rolling on lead and tin alloy. They presented an
investigation of symmetrical and unsymmetrical rolling
process. The purpose of their study was to determine the
strain rate for symmetrical and unsymmetrical rolling
process. The precise weight structure for the constituents of
the alloy is lead -61.9%, tin38.1%. After preparing the
appropriate weights, the metals were melted in a pre-heater
ceramic crucible by using a simple gas torch. The materials
were mixed thoroughly for homogeneity. The melt was
poured in to a pre-heated metal mold.
 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 5, Issue 1, January 2015)
To obtain a micro grain size in the range of 1–10 From the literature it was observed that very few
microns, in order to impart to this cast superplastic property investigators have considered the aspects of thickness
they used mechanical process after casting like cold variation especially in the case of hemispherical shape. The
forming using mechanical pressing, rolling and extrusion. present investigation is focused on forming the hemisphere
Abdel-Wahab, [13], conducted experiments on components at various pressures and analyse the variation
superplastic forming of Magnesium alloy into rectangular of thickness of the formed components and then forming
pan and concluded that the wall thickness shifts downward the hemispherical component at optimum differential
with increasing friction coefficient, because the frictional pressures in order to reduce the time of forming and with
force decreases the volume of metal flowing into the die little variation in thickness.
cavity, and accordingly the wall thickness distribution
decreases. The localized thinning is seems to reduce with II. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
increasing friction coefficient.
Lead –Tin (Pb-40% -Sn-60%) alloy which is used as
K. Kalaichelvan, R. Sivaramakrishnan et.al [10]
solders is used in this study. It was cast into slabs of
conducted experiments on Cavity minimization and
dimensions 120 mmx120 mmx10 mm (length x breadth x
uniformity studies on superplastic forming of thin eutectic
thickness). Then they were rolled to a thickness of ~ 2 mm
Pb–Sn sheet by optimum loading and preforming. The Cast
sheet. Thus the grains are elongated and the grain size is
lead and tin sheet blanks were thermo-mechanically treated
reduced. The no of rolling passes carried to reduced
to obtain superplastic properties. A sophisticated PC-
thickness from 10 mm to 2 mm was four.
controlled loading system was prepared for the bulge-
Hemi- spherical forming tests were carried out in a low
forming process. An optimum pressure–time profile based
cost experimental setup as shown in Fig.1, Sn-Pb blanks of
on variable pressure was proposed. In addition, the
40 mm Ф x 2 mm thickness were blown by Argon gas in a
optimum preforming required for improving the uniform
die of 40mm Ф under constant gas pressures 5, 10, 15 and
thickness distribution and dome height was also analyzed.
20 bar. The various stages in superplastic forming of
The thickness distribution after preforming effect was
hemispherical shape with respect to time is shown in the
compared with optimum pressure–time performance. This
following Fig.2
combined method based on variable pressure and
preforming gives good results than the variable strain rate
method.
Because SPF parts are typically stretched to very large
elongations, the thickness variations are potentially large
for a part. Therefore, it is often important to control the
thickness variations in order to meet part tolerance
requirements. Although it is seldom possible to prevent
thickness variations, there are techniques that can be
utilized to control this problem. The methods presently
used to control thinning are: processing of the super plastic
material to achieve a high ‘m’ value, modification of the
die or part design to minimize local stress concentrations,
forming thickness profiled sheet, application of pressure in
a controlled and profiled manner to control strain rate to a
value corresponding to a high ‘m’ value.
Figure.1. Experimental Setup

105
 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 5, Issue 1, January 2015)
Figure.2.Various Stages Of Forming (A) Initial Sample (B) After 5
Hours (C) After 19 Hours (D) After 43 Hours
After the forming, thickness was measured with the
measuring system consists a combination of Dial gauge and
Surface gauge arrangement as shown in the Fig.3.
Figure.3. Measuring System
The measurement was done by drawing different
concentric circles from the center of sample made by 5bar
pressure, having diameter 10mm, 20mm, 30mm and 40mm
as shown in Fig.4.
106
Figure.4. Concentric Circles Drawn On The Sample (Top View)
After drawing the circles on the sample, the sample is
placed on the measuring system as shown in the Fig. 2.
First four random points were selected on 10mm diameter
circle and the thickness at these points was measured. The
average of these 4 values is taken as average thickness at
the distance of 5 mm from the pole. The same procedure
was repeated for the remaining circles to determine the
average thickness at distances 10, 15 and 20 mm from the
pole (apex). Similar procedure was followed for the
samples formed at 10, 15 and 20 bar. But in the case of
20bar pressure, sample had a crack after 4 hours of
experiment. This limit the maximum pressure for the
subsequent experiments to 15 bar. After determining the
thickness variations for cases mentioned, another sample
was formed with a differential pressure 15-10-5 bar and
thickness variation of the hemi-sphere formed was
determined from pole to the base by using the same
procedure mentioned above.
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Forming time for hemi-spherical shapes formed at
various pressures is given in Table.1. The thickness
variation from apex to the base of the hemisphere formed at
different pressure are tabulated in Tables II to V and shown
in Figures 5 to 7.
TABLE I
FORMING TIME AT VARIOUS PRESSURES
Sl.No Pressure (bar) Forming time (hr)
1 5 43
2 10 33
3 15 19
4 20 4(Sample had a crack after 4hrs)
 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 5, Issue 1, January 2015)
From the Table.I, it can be observed that as forming In this case, the thinning strain (for example, ε3) is equal
pressure increases, time of forming reduces this is because and opposite of the longitudinal tensile strain and the
of higher strain rates. It also can be observed that at a thinning will therefore match the tensile deformation. For
maximum pressure of 20 bar in this study the specimen had large tensile strains, the thinning will be corresponding
a crack after four hours, indicating too higher pressures large.
leads to higher strain rates are not preferable for TABLE III
superplastic forming. VARIATION OF THICKNESS FROM APEX TO THE BASE OF HEMI-SPHERE
FORMED AT A PRESSURE 10 BAR
TABLE II
VARIATION OF THICKNESS FROM APEX TO THE BASE OF HEMI-SPHERE Distance Thickness at 4 randomly selected points Average
FORMED AT A PRESSURE 5 BAR
from on a circle drawn thickness
Distance Thickness at 4 randomly selected points Average apex Point 1 Point 2 Point 3 Point 4 (mm)
from on a circle drawn thickness (mm)
apex Point 1 Point 2 Point 3 Point 4 (mm) 0( apex) 0.56 0.56 0.56 0.56 0.56
(mm) 5 0.80 0.88 0.75 0.78 0.80
0( apex) 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 10 0.82 0.95 0.81 0.85 0.86
5 0.90 0.92 0.85 0.96 0.91 15 1.05 1.01 1.18 1.06 1.08
10 1.20 1.45 1.30 1.40 1.40 20(base) 2.02 2.10 2.04 2.30 2.12
15 1.75 1.60 1.55 1.50 1.60
20(base) 2.03 2.09 2.10 2.01 2.06

Figure.6. Variation Of Thickness From Apex To The Base Of A

. Component Formed At A Pressure Of 10 Bar

Figure.5. Variation Of Thickness From Apex To The Base Of A
Component Formed At A Pressure Of 5 Bar
At 5 bar pressure the thickness variation was 1.31 mm (65%)
and the forming time was 43hours.The thinning is a natural
consequence of the deformation conditions. For
At 10bar pressure the thickness variation was 1.56 mm
(77%) and time for forming was 32hours.
TABLE IV
VARIATION OF THICKNESS FROM APEX TO THE BASE OF HEMI-SPHERE
FORMED AT A PRESSURE 15 BAR

superplastic deformation, elastic strains are negligible; Distance Thickness at 4 randomly selected points Average
therefore constancy of volume can be assumed. From this from on a circle drawn thickness
consideration, the sum of the plastic strains is zero, and apex Point 1 Point 2 Point 3 Point 4 (mm)
tensile strain in one direction must be balanced by (mm)
compressive (negative) strain in another. The strains are: 0( apex) 0.39 0.39 0.39 0.39 0.39
5 0.65 0.62 0.58 0.61 0.62
ε1 + ε 2 + ε 3 = 0 10 0.81 0.73 0.78 0.76 0.77
Where ε is the strain and the subscripts indicate the 15 1.06 1.08 1.01 1.02 1.04
20(base) 2.01 2.02 2.04 2.10 2.04
principal directions. For example, in a sheet forming
operations under plane strain conditions, ε2 = 0 and
ε3 = - ε1.

107
 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 5, Issue 1, January 2015)
TABLE VI
VARIATION OF THICKNESS FROM APEX TO THE BASE OF HEMI-SPHERE
FORMED AT COMBINATION OF PRESSURES 15-10-5 BAR

Distance Thickness at 4 randomly selected Average

from apex points on a circle drawn thickness
(mm) Point 1 Point 2 Point 3 Point 4 (mm)
0( apex) 0.53 0.53 0.53 0.53 0.53
5 0.70 0.70 0.76 0.78 0.74
10 0.92 0.96 0.91 0.76 0.89
15 1.02 1.01 1.05 1.12 1.05
20(base) 2.02 2.09 2.02 2.03 2.04

Figure.7. Variation Of Thickness From Apex To The Base Of A

Component Formed At A Pressure Of 15 Bar

At 15bar pressure the thickness variation was 1.65 mm

(82%) and time for forming was 19 hours
TABLE V
VARIATION OF THICKNESS FROM APEX TO THE BASE OF HEMI-SPHERE
FORMED AT A PRESSURE 20 BAR

Distance Thickness at 4 randomly selected points Average

from on a circle drawn thickness
apex Point 1 Point 2 Point 3 Point 4 (mm)
(mm)
0( apex) 0.36 0.36 0.36 0.36 0.36
5 1.10 1.19 1.29 1.21 1.20
7 0.86 0.86 0.86 0.86 0.86
At 20bar pressure after 4 hours of experiment a small Figure.8. Variation Of Thickness From Apex To The Base Of A
Component Formed At Differential Pressure Of 15-10-5 Bar
crack produced at a diameter of 7 mm from the centre.
Theoretically specimen should have minimum thickness at From the table we can obtained that the thickness
apex, because of material non-homogenous structure and variation is 1.5 mm (75%) and the time for forming at
asymmetrical rolling caused to form a crack at distance of differential pressure is 21hours.Variation of thickness from
7mm from the apex. The thickness at apex is 0.36 mm. the apex to the base of a hemisphere formed at different
Hence, for further experiments maximum pressure used for pressure is shown in Fig.9.
forming is limited to 15bar.
From the Tables, we can observe that the highest
thickness variation is at 15bar, but time of forming is less;
on the other hand at 5bar the thickness variation observed
is less, but the time of forming is high. The reason for
lesser thickness variation is due to the slow forming rate.
The reason for higher thickness variation at high pressure is
due to high forming rate.
In order to reduce the time of forming as well as to
optimize the thickness variation the subsequent experiment
is conducted with differential pressure of 15-10-5bar (7-6-8
hours) and the variation of thickness is shown in Table.VI
and Fig.8
Figure.9. Variation Of Thickness From Apex To The Base Of A
Component Formed At Differentpressures

108
 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 5, Issue 1, January 2015)
IV. CONCLUSION
Super plastic forming (SPF) is a near net-shape forming
process used in aero-shape and automobile industries.
Superplastic forming of hemispherical shapes invariably
poses a problem so far as large thickness variation is
concerned, which occurs between apex and base of the
component. The observed variation is inevitable in
Superplastic forming. In the present investigations
optimum time of forming and lesser thickness variation
was achieved in a hemispherical shape by varying the
pressure, while the present experiments were carried out
with a model material Sn-Pb alloy of 60%Sn and 40%Pb.
The highest thickness variation was found at high
pressure, but time of forming is less; on other hand at low
pressure the thickness variation observed is less, but the
time of forming is high. The reason for lesser thickness
variation is due to the slow forming rate. The experiment
conducted with differential pressure show the best result.
The samples with differential pressure have optimum
thickness variation and forming time. Future experiments
can be planned by considering the combination of pre-
profiling and spring supported forming with optimum
pressure-time combinations.
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