GOALI: Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of Electromagnetically Formed Aluminum

这项拟议工作的目标是对铝合金电磁成形(EMF)进行系统的研究，旨在：a)了解通过实验观察到的铝塑性增加的机制，b)建立设计实际的此类工艺所需的建模能力，以及c)在这一新的研究领域教育学生并以最有效的方式传播创造的知识。该方法包括理论和实验部分，并涉及产学合作。这项工作的创新之处在于考虑了大应变、粘塑性和惯性效应，建立了完全耦合的热力和电磁问题的模型。建模能力是电动势工艺设计不可缺少的要素，因为与标准板材成形操作的设计(目前由于使用专门的商业有限元软件而高度发达)不同，由于缺乏合适的耦合物理模型，目前电动势工艺的设计是不存在的。这是一项先进的技术，正在发现越来越多的汽车和航空航天应用。这项工作预计将通过建立完全耦合的问题和开发可靠的数值解算法，并得到实验验证的支持，为现实的电动势过程提供预测能力，从而使该领域受益。美国铝业公司和通用汽车公司(为本文报告的前期工作提供了种子资金)和密歇根州之间在这一研究领域的现有合作，为传播所创造的知识提供了一个自然的网络，而学生们将在学术和工业环境中工作。

The objective of the proposed work is a systematic investigation of Electromagnetic Forming (EMF) of aluminum alloys, which is expected to: a) understand the mechanisms for the experimentally observed increased ductility in aluminum, b) establish the modeling capability required for the design of realistic such processes and c) educate students in this new research area and disseminate the knowledge created in the most efficient way.The approach has a theoretical and an experimental component and involves Industry - University collaboration. The novel element of the proposed work is the modeling of the fully coupled thermo-mechanical and electromagnetic problem with large strain, viscoplastic and inertia effects included. Modeling capability is an indispensable ingredient for the design of EMF processes, since, unlike the design of standard sheet forming operations (which are currently highly developed due to the use of specialized commercial FEM packages), the design of EMF processes is presently non-existent due, in good measure, to the lack of appropriate coupled-physics models.Broader impact and Benefits of the work: EMF technology is an environmentally friendly, flexible and cost-effective method of implementing high-velocity sheet metal forming that has considerable advantages over conventional techniques. It is an advanced technology that is finding an increasing number of automotive and aerospace applications. The work is expected to benefit the field by providing predictive capability for realistic EMF processes through the formulation of the fully coupled problem and the development of reliable numerical solution algorithms, backed by experimental validations. The existing collaboration in this research area between Alcoa and GM (who provided the seed funding for the preliminary work reported here) and Michigan, provides a natural network for the dissemination of the knowledge created, while the students will work in both academic and industrial environments.