Experimental Investigation on Locally Increasing the Thickness of Sheet Metal by Beading and Compression Technique

Abstract

In this study, the possibility of locally increasing the thickness of sheet metal by beading process followed by compression is investigated. Several parameters are considered such as bead height, die width, sheet thickness, forming process iteration, material type and lubrication. The effects of these parameters on the deformation behavior during compression process of the sheet metal are examined. Results show that an appreciable amount of local increase in thickness is possible under optimum conditions of bead height and number of process iteration. Also, the application of lubricant enhances the uniformity of thickness distribution along the bead area.