Issue 45

G. Giuliano et alii, Frattura ed Integrità Strutturale, 45 (2018) 164-172; DOI: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.45.14 164 Forming process analysis of an AA6060 aluminum vessel Gillo Giuliano, Costanzo Bellini, Luca Sorrentino, Sandro Turchetta University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Italy gillo.giuliano@unicas.it costanzo.bellini@unicas.it, http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4804-6588 luca.sorrentino@unicas.it , http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5278-7357 sandro.turchetta@unicas.it, http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8365-8910 A BSTRACT . This work analyses the results of a simple forming process of an AA6060 aluminum alloy sheet in order to validate the development of a simulation model based on the finite element method (FEM). This work represents the starting point of a broader study aimed at analyzing the sheet formability. The FEM based model and the use of both the flow stress curve and the formability limit curve (FLC) were validated through the simulation of a simple forming process that required use of a hemispherical punch. The detailed analysis of the machining process by using FEM allows significant time and cost savings, avoiding "trial-and-error" operations that are normally used in the setup phase of the production process. K EYWORDS . AA6060 aluminum alloy; Forming process; Finite element method; Formability limit curve. Citation: Giuliano, G., Bellini, C., Sorrentino, L., Turchetta, S., Forming Process Analisys of an AA6060 Aluminium Vessel, Frattura ed Integrità Strutturale, 45 (2018) 164-172. Received: 28.05.2018 Accepted: 15.06.2018 Published: 01.07.2018 Copyright: © 2018 This is an open access article under the terms of the CC-BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. I NTRODUCTION heet metal forming is defined as a sheet metal process of transformation in the desired shape without fracture or excessive localized thinning. It represents one of the most important processing techniques of the automotive and aerospace industries. Considerable efforts have been made over the years to develop more accurate theoretical models and methods to predict the feasibility of the forming process [1-3]. In such manner, it is possible to consider die modifications or to identify the appropriate process variables during the product production phase. Various commercial software based on the FEM are available for the analysis of the sheet metal forming process; however, to verify the FEM analysis results by means of experimental tests is very important; therefore, the metals forming is a matter of intense theoretical and experimental research. The formability, that is the capacity of the sheet to undergo deformation without incurring the fracture, expresses an important characteristic to be investigated in the field of metal forming. The formability limit curve (FLC) is frequently used to evaluate the formability of the sheet metal. It illustrates the behaviour of the sheet metal, in terms of principal strains measured in the sheet plane, as a result of different strain paths. The FLC is represented by a graph of the principal S