Three-dimensional finite element simulation of bulge forming using a solid bulging medium

Bulge forming is an innovative manufacturing process which is used to manufacture many industrial components. Common products include T-branches, cross branches and angle branches, The understanding of the process to date has been rather limited, Finite element analysis of the process incorporating the contact phenomenon between the die and the tube reported in literature has been limited, with only very particular arrangements and liquid bulging media being considered. Three-dimensional simulation of the process using a solid bulging medium has not been reported. This paper presents a three-dimensional simulation of the manufacture of cross-branch components using a solid bulging medium. The effect of varying friction between the bulging medium and the tube is examined and the history of development of the bulge and stress conditions in the formed component are presented, The results of the simulation are compared to those previously obtained in simulation of the hydraulic bulging process. The explicit non-linear FE code LS-DYNA3D is used to perform the simulations. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.