Electromagnetic metal-forming is a new process that has been in practical use for the last six years. The optimized design of the electromagnetic forming system is rather involved because of the complex interdependence of all system parameters. In this paper an attempt is made to illuminate the relationship between the geometry of the forming coil, the length of the pressure pulse, and the behavior of the workpiece during plastic deformation. First, an experiment is described in which an aluminum cylinder is expanded electromagnetically. Magnetic pressure, radial displacement, and velocity of the cylinder wall are recorded as functions of time. Secondly, a simplified mathematical model is constructed. The resulting nonlinear differential equations are solved with an analog computer. Comparison of experiment and analysis shows that the proposed mathematical model is fairly accurate in spite of certain approximations and simplifications. Its relative simplicity makes it a useful tool for the designer of electromagnetic forming systems until acceptable better ways are found that include more, or all, of the interdependent parameters. Copyright © 1968 by The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.
