Abstract
A recent trend in automotive parts has been an integration of sub-assemblies with unified shapes. Tube structures also have been integrated to one body structure by using a near net shape forming instead of adopting welding. A cylindrical elastomer-forming process can be utilized to form a steel tube compressed in a radial direction. This process has some advantages compared to a hydro-forming or a swaging process in the viewpoint of a lower investment and a higher productivity. In order to predict a feasible specification of products within a work capability of the elastomer-forming equipment developed previously, effects of geometrical parameters of a tube on its shape accuracy are examined. Two characteristic parameters to account for the shape accuracy are chosen. One is the curvature radius at the corner part and the other is the straight ratio of the formed region. Careful examination of two parameters has led that the shape accuracy can be easily predicted by the regression equation obtained from the response surface method.
