• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.176-181
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• 2016

The exhaust tail pipe is the only visible part of the exhaust system on a vehicle. The conventional way to make the tail pipe is welding after stamping. There are various problems that occur during the stamping of stainless steel sheets such as scratching and local fracture. Problems during welding can also occur due to poor weldability. Tube hydroforming can be a solution, which eliminates these problems. The current study deals with the development of tube hydroforming for a vehicle tail pipe using finite element analysis for a free-feeding method. The current study focuses on the development of a proper load path for the tail pipe hydroforming and how bending influences the subsequent processing steps. The FE analysis results were compared with experimental results. This study shows the importance of bending and the necessity of considering bending when performing a tube hydroforming analysis.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.15 no.2 s.83
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• pp.138-142
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• 2006

A tube hydroformability testing system was designed and manufactured to observe the forming steps and to provide arbitrary combination of internal pressure and axial fred. The forming limit diagram of an aluminum tube was obtained from the free bulge test and the T-shape forming test using this system, giving the criteria for predicting failure in the hydroforming process. The hydroformability of aluminum tube according to different conditions of a prebending process was discussed, based on the finite element analysis and the forming limit test. The effects of 2D and 3D pretending on the tube hydroforming process of an automotive trailing arm were evaluated and compared with each other.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.16 no.3 s.93
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• pp.201-209
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• 2007

Generally, the forming process of suspension system parts have been considered only considered with the formability and have not been considered with the durability of suspension system. But the durability of suspension system is very important characteristic for the dynamic performance of vehicle. Therefore, the suspension system should be manufactured to consider the durability as well as the formability. This paper is about an optimum forming process design with the effect of section properties to consider the roll durability of torsion beam type suspension. In order to determine the tube hydroforming process for the satisfaction the roll durability, the stamping and hydroforming simulation by finite element method were performed. And the results from finite element analysis and roll durability examination showed the tube hydroforming process of torsion beam is optimized as satisfying the durability performance.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.403-408
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• 2004

Hydroformability of 6061 and 7075 aluminum tube materials was studied by warm hydroforming experiments. A special tooling and heating system was designed and manufactured in order to perform warm hydroforming between room temperature and $300^{\circ}C$. The control of tube temperature for warm hydroforming was made by the control of temperature of oil medium. Warm hydroformability was analyzed by tube appearances, tube elongation and hardness values. Hydroforming characteristics of 6061 and 7075 tubes showed different temperature dependence between room temperature and $300^{\circ}C$. The difference in hydroformabilities of 6061 and 7075 at elevated temperatures was interpreted by the different sensitivity to dynamic strain aging of both aluminum materials.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2008.05a
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• pp.333-336
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• 2008

There are many different kinds of forming processes to make a tubular product such as hydroforming and tube drawing. However, we should consider a better forming process in view point of energy consumption and $CO_2$ emission to save our earth. In this paper we have conducted FEM simulations to the various forming processes for sheet and tubular products to compare their energy consumptions. One example is tubular product and the other for drawn cup. From the comparisons of total energy for hydrofroming and tube sinking processes, hydroforming is consumed more energy than tube drawing. Also the cup drawing from sheet metal and tube sinking for the cup with flange indicate that the tube sinking is better than cup drawing of sheet metal in energy consumption.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.56-61
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• 2016

Heating experiments using the Ti-3Al-2.5V tube materials in a vacuum furnace have been performed to investigate a pertinent range of working temperatures and holding times for the development of the successive or simultaneous operation of superplastic hydroforming and diffusion bonding. The specimens were heated at $820^{\circ}C$, $870^{\circ}C$ and $920^{\circ}C$ respectively. Holding times at each temperature were varied up to 4 hours. Holding times longer than 1 hour were selected to consider the diffusion bonding process after or during the hydroforming process in the superplastic state. Grain sizes were varied from $5.7{\mu}m$ of the as-received tube to $9.2{\mu}m$ after heating at $870^{\circ}C/4hours$. Homogeneus granular microstructures could be maintained up to $870^{\circ}C$, while microstructures at $920^{\circ}C$ showed no more granular type.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.45-48
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• 2006

Recently, the use of tubular hydroforming technology has seen increased usage and increased consideration for wide range of tubular automotive applications. In manufacturing hydroformed parts, bending and pre-forming operations are often required prior to the hydroforming process. Higher bending quality of bent tubes is crucial for the successful hydroforming operation because most of plastic strains and wall thinning at the extrados of bend area occur in the bending operation. Springback is also observed due to elastic recovery of tube material after bending. Proper correction of springback is required not only to well place the bent tube into a hydroforming die cavity but also to avoid pinching when the upper die is brought down to closing position. Therefore, prediction of springback at early development stage is one of the key factors to produce high quality hydroformed parts. In this study, a variety of bending experiments has been carried out to investigate springback amount under change in bending angle and material boosting. Throughout the experimental approach, springback characteristics of bent tubes are quantified according to the change in various bending parameters, and a mathematical model to predict correction amount of springback to a given bend angle is found.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.49-55
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• 2018

A T-shape structure was manufactured by the superplastic forming and diffusion bonding process using two Ti-3Al-2.5V alloy tubes. A Ti-3Al-2.5V tube was prepared for the hydroforming in the superplastic condition until it reaches a surface area such as a roof welded in the hole of another Ti-3Al-2.5V tube. Afterward, the superplastic forming process and the diffusion bonding process were carried out simultaneously until the appropriate bonding along the interface area of two Ti-3Al-2.5V tubes was obtained. The bonding qualities were different at each location of the entire interface according to the applied process conditions such as strain, pressure, temperature, holding time, geometries, etc. The microstructures of bonding interface have been observed to understand the characteristics of the applied processes in this study.