Deformation behavior of laser bending of circular sheet metal

The application of a thermal source in non-contact forming of sheet metal has long been used. However, the replacement of this thermal source with a laser beam promises much greater controllability of the process. This yields a process with strong potential for application in aerospace, shipbuilding, automobile, and manufacturing industries, as well as the rapid manufacturing of prototypes and adjustment of misaligned components. Forming is made possible through laser-induced non-uniform thermal stresses. In this letter, we use the geometrical transition from rectangular to circle-shaped specimen and ring-shaped specimen to observe the effect of geometry on deformation in laser forming. We conduct a series of experiments on a wide range of specimen geometries. The reasons for this behavior are also analyzed. Experimental results are compared with simulated values using the software ABAQUS. The utilization of line energy is found to be higher in the case of laser forming along linear irradiation than along curved ones. We also analyze the effect of strain hindrance. The findings of the study may be useful for the inverse problem, which involves acquiring the process parameters for a known target shape of a wide range of complex shape geometries.     

3D laser-forming strategies for sheet metal by geometrical information

Forming sheet metal by laser-induced thermal stress (laser forming) is considered to offer great potential for rapid prototyping and flexible manufacturing. Accordingly, many studies have been carried out in different areas of laser forming. However, in order to apply the laser-forming process to real 3D products, a method that encompasses the whole process planning is required, including the laser irradiation patterns, laser power, and travel speed, when the target shape is given. In this work, a new method for 3D laser forming of sheet metal is proposed. This method uses geometrical information rather than a complicated stress–strain analysis. Using this new method the total calculation time is reduced considerably while affording strong potential for enhanced accuracy. Two different target shapes were formed by laser irradiation with the proposed procedure to validate the algorithm.     

Feedback control for 2D free curve laser forming

Forming sheet metal by laser-induced thermal stress (laser forming) is considered to have a great potential for rapid prototyping and other flexible manufacturing. However, the previous researches have mainly focused on analyzing the phenomena of the forming process. In 2D free curve laser forming, a feedback control scheme for each single bending angle was suggested in this study by incorporating a statistical method and the effect of the remaining errors was discussed. Methods of compensating for the remaining errors were proposed and analyzed by computer simulations. Experiments verified the applicability of the proposed methods.     

Short pulse laser microforming of thin metal sheets for MEMS manufacturing

Continuous and long-pulse lasers have been used for the forming of metal sheets for macroscopic mechanical applications. However, for the manufacturing of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), the applicability of such type of lasers is limited by the long-relaxation-time of the thermal fields responsible for the forming phenomena. As a consequence of such slow relaxation, the final sheet deformation state is attained only after a certain time, what makes the generated internal residual stress fields more dependent on ambient conditions and might make difficult the subsequent assembly process for MEMS manufacturing from the point of view of residual stresses due to adjustment.The use of ns laser pulses provides a suitable parameter matching for the laser forming of an important range of sheet components used in MEMS that, preserving the short interaction time scale required for the predominantly mechanic (shock) induction of deformation residual stresses, allows for the successful processing of components in a medium range of miniaturization but particularly important according to its frequent use in such systems.In the present paper, a discussion is presented on the specific features of laser interaction in the timescale and intensity range needed for thin sheet microforming with ns-pulse lasers along with relevant modelling and experimental results and a primary delimitation of the parametric space of the considered class of lasers for the referred processes.     

Absorption and Scattering of Light by Highly Concentrated Two‐phase Flows

The spray cone emerging during an extended metal atomization process (called spray forming) has been investigated in order to quantify the influence of highly concentrated multiphase flows on phase‐Doppler‐anemometry (PDA) measurements. Using this non‐intrusive, optical measurement technique not only the local particle size and velocity distributions of the spray can be obtained but also additional information about the mass flux in the multiphase flow. Since standard phase‐Doppler systems can be easily applied to low concentrated particle systems (spherical particles with smooth surfaces and an optical transparent continuous phase taken for granted) the application of this measurement technique to highly concentrated multiphase flows is more complex. Both the laser light propagating from the PDA device to the probe volume and the scattered one going backward to the PDA receiving system are disturbed by passing the highly concentrated multiphase flow. The resulting significant loss in signal quality especially concerns the measurement of the smaller particles of the spray because of their reduced silhouette (in comparison with the bigger ones). Thus, the detection of the smallest particles becomes partially impossible leading to measurement of a distorted diameter distribution of the entire particle collective. In this study the distortions of the measured distributions dependent on the particle number concentration as well as on the path length of the laser light are discussed.     

Numerical analysis of partially molten splat during thermal spray process using the finite element method

A finite element method is used to simulate the deposition of the thermal spray coating process. A set of governing equations is solving by a volume of fluid method. For the solidification phenomenon, we use the specific heat method (SHM). We begin by comparing the present model with experimental and numerical model available in the literature. In this study, completely molten or semi-molten aluminum particle impacts a H13 tool steel substrate is considered. Next we investigate the effect of inclination of impact of a partially molten particle on flat substrate. It was found that the melting state of the particle has great effects on the morphologies of the splat.     

Flattening of sheet metal by laser forming

Laser forming is a thermal process for deformation of sheet metal by thermal stress. In this paper, the technique of laser forming is applied to flatten a protruded distortion on the sheet metal, and the mechanism of flattening is investigated experimentally. The protrusion of some height is intentionally produced by pressing a steel ball on a flat sheet metal. The laser beam was irradiated at the area of distortion, and as a result, the protrusion disappeared and an almost flat sheet metal could be obtained.     

分析金属熔滴快速凝固过程的双倒易边界元方法

本文发展了非线性边界条件相变传热过程的轴对称双倒易边界元方法,数值模拟了金属熔滴在快速冷却条件下的快速凝固过程。分别研究了在微重力落管和落塔中及喷射成形过程中金属熔滴的快速凝固过程,得到了过冷度,再辉时间,温度变化及相变界面随时间的变化等数值结果。     

Particle Formation from Single Droplets of Aqueous Solutions of Lead Nitrate

The thermal evolution of droplets of aqueous solution of lead nitrate was studied in a drop-tube furnace, which simulates typical conditions for material synthesis, through spray pyrolysis, and for the thermal destruction of liquid-containing waste. The processes of droplet evaporation, precursor precipitation within the droplet and thermolysis of the precipitated particles were followed by means of the spectral analysis of the ultraviolet light scattered by the aerosol produced during the heating of aqueous droplets (100 μm) of lead nitrate, with different salt concentrations, from ambient temperature up to 1200 K. Dimensions and physico-chemical properties of the droplets/particles were obtained in situ by means of ultraviolet spectra of light scattering (UVSLS) and compared with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the sampled material. A plasma generated in the air by an optical breakdown induced by a Nd:YAG laser was employed as the light source in the wavelength range 200–400 nm, thus allowing an exceptionally high photon flux in the ultraviolet region where intense and species-specific interactions with metal species take place. The spray drying process was followed by measuring the light transmitted by the droplets in the backward region. As the drying process progresses, the surface concentration reaches a saturation value and solute is deposited as a solid phase forming a surface crust, which grows steadily. At this point in the process of droplet drying, information was retrieved from the light reflected by the particle interface. Two spectral scattering behaviors were detected at temperatures above the salt precipitation within the droplet. On the basis of Mie calculations and SEM measurements, these behaviors were attributed to lead nitrate particles with typical diameters of the residual droplets (about 50 μm) and to micrometer-sized lead oxide particles. The effect of salt concentration on the drying process and the thermolysis of lead nitrate to oxide was investigated by changing the salt concentration from very dilute conditions up to almost the saturation concentration.     

A Review of Advanced Composite and Nanostructured Coatings by Solid-State Cold Spraying Process

Cold spraying (CS) has been widely explored over the last decade due to its low process temperature and limited thermal effect on spray materials. As a solid-state process, the inherent deficiencies of traditional thermal spraying such as oxidation, decomposition, and grain growth are avoided. This article summarizes the research work on the fabrication of composites and nanostructured coatings by the promising CS process. After a brief introduction to CS and its deposition mechanisms, the preparation methods of spray powders are classified. Different methods are appropriate for particles of various properties, and the tendency is to design composite powders by combined methods in order to create coatings with specified properties. Then, the co-deposition mechanism of composite particles as well as research findings on metal–metal, metal–ceramic, and metal–intermetallic composite coatings are reviewed concerning the deposition characteristics, microstructure and its relation to properties. Moreover, CS has been used to deposit a variety of nanostructured materials, including metals, metal–ceramic composites, and even ceramics, retaining their nanocrystalline nature in the coating without grain growth or phase transformation. Finally, the potential applications of CS and issues to be addressed in coating deposition are discussed.     

板料激光成型技术的实验研究

激光成型是一种利用激光作为热源的热应力无模成型新技术。介绍了板料激光成型技术的工艺过程及影响激光成型的主要因素 ,通过实验研究了激光能量因素、板料的材料性能及几何参数对板料弯曲角度的影响     

Atomically Precise Transformations and Millimeter‐Scale Patterning of Nanoscale Assemblies by Ambient Electrospray Deposition

The performance of semiconductor devices can be fine‐tuned through chemical transformation of their nanostructured components. Such transformations are often carried out in controlled conditions. Herein, the use of electrospray deposition of metal ions from solutions in air is reported, to bring about chemical transformations across mm²‐sized areas of nanostructures. This is illustrated with monolayer assemblies of ultrathin tellurium nanowires (NWs). The process does not require any reducing agent and can transform the NWs chemically, in the solid state itself, under ambient conditions. By using suitable masks, the beam of ions can be patterned to localize such transformations with nanometer precision to obtain aligned multiphasic NWs, containing atomically precise phase boundaries. By controlling the time of exposure of the spray, the scope of the process is further expanded to produce tellurium‐metal telluride core–shell NWs. The method described here represents a crucial step for ambient processing of nanostructured components, useful for applications such as semiconductor device fabrication.     

Development of irradiation strategies for free curve laser forming

Although forming sheet metal by laser-induced thermal stresses (laser forming) has been extensively studied, the research has mainly focused on a single angle forming process. The task of free curve laser forming of sheet metal is to determine a set of process parameters such as laser scanning paths, laser power and scanning speed that will make a given shape. Two methods were used for generating the laser scanning paths and the bending angles of each path. Each method was analyzed by computer simulation and the two methods were compared. Experiments verified the applicability of the proposed methods.     

混合氯化熔融盐的腐蚀性实验

混合氯化盐是一种非常有前途的高温传热蓄热介质.为了确定混合氯化盐传热蓄热系统适用的金属材料,本文对2520、304、321和316L四种常用不锈钢在混合氯化盐中的腐蚀情况进行了实验研究,并与混合硝酸盐的腐蚀特性进行了对比.结果表明,混合氯化熔盐比混合硝酸盐对四种不锈钢的腐蚀性要大几十倍,混合氯化盐对四种不锈钢腐蚀速率从大到小依次为316L、304、321和2520.     

X‐ray absorption measurements on an ultrasonic spray aerosol

Spray deposition of thin films and coatings is a widely used manufacturing process owing to its low cost, versatility and simple implementation. The objective of the presented experiments was to investigate whether X‐ray absorption measurements on solutes carried by aerosols are possible, and what count rates can be achieved depending on solution flow through and the resulting mass density in the interrogation volume. The investigated prototypical spray aerosol was InCl₃ dissolved in water or ethanol dispersed via an ultrasonic nebulizer. InCl₃ spray is essential for the ion layer gas reaction process used for the deposition of In₂S₃ buffer layers for highly efficient chalcopyrite solar cells. The discussed experiments demonstrate that measurements are possible, but that the achievement of good signal‐to‐noise ratios requires extended sampling times and concentrated solutions.     

Numerical simulation on the influence of water spray in thermal plasma treatment of CF4 gas

Nitrogen thermal plasma generated by a non-transferred DC arc plasma torch was used to decompose tetrafluoromethane (CF₄). In the thermal decomposition process, water was used as a chemical reactant source. Two kinds of water spray methods were compared: water spray directly to the arc plasma flame and indirectly to the reactor tube wall. Although the same operating conditions of input power, waste gas, and sprayed water flow rate were employed for each water spray methods, a relatively higher decomposition rate was achieved in the case of water spray to the reactor wall. In order to investigate the effects of water spraying direction on the thermal decomposition process, a numerical simulation on the thermal plasma flow characteristics was carried out considering water injection in the reactor. The simulation was performed using commercial fluid dynamics software of the FLUENT, which is suitable for calculating a complex flow. From the results, it was revealed that water spray to the reactor wall and use of a relatively small quantity of water are more effective methods for decomposition of CF₄, because a sufficiently high temperature area and long reaction time can be maintained over large area.     

Characteristic of energy input for laser forming sheet metal

Laser forming is a process in which laser-induced thermal deformation is used to form sheet metal without a hard forming tool or external forces. The energy input of laser beam is the key factor for the temperature and stress distribution of sheet metal. The purpose of this work is to investigate the influence of energy input condition on heat input and deformation angle for two-dimension laser forming. Variations in heat input resulting from material deformation was calculated and discussed in this paper at first. Furthermore, in laser forming under the condition of constant laser energy input, the effects of energy input mode on deformation angle and temperature field were investigated.     

Different spray processes for different Al2O3 coating properties

Among the different coating technologies, a thermal spray has a leading position because of its versatility: an extremely wide variety of materials can be deposited to protect back materials from wear, corrosion, thermal flux, etc. For example, atmospheric plasma spray is a rather well-established process but some other ones, such as flame technology, can also be used with lower economical impact. After a respective optimization of the processing parameters, both plasma and wire flame thermal processes were tested to form Al₂O₃ coatings. For each process, in-flight particle conditions, coating cross-section micro-structures and coating properties were successively determined. The experimental parameters were correlated to in-flight particle characteristics and to coating micro-structure and compared to resulting coating features. The evolution of particle velocity and temperature showed well-marked trends and the mean values were dependent on the spray process. The results emphasized the difference of spray system in terms of kinetic and thermal transfers to the particles. Then, the differences observed on in-flight particle characteristics can be used to explain the differences observed in coating properties, such as porosity content and hardness.     

Ultrasonic-assisted manufacturing processes: variational model and numerical simulations

We present a computational study of ultrasonic assisted manufacturing processes including sheet metal forming, upsetting, and wire drawing. A fully variational porous plasticity model is modified to include ultrasonic softening effects and then utilized to account for instantaneous softening when ultrasonic energy is applied during deformation. Material model parameters are identified via inverse modeling, i.e. by using experimental data. The versatility and predictive ability of the model are demonstrated and the effect of ultrasonic intensity on the manufacturing process at hand is investigated and compared qualitatively with experimental results reported in the literature.     

金属橡胶热物理性能理论与试验研究

针对金属橡胶材料在高温环境下的热稳定性能和热传导性能, 基于金属橡胶的内部基本组分以及特殊的编织制作工艺, 构建了两种典型排列微元体结构, 并以此描述微元体在三种接触状态下的热膨胀特性, 提出了金属橡胶热膨胀Schapery分析模型, 从理论上解释了金属橡胶热膨胀的产生机理.根据金属橡胶基本组成单元的传热模式, 研究了金属橡胶的传热过程.利用热电比拟法和有限元法, 分析微元体的导热性能, 结合微元体的分布形式, 提出了金属橡胶的导热分析模型.试验测试了不同相对密度金属橡胶的热膨胀和热传导性能, 验证了金属橡胶热膨胀和导热特性分析理论模型的适用性.所得到的金属橡胶的热膨胀和热传导性能理论模型和试验结果, 为金属橡胶材料在高温环境下的热物理特性分析提供了理论基础和计算分析依据. 关键词： 金属橡胶 热膨胀 热传导 金属丝螺旋卷