Study on instability and forming limit of sheet metal under stretch-bending

Under stretch-bending conditions, a significant tensile stress gradient through sheet thickness is induced, especially for a small punch radius. The traditional instability theories were developed assuming a uniform tensile stress / strain distribution through thickness; hence, may lead to unreliable prediction of stretch-bending formability. In this study, the instability behavior of sheet metal under stretch-bending is analyzed via FE-simulation of an Angular Stretch-Bend Test (ASBT). In order to reflect the influence of bending, contact normal stress etc., solid elements are used in the simulation. Three deformation stages are identified: (a). stable deformation; (b). strain localization through sheet thickness; (c). localized necking. Based on the instability characteristics, a localized necking criterion is proposed for predicting forming limits of sheet metal under stretch-bending. By combining the proposed criterion and solid element simulation, good agreement between numerical and experimental results is indicated. This work provides a new approach for predicting stretch-bend formability with sufficient accuracy and convenience.