Polymer injection forming (PIF) is a recent advancement in manufacturing of plastic– metal hybrid products. It is a combination of injection molding and sheet metal forming in which the molten polymer additionally serves as a pressure medium. This paper presents fundamental investigations on the use of polymer melt as a pressure medium in sheet metal forming. The development of forming pressure and localized blank temperature as a result of polymer injection is analyzed. The experiments are performed using aluminum alloy. The experiments comprise the bulging of a (free form) dome and stretch forming of a cup using thermoplastic polypropylene as a pressure medium. A simple approach is presented to model a combined process. An incremental lagrangian formulation is used to describe the polymer flow and sheet metal deformation. The Newtonian behavior of the polymer melt is modeled as rigid-viscoplastic medium. Standard finite element coupling is used to model the mutual metal–polymer interaction. The simulation results in the form of forming pressure profile, localized blank temperature profile, formed shape, and strain distribution are presented and validated with experimentally obtained results.

Issue Section:
Research Papers
Keywords:
polymer injection forming, polymer injection compression forming, viscous pressure forming, hydrostatic bulging, cup forming, fluid-structure interaction, viscoplasticity
Topics:
Blanks, Domes (Structural elements), Polymer melts, Pressure, Sheet metal, Temperature, Polymers, Sheet metal work

References

1.
Johannaber
,
F.
, 2004,
Handbuch Spritzgießen
,
Hanser Verlag, Munich
,
Germany
.
2.
Masui
,
S. S. C. C.
, Ltd. (10-1, Tsukahara 2-Chome, Takatsuki City, Osaka, JP), Oishi, Kanemitsu Sumitomo Chemical Company, Ltd. (10-1, Tsukahara 2-Chome, Takatsuki City, Osaka, JP), Mistui, Kiyoshi Sumitomo Chemical Company, Ltd. (10-1, Tsukahara 2-Chome, Takatsuki City, Osaka, JP), Hosokawa, Toshihiro C/o Hosokawa Seisakusho Co Ltd (2840, Ikedashimomachi, Izumi City, Osaka, JP), and Ishitsubo, Ryuichi c/o Hosokawa Seisakusho Co. Ltd (2840, Ikedashimomachi, Izumi City, Osaka, JP), 1991, “A Method of Making a Laminated Body and a Molding Apparatus for the Same,” U.S. Patent Number: 5,223,201, Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited (Kitahama 4-chome 5-33, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 541, JP).
3.
Wolf
,
W. S. S.
 (Oppenweiler-Zell, 71570, DE), 2005, “Hybrid Component and Method for Producing One Such Component,” Germany Patent Number: DE102004050161A11, Behr GmbH and Co. KG (Mauserstrasse 3, Stuttgart, 70469, DE); Wolf, Walter (Steinbacher Strasse 34/1, Oppenweiler-Zell, 71570, DE).
4.
Van
,
D. H. C. A. N.
,
Verdier
,
A. S.
 (NL), and
Wolf
,
H. G. J. D.
 (NL), 2004, “
Method and Device for Producing a Composite Product, and Composite Product Produced Therewith
,” U.S. Patent Number: US2005/0127564, Corus Technology BV (NL).
5.
Bariani
,
P. F.
,
Bruschi
,
S.
,
Ghiotti
,
A.
, and
Lucchetta
,
G.
, 2007, “
An Approach to Modelling the Forming Process of Sheet Metal-Polymer Composites
,”
CIRP Ann.-Manuf. Technol.
,
56
(
1
), pp.
261
–
264
.
Crossref
Search ADS
 
6.
Chen
,
M.
,
Zhang
,
X.
,
Lei
,
Q.
, and
Fu
,
J.
, 2002, “
Finite Element Analysis of Forming of Sheet Metal Blank in Manufacturing Metal/Polymer Macro-Composite Components via Injection Moulding
,”
Int. J. Mach. Tools Manuf.
,
42
(
3
), pp.
375
–
383
.
Crossref
Search ADS
 
7.
Lucchetta
,
G.
, and
Baesso
,
R.
, “
Polymer Injection Forming (PIF) of Thin-Walled Sheet Metal Parts-Preliminary Experimental Results
,” pp.
1046
–
1051
.
8.
Baesso
,
R.
, and
Lucchetta
,
G.
, “
Fluid Structure Interaction Analysis in Manufacturing Metal/Polymer Macro-Composites
,”
AIP Conf. Proc.
,
908
, pp.
729
–
734
.
9.
Baesso
,
R.
, 2008, “
Numerical and Experimental Investigation of the Polymer Injection Forming Process
,” Ph.D. thesis, University of Padova.
10.
Liu
,
J.
,
Westhoff
,
B.
,
Ahmetoglu
,
M. A.
, and
Altan
,
T.
, 1996, “
Application of Viscous Pressure Forming (VPF) to Low Volume Stamping of Difficult-to-Form Alloys-Results of Preliminary FEM Simulations
,” J. Mater. Process. Technol., Engineering Research Center for Net shape Manufacturing (ERC/NSM), The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio,
59
(1-2), pp.
49
–
58
.
11.
Liu
,
J.
,
Ahmetoglu
,
M.
, and
Altan
,
T.
, 2000, “
Evaluation of Sheet Metal Formability, Viscous Pressure Forming (VPF) Dome Test
,”
J. Mater. Process. Technol.
,
98
(
1
), pp.
1
–
6
.
Crossref
Search ADS
 
12.
Westhoff
,
B.
,
Ahmetoglu
,
M.
, and
Altan
,
T.
, 1995, “
Viscous Material Testing and Simulation of Viscous Pressure Forming
,” Report No. ERC/NSM-S-95-43.
13.
Hussain
,
M. M.
,
Rauscher
,
B.
,
Trompeter
,
M.
, and
Tekkaya
,
A. E.
, 2009, “
Potential of Melted Polymer as Pressure Medium in Sheet Metal Forming
,”
Key Eng. Mater.
,
410–411
, pp.
493
–
502
.
14.
Parrinello
,
F.
, and
Borino
,
G.
, 2007, “
Lagrangian Finite Element Modelling of Dam-Fluid Interaction: Accurate Absorbing Boundary Conditions
,”
Comput. Struct.
,
85
(
11–14
), pp.
932
–
943
.
15.
Olson
,
L. G.
, and
Bathe
,
K. J.
, 1985, “
Analysis of Fluid-Structure Interactions. A Direct Symmetric Coupled Formulation Based on the Fluid Velocity Potential
,”
Comput. Struct.
,
21
(
1–2
), pp.
21
–
32
.
16.
Belytschko
,
T.
, 1977, “
Methods and Programs for Analysis of Fluid-Structure Systems
,”
Nucl. Eng. Des.
,
42
(
1
), pp.
41
–
52
.
Crossref
Search ADS
 
17.
Belytschko
,
T. B.
, and
Kennedy
,
J. M.
, 1976, “
A Fluid-Structure Finite Element Method for the Analysis of Reactor Safety Problems
,”
Nucl. Eng. Des.
,
38
(
1
), pp.
71
–
81
.
Crossref
Search ADS
 
18.
Lenk
,
R. S.
, 1978,
Polymer Rheology
.
19.
Osswald
,
T. A.
,
Turng.
,
L.-S.
, and
Gramann
,
P. J.
, 2008,
Injection Molding Handbook
,
Hanser Gardner Publications
,
Munich, Germany
.
20.
Slijkoord
,
I. J-W.
, “
Polymer Injection Forming- A new technology for your high performance metal-polymer
,” Available at: http://www.syntens.nl/materialenkring/archief/Documents/070424/PIF%20presentatie%20Corus.pdfhttp://www.syntens.nl/materialenkring/archief/Documents/070424/PIF%20presentatie%20Corus.pdf
Copyright © 2012
 by American Society of Mechanical Engineers
You do not currently have access to this content.