Integration of finite element analysis and design of experiments to analyse the geometrical factors in bi-layered tube hydroforming

Tube hydroforming (THF) is a type of unconventional metal forming process in which high fluid pressure and axial feed are used to deform a tube blank in the desired shape. Bi-layered tube hydroforming is suitable to produce bi-layered joints to be used in special applications such as aerospace, oil production and nuclear power plants.

In this work, a finite element study along with response surface methodology (RSM) for design of experiment (DOE) has been used to construct models for three responses namely: bulge height, thickness reduction, and wrinkle height as a function of geometrical factors for X shape bi-layered tube hydroforming. A finite element model was built and experimentally validated. The models developed using finite element analysis (FEA) and RSM was found to be educated. The factors effect and their interactions on the three responses were determined and discussed. Such integration was proved to be a successful technique that can be used to predict the geometry of the hydroformed part.