Formability of 6063 aluminum alloy tube at high temperature using multi-bulge test by hot metal gas forming process

Due to the low formability of aluminum alloys at ambient temperature, forming of these alloys is performed at high temperature. Research has shown that the results of simple tensile test to predict the materials behavior at high temperatures are not sufficiently accurate to predict the formability of aluminum tubes at high temperature. The mechanical properties of the tube are very important at high temperatures. In this study the formability of 6063 aluminum alloy tubes are investigated by free bulging test at temperature range 430°C to 600°C. Then the mechanical properties including flow stress, strain rate sensitivity coefficient and strength constant are obtained using tube multi-bulge test at temperature range 530°C to 580°C. For this purpose, hot metal tube gas forming process is used and the effect of process parameters such as the effect of temperature, pressure and time on the expansion ratio and height of the bulge are studied. The results show that the maximum expansion ratio is 58% at 580°C. Bursting pressure decreases from 1.9MPa to 0.6MPa with temperature increasing from 430°C to 600°C. The bulge height increases with increasing forming time at constant pressure. Also with increasing temperature in the temperature range 530°C to 580°C the flow stress and strength constant decrease and strain rate sensitivity coefficient increases.