Numerical and Experimental Analysis of Bowing Defect in the Flexible Roll Forming Process of Copper-Aluminum Double Layer Sheets

Double-layer sheet forming methods are developed in various industries due to their dual properties and wide application. In this paper, the numerical and experimental investigation of the bowing defect in the flexible roll forming process of double-layer sheets have been discussed. Numerical analysis has been conducted using Abaqus finite element software and experimental tests using a single-station flexible roll forming machine. After validation of the numerical model, the effects of significant parameters on the bowing defect in the flexible roll forming process, including the forming angle, sheet thickness, sheet wing length, and the displacement of sheet layers have been investigated using full factorial design of experiments method and finite element simulations. The results were analyzed using the Analysis of Variance statistical method. The results showed that with increase of the forming angle and wing length, the amount of bowing defect increases while it decreases with the increase of the thickness of the sheet. Also, the arrangement of layers is also effective in the occurrence of the bowing defect. The results showed that the bowing defect in the Al-Cu layer material increased from 2.152 to 2.646 mm with the increase of the wing length from 18 to 25 mm.