REVIEW OF RESEARCH INTO THE INJECTION FORGING OF TUBULAR MATERIALS

Recent work on the radial extrusion of tubular components performed at DTH and UOS presents new results relevant to the process and to die d esign. This research was accomplished through physical modeling with w ax and through metal experiments in aluminium, together with upper-bou nd and finite-element analysis. Major process parameters such as the r atio between the inner and the outer diameters of the tube and the rat io between the wall thickness and the gap height were identified, mate rial flow inside the die chamber was characterized, and several differ ent modes of deformation were observed. However, finite-element analys is was unable to characterize these modes of deformation with sufficie nt accuracy. This work presents a review of the research performed at DTH and IST to overtake previous difficulties found during finite-elem ent simulation. Therefore, the main subject covered in the paper is th e successful simulation of the entire modes of deformation and related flaws that can create problems in the production of sound components.