Predicting the fracture forming limit of 5754-O aluminum alloy by finite element simulation

Abstract Aluminum alloy has the advantages of low specific gravity, easy processing and good welding performance, so it is widely used on automobiles to achieve lightweighting. Forming limit diagram (FLD) is the most intuitive method for evaluating and analyzing the forming performance of aluminum alloys. Standard forming limit tests are complex and costly. To simplify test procedures of the formability for 5754-O aluminum alloys, three tests including uniaxial tensile, deep drawn cup and dome stretching tests were established through ABAQUS finite element software. The principal and secondary strain values at the time of fracture were extracted to construct the forming limit curve at fracture (FLCF). In order to verify the accuracy of the simulation results, corresponding experiments were conducted. The finite element simulation results match the experimental results, thereby verifying the accuracy of the finite element simulation. The method presented in this paper enables quick prediction of the formability of aluminum alloy.