Numerical and experimental investigation of aluminum double arrowhead cellular structure manufactured using sheet metal forming

• Numerical and experimental investigation of double arrowhead. • Double arrowhead cellular structure fabricated by sheet metal forming. • The influence of manufacturing aspects on cellular structure performance. • The double arrowhead structure has good potential as an impact absorbing module. The double arrowhead (DAH) cellular structure is one of the cellular structures that exhibits a negative Poisson's ratio and has good energy absorption capability. The DAH structure has the potential to be used as a battery protector in electric vehicles. Generally, the complexity of the design leads to difficulties in the manufacturing process. This study investigates the complex interaction between design, manufacturing processes, and the energy absorption behavior of the DAH structure through comprehensive numerical and experimental investigations. Numerical simulations were conducted on two cases: first, the quasi-static case, and second, the dynamic case. Several finite element models were developed to achieve optimal results. Experimental studies were also carried out for the same two cases, with experiments conducted on only one model. After comparing the simulation and experimental results, a good correlation was obtained. To understand the DAH characteristics resulting from manufacturing aspects, a study was conducted on the potential for differences in the bending angle and radius of the DAH. The simulation results showed that the discrepancies due to manufacturing aspects, while within tolerance limits, did not cause significant differences. Based on the findings of this study, the DAH structure has the potential to be used as a battery protector and can be further developed into a prototype.