TAGUCHI-BASED OPTIMIZATION OF TUBE OVALITY IN ALUMINUM ALLOY FLOW FORMING

Flow-forming is an advanced, chip less metal forming process. A single roller flow forming machine has been used to manufacture the thin-walled tubes of AA6082 alloy. The effect of process parameters on the ovality of flow formed tubes have been investigated by Taguchi method. The main flow-forming parameters selected for the present investigation are axial feed of the roller, speed of the mandrel, and radius of the roller. The effects of these input parameters on the response, Ovality (O) have been critically analysed. It has been found that the axial feed of the roller and radius of the roller are the most important process parameters influencing the ovality of flow formed tube. The tubes with an ovality of 0.15mm is produced by flow forming process when the process parameters were set at their optimum values.