Forming limit diagram of auto-body steel sheets for high-speed sheet metal forming

Abstract This paper is concerned with the uniaxial tensile properties and formability of steel sheets in relation to the strain rate effect. The elongation at fracture for CQ increases at a high strain rate while the elongation at fracture for DP590 decreases slightly in relation to the corresponding value for a quasi-static strain rate. The uniform elongation and the strain hardening coefficient decrease gradually when the strain rate increases. The r -value of CQ and DP590 was measured with a high-speed camera in relation to the strain rate. The r -value is slightly sensitive to the strain rate. Static forming limit curves (FLCs) and high-speed FLCs were constructed with the aid of punch-stretch tests with arc-shaped and square-shaped specimens. In addition, a high-speed crash testing machine with a specially designed high-speed forming jig was used for the high-speed punch-stretch tests. Compared with the static FLC, the high-speed FLC of CQ is higher in a simple tension region and lower in a biaxial stretch forming region. The high-speed FLC for DP590 decreases in relation to the static FLC throughout the entire region. The elongation at fracture appears to be closely related to the simple tension region of the FLC. The shear fracture is observed from SEM images of specimens tested in the biaxial stretch forming region under the high-speed forming condition. The dimples indicating the shear fracture have elongated horseshoe shape. The high-speed FLC is lower than the static FLC in the biaxial stretch forming region because the shear fracture induces the decrease of ductility. The results confirm that the strain rate has a noticeably influence on the formability of steel sheets. Thus, the forming limit diagram of high-speed tests should be considered in the design of high-speed sheet metal forming processes.