An integrated process for modelling of precipitation hardening and springback in creep age-forming

Creep age-forming (CAF) process has been developed and used to manufacture complex-shaped panel components in aerospace applications. CAF is based on the complex combination of stress relaxation, creep and age hardening. The aim of this paper is to introduce an integrated technique to model stress–relaxation, creep deformation, precipitate hardening and springback in a CAF process. Firstly, a new set of physically-based, unified creep-ageing constitutive equations is presented, which is based on the high temperature creep and ageing kinetics, and, is determined for a solution-treated and quenched AA7010. This new material model is then implemented in the commercial FE solver ABAQUS through a user defined subroutine. An integrated FE simulation process is introduced for the simulation of CAF and springback. In addition to the stress relaxation, creep-age precipitate growth and yield stress evolution during CAF are predicted.