An approach to predicting the forming limit stress components from mechanical properties

Forming limit curves (FLCs) are used to determine the amount of deformation that can be applied to a sheet metal before the onset of a localized neck. Most FLCs are shown in strain space, and stress-based FLCs have advantages because they are often strain-path independent. The current study develops a method to calculate a stress-based forming limit curve. The necessary data for this calculation can be obtained from a uniaxial tensile test. The calculations depend on the Z parameter, which can be considered to be the point of instability during a tensile test. With the use of the Keeler-Brazier equation, the effective stress in plane strain at the forming limit is shown to be a function of the Z parameter and thickness. Data from 4 experimental studies are shown to be consistent with this function. With the generally accepted observation that the left side of the strain-based FLC is a line with slope of -1 and an appropriate constitutive model for the stress-strain behavior of the material, the stress-based FLC corresponding to the left side of the strain-based FLC can be calculated. Comparison of the calculated stress-based FLC for three steels with the stress-based FLC determined directly from the strain-based FLC shows good agreement. The calculated stress-based FLC is 15-20 MPa below the data generated directly from the strain-based FLC.