Experimental Study on the Evaluation of Necking and Fracture Strains in Sheet Metal Forming Processes

In this paper the formability of AA2024-T3 metal sheets is experimentally analyzed. For this purpose, a series of Stretch- Bending and Incremental Sheet Forming (ISF) tests are carried out. The former tests allow determine the formability limits through the evaluation of necking and fracture using the optical deformation measurement system ARAMIS® and measuring the thickness strains along the fracture line. The latter are performed with the aim of confirming the validity of these limits. In this case, the spifability, formability in Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF), was studied in the light of circle grid analysis by means of the 3D deformation digital measurement system ARGUS®. Different punch diameters are used in both processes. The results exhibit the importance of the accuracy in the setting of the formability limits as well as the variability that these limits present depending on the forming process or some variables such as the tool radius.