Research on the mechanisms of laser forming for the metal plate

Laser forming is a complex thermal–mechanical process. To reveal the mechanisms dominating the forming process is essential to control accurately the deformation of metal plate. Numerous efforts had been made to understand the mechanisms of laser forming. Proposed mechanisms mainly included temperature gradient mechanism, buckling mechanism and upsetting mechanism. However, in the investigation of laser forming, it is found that the above three mechanisms cannot depict fully the process of deformation. Based on the study of thermal transfer and elastic–plastic deformation, the above three mechanisms are further explained. In addition, a new mechanism, coupling mechanism, is proposed. To verify the validity of the mechanisms proposed, numerical simulations are carried out, and simulation results are consistent with analyses of mechanisms. Further analyses of forming mechanisms provide a theoretical basis for the scanning path and heating conditions as well as high-precision forming.