formability of titanium ti-6al-4v sheets at low temperature · quintus food presses introduction of...

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Formability of Titanium Ti-6Al-4V sheets

at low temperature

Sture Olsson

Quintus Technologies

Business Development Manager, Sheet Metal Forming

October 9, 2019

MEMBER OF KOBE STEEL GROUP

AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY CONGRESS 2019

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Formability of Titanium Ti-6Al-4V sheets at low

temperature

• Introduction

• Warm Forming of Titanium 6Al-4V

• Initial lab results

• Production process validation

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150KTon

2000Bar

CAPABLE OF EXPERTS IN CERTIFIED BY

HIGH PRESSURE

MEMBER OF KOBE STEEL GROUP

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Foundation and history of excellence

200519991995199119641953 1965 1988

Introduction of

Quintus Food presses

Introduction of

Quintus Metal

Forming presses

Introduction of

Quintus Isostatic

pressesCompany produces the world’s

first synthetic diamond

1940-

1950

Company formation

2009

Sale of Company to

Flow International

Joint venture

with BBC

2013 2014 2017

10/10/2019

1886

High

pressure

R&D

MEMBER OF KOBE STEEL GROUP

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MATERIAL DENSIFICATION SHEET METAL FORMING

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The Flexform Sheet Metal Forming Technology

• Historically a cold forming process

• Using one shape defining tool half

• Second tool half being a flexible rubber diaphragm, backed up by hydraulic pressure

• Blank thickness from thin foil to some 15 mm stainless steel maybe formed

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Click: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0HtZq9pokY

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Typical Cold Formed Parts – Airframes

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• Shrink and stretch flanges

• Double curved

• Recessed parts

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Typical Flexform Parts – Jet engines

• Deep parts

• Tough alloys, typically

Inconel and Titanium

• Severe tolerance and

quality demand

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Examples - Customers & Partners

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Formability of Titanium Ti-6Al-4V sheets at low

temperature

• Introduction

• Warm Forming of Titanium 6Al-4V

• Initial lab results

• Production process validation

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Why?

• Growing need for Ti 6Al-4V due to the composite

growth

• Need for a competitive process vs. various hot

forming processes

• Perceived hot forming challenges:

• High energy cost

• High tooling cost

• Slow process, low productivity and low capacity

• Poor process control

• Labor dependent

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Current hot forming processes

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Hot vs. Warm Forming

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Hot forming

HPWF

Pressure, temperature & time

Temperature, C Pressure, bar Time, min.

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Hot Forming Processes High Pressure Warm Forming

600-900°C 270°C

<10 bar 1400 bar / 140 MPa

-120 min <5 min

MEMBER OF KOBE STEEL GROUP

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Formability of Titanium Ti-6Al-4V sheets at low

temperature

• Introduction

• Warm Forming of Titanium 6Al-4V

• Initial lab results

• Production process validation

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High Pressure Warm Forming

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2014-04559

Pre-study funding

Warm forming of Titanium

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Initial lab test conclusions

Springback reduction

• Springback reduced with 20% in bending tests

• Lab cases indicate bigger reduction

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0

5

10

15

20

25

30

RT 270 C

Spri

ngback d

egre

es

Temperature

Bending test

RT

270°C

RT = Room temperature

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HPWF - Part forming suitability

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Part configuration

deemed suitable for

the HPWF process

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Expected process benefits

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Reduce production cost

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0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

SPF

Hot Forming

Quintus

Production time/part

Pre-form Pressing Part Cool down * Data from: Advanced Forming Research Centre

(AFRC), University of Strathclyde

*

* SPF = Super Plastic Forming

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Increase productivity

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140,000 parts

23,000 parts

2,500 parts

Quintus: 3 parts/cycle

HS/SPF: 1 part/cycle

2 shifts and 240 days/year0 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000 120000 140000

SPF

Hot Forming

Quintus

Production output, parts/year

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Reduce production cost

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0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

SPF

Hot Forming

Quintus

Production cost

Material cost Labour cost Other

*

*

* Data from: Advanced Forming Research Centre

(AFRC), University of Strathclyde

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High Pressure Warm Forming

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2015-05196

Process demo project funding

High-pressure process for Titanium

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Lab scale warm forming system

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• Scalable

• Automation

• Process control

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Demo parts – Lab scale

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• With and without springback compensation

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Demo parts – Lab scale

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• Shrink & stretch flanges

• Joggles

• Gentle curvatures

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Lab test conclusions – Excellent forming repeatability

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Test sample

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Extracted Samples for Section 2

ID 30 ID M

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Section sample mounted

Left (End) side

Right (Flat) side

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Macro optical image showing material flow

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Optical Micrographs of section1

A BC

D

E

Optical image location A

Fine and extended grains

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Optical Micrographs of section1

Optical Image location C

Direction of grain flow has oriented along bending direction (horizontal axis on this page) around

15-20°

No evidence of any cracks

within the macrostructure or

along the edges of the

section

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• Alpha case formation has been

investigated at three points, A, C and E,

of the 'L' shape section.

• Both optical microscope and SEM have

been used for alpha case evaluation.

No Alpha case formation

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Formability of Titanium Ti-6Al-4V sheets at low

temperature

• Introduction

• Warm Forming of Titanium 6Al-4V

• Initial lab results

• Production process validation

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How does it work?

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Quintus High Pressure Warm Forming – Step by step

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Click: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcSyicC-tFk

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Next step

• Equipment / system validation

• Robustness

• Handling

• Productivity

• Process cost

• Isolation

• Process validation

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HPWF system under installation

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Next step - Partners welcome!

• Equipment / system validation

• Robustness

• Handling

• Productivity

• Process cost

• Isolation

• Process validation

• Tooling

• Demonstrators, full size

• Spring back compensation

• Simulation correlation

• Final stress relief requirements

• Process envelope / part suitability

• Market acceptance

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Formability of Titanium Ti-6Al-4V sheets at low

temperature

• Introduction

• Warm Forming of Titanium 6Al-4V

• Initial lab results

• Production process validation

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Thank you for your attention!

Sture Olsson

Björn Carlsson

Mikael Bergkvist

sture.olsson@quintusteam.com

https://quintustechnologies.com/