Study the effect of Gaussian and Uniform heat flux on laser forming of Bi-layer sheets

¹ Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
² Manufacturing Engineering Department, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran

^a Corresponding author: naderameli@gmail.com

Received: 21 January 2014
Accepted: 19 January 2015

Abstract

Laser forming process is one of the newest methods of sheet metal bending which no mechanical force needs. Although lots of investigations on laser forming process of mono layer sheet metals have been done, any experiments have not been conducted around bi- layer sheets. In this paper, laser forming process of bi-layer Al/SiC work pieces under Gaussian and Uniform heat distribution has been studied. Elastic- plastic temperature dependent material properties are considered. Also, the boundary condition is applied as free heat convection. The results of numerical simulations revealed that the amount of bending angle in Uniform heat flux distribution is always further than Gaussian distribution. In addition, temperature distribution diagram in Uniform heat flux is almost 5% further than Gaussian form, and the maximum temperature in the work piece is 6% larger. For validation of numerical analyses, experimental tests are done by an Nd: YAG laser on bi-layer Fe/Al sheets. The amounts of bending angles are so close to the results of simulation. The average of the bending angle is almost derived 0.0038 Degree/ Watt in these experimental tests.