Optimizing process and geometry parameters in bulging of pipelines

Abstract

The objective of this work is to determine the optimum process and geometry parameters to attain maximum bulge height without necking / splitting failure. The effect of process parameters on strain path and its correlation with bulge height is also carried out., ANOVA is used to study the relative contribution of geometry properties, process parameters and tube thickness. It is found that the strain hardening exponent has the highest impact on bulging followed by plastic anisotropy and thickness of tube has a relatively lesser contribution to limit strains of tube bulging. The effects of process parameters, at a specific bulge height, are studied on effective strain distribution and thinning distribution, the homogeneity of which is expressed in the terms of real Kurtosis value. It is concluded that optimum process parameters not only gives less thinning and greater bulge height, it also gives more uniform deformation pattern (thinning and effective strain). The validation of optimum process parameters obtained through Taguchi is carried out using additive model and it is found that the observed value is well in agreement with the predicted value. It is also found that friction has a negative impact on bulge height as well as thinning. This is because higher friction resists the flow of material and causes the material to thin more rapidly at the critical area where necking is taking place. It is also found that bulge height is maximum at higher pressure and higher bulge length and thinning is minimum at lower pressure and higher bulge length.