Drawing Process Optimization of Thin-walled Aluminum Tube Based on Numerical Simulation

By using finite element simulation software LS-DYNA, the model for simulating the drawing process of thin-walled aluminum tube was established and the reason of rough surface, non-uniform thickness and material failure in the multi-pass drawing process were analyzed. The drawing process was improved by the combination of shape and size optimization method and verified by experiments. The results show that the contact force between material and die wall was non-uniform during the drawing process of thin-walled aluminum tube, and then the flow rate of metal along the drawing direction was inhomogeneous, which led to U-shaped lines on tube surface and edge failure. With shape and size optimization of blank and die bearing in the 3rd-pass drawing process, the homogeneity of metal flow rate was significant improved, and the strain concentration was eliminated, and then the profile with high quality was fabricated.