An investigation into the effect of pre-bending on the tube hydro-forging technology

THFG is an advanced technology to manufacture tubular components with complex cross-sections. Meanwhile, curved axis often exists in such components, which is formed by pre-bending steps before THFG. However, the effect of pre-bending on the subsequent THFG, especially on the critical internal pressure required to inhibit wrinkling, has not been clarified yet. Considering the difference in the cold work-hardening and the thickness distribution caused by pre-bending, the change rule between the critical internal pressure and the hoop strain was re-established based on the energy method. It is found that the cold work-hardening has a great influence on the change rule. Subsequently, by solving the three-dimensional mechanics condition of single and double curvature differential segments respectively, the distribution of hoop strain after THFG was obtained by combining pre-bending. Pointing out that the initial thickness has an obvious effect on the hoop strain distribution, while the cold work-hardening is almost negligible. The maximum hoop strain was brought into the change rule between critical internal pressure and hoop strain, then, a new analytical model between the critical internal pressure and the punch stroke considering pre-bending was built. The critical internal pressure considering pre-bending is determined by that of outer straight wall, and its value is always greater than the critical internal pressure without considering pre-bending under the same punch stroke. With the reduction of bending radius, the critical internal pressure distinction between considering and not considering pre-bending will be greater. Moreover, the smaller the friction coefficient also will lead the distinction to be more prominent. In this work, our proposed new prediction model of critical internal pressure is meticulously demonstrated, which can improve the accuracy by 74% at least when existing the pre-bending.