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In the aircraft industry, hydroforming is widely used to form parts using aluminum alloys in tempered condition T-XXXX. Success of this process depends on accurate springback prediction. The magnitude of springback and its variation is high in aluminum alloys in tempered condition T-XXXX. Process and material variability causes variation in springback. Wide range of pressures and press types in hydroforming process attribute to process variability. Forming pressures can be varied to control springback. This study looks at the effect of forming pressure on springback in hydroforming of aluminum alloy 2024-T3 and 2524-T3 in two most popular industrial hydropresses. The study forms the basis for developing a new model for springback prediction in the future.

Forming of aluminum sheets in O-temper is a very common industrial process in the aircraft industry. However, the success of this process largely hinges on the ability to predict springback accurately. Aluminum sheets in T-temper exhibit approximately twenty percent variability in material properties and also the amount of springback is very large. This makes tool design for aluminum in T-temper an iterative and difficult to control process. Traditionally aluminum has been formed in the O-temper and then heat-treated to T-temper, as recourse to reduce springback. This research is aimed at developing a predictive finite element technique for springback, using experimental validation. A parametric study was conducted to determine the influence of geometric parameters and tempers on springback. The study characterizes springback of aluminum in different tempers and investigates the effect of forming strain-rates on springback.