Compression beading and nosing of thin-walled tubes using a die: experimental and theoretical investigation

Actual design rules for compression beading and nosing of thin-walled tubes using a die are mainly derived from the accumulated experience of both manufacturers of tubular parts and suppliers of machine-tools. No systematic studies are available in the open research literature and trial and error procedures are commonly utilized to determine the feasibility intervals and the final achievable geometries in terms of the major process parameters. As a result of this, gaps of knowledge can be found in understanding the influence of process parameters on material flow and in providing an adequate description of the modes of deformation that are associated with the formability limits of both processes. All these issues are concurrent to the reluctance of using compression beading and nosing of thin-walled tubes as commonly used manufacturing processes. The aim of this paper is to extend the actual knowledge on the compression beading and nosing of thin-walled tubes using a die by means of a comprehensive theoretical and experimental investigation. The theoretical investigation is accomplished by the utilisation of the finite element method. The experimental work, performed on AA6060 Aluminium alloy tubes, consisted of specially designed tests that were carried out under laboratory-controlled conditions with the intention of supporting and validating the overall investigation.