Design and analysis of new test method for evaluation of sheet metal formability

A new test method including the tool shape and test procedure was developed to evaluate sheet metal formability using the finite element method (FEM). This method is intended to generate the various modes of deformation and to control the onset of failure independently under each mode so that the forming limit diagram (FLD) achieves a good representation of a wide range of strains. A blank holder force–punch stroke diagram with three failure loci is introduced to define the optimum process condition and the formability index by which each material is quantitatively evaluated. The test procedure of this method consists of three steps: drawing a blank holder force (BHF)–punch stroke diagram, measuring strains from the part stamped at the optimum process condition, and grading the test materials using the formability index. In numerical simulations under optimum process conditions, sheet metals can fail due to multi-mode rupture; this failure leads to a widely balanced strain distribution in the FLD such that strains are developed near the forming limit over a wide range of forming modes. Experiments were conducted on three grades of steel sheets to validate the proposed method. Stamping results yield well-defined strain signatures having a wide range of strain distribution in the FLD in all materials tested. The outcomes of the shape and strain behaviors agree well with the numerical results.