Superplastic forming of aerospace facilities’ parts and multilayer structures from vt20 titanium alloy

Аuthors

Kolesnikov A. V.^*, Mikhailov I. V.^**

Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, Design Bureau “Salyut”, 18, Novozavodskaya str, Moscow, 121087, Russia

*e-mail: Feridium@mail.ru
**e-mail: Mikhaylov.iv@khrunichev.ru

Abstract

The structures from titanium allows are increasingly employed in aerospace structures. Labor intensity may be significantly reduced while titanium parts manufacturing by application of superplastic forming process (SPF) and combined process of SPF and diffusion welding (SPF/DW). Superplasticity manifests itself in alloys with a fine-grained structure under certain strain-rate conditions and maintaining a constant temperature during the formation process. Maintaining a constant strain rate in the process of shaping is ensured by a continuous change in the forming pressure over time. The computing of the plot of the forming pressure change with time is rather labor consuming. For this problem solving and the process visualization, modeling with the MSC “Marc” program was performed.

By the example of forming a cellular panel from VT20 titanium alloy, the possibility of manufacturing parts by the SPF method is demonstrated. The simulation result allowed obtain relative deformations distribution, which analysis revealed that maximum relative deformations constituted 97%. This is quite acceptable, and there will be no destruction while the forming process. The simulation results allowed also develop the control program according to which the cellular panel was produced by the superplastic forming press.

The article considers the form shaping modeling of multilayer wedge-shaped panels with transverse and longitudinal corrugation set. It follows from the relative deformation distribution analysis that maximum relative deformations in the structure constituted 126.6%, which is acceptable. The forming of the wedge-shape three-layer panels was performed by the SPF/DW method according to the computed plot of forming pressure change with time.

After the superplastic forming process, there are no both corrugation forming and springing effect, which eliminates the finishing work.

Thus, the SPF and SPF/DW technologies and modeling the process of production to obtain the forming parameters allow significantly enhance the production possibilities while producing complex parts from titanium alloys.

Keywords:

superplastic forming, superplasticity, diffusion welding, multilayer structures, titanium alloys

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