Simulation and experiment of curve irradiated laser bending process of titanium alloy sheet

Laser bending along a curve scanning path is a complex 3D forming process. To analyse the deformation behaviour of the process and the effect of process parameters on the bending angle of sheets, numerical simulation becomes indispensable. In this paper, non-linear transient heat transfer and dynamic structural computational models including thermal mechanical coupling analysis, in which the temperature dependence of the thermal and mechanical properties of the material are taken into account, have been developed. The temperature, stress, and strain fields as well as the effect of process parameters on the bending angle were calculated on the basis of models using the finite element method. Meanwhile, an experimental parameter investigation was also carried out. The results showed that, compared with the linear laser bending, curve irradiated laser bending has a significant reduction of the bending angle and the bending angle decreases with increasing path curvature. The bending angle increases with increasing laser power and decreasing spot diameter, and decreases roughly with decreasing scanning velocity. Good correlation was found between the numerically simulated results and the experimental data.