Deformation behavior of medium-strength TA18 high-pressure tubes during NC bending with different bending radii

To improve the forming quality and forming limit of the numerical control (NC) bending of high-pressure titanium alloy tubes, in this study, using three-dimensional (3D) finite element method, deformation behavior of medium-strength TA18 high-pressure tubes during NC bending with different bending radii is investigated. The results show that the cross-sectional deformation and the wall thickness variation during NC bending of TA18 tubes using a small bending radius (less than 2 times of tube outside diameter) are clearly different from that using a normal bending radius (between 2 and 4 times of tube outside diameter). For bending with a normal bending radius, with or without a mandrel, the distribution of the flattening in the bending area resembles a platform and an asymmetric parabola, respectively. For bending with a small bending radius, with or without a mandrel, the flattening both distributes like a parabola, but the former has a stable peak which deflects toward the initial bending section, and the latter has a more pronounced peak with a bending angle and deflects slightly toward the bending section. The wall thickness variations with a normal bending radius, with and without a mandrel, both resemble a platform when the bending angle exceeds a certain angle. For the bending with a small radius, the distribution of the wall thickness variation without a mandrel follows an approximate parabola which increases in value as the bending angle increases. If a mandrel is used, the thickening ratio increases from the initial bending section to the bending section.