The wide spread of superplastic forming (SPF) is limited mainly by the slow nature of the process itself. It has been suggested that a gas pressure profile that follows an optimum variable strain rate path at a certain location in the sheet can reduce the forming time without affecting the quality of the part. This work investigates applying a pressure profile based on an optimum variable strain rate path in forming an AA5083 bulge at 450°C. A single-term material model that accounts for strain rate sensitivity and strain hardening and softening is used for modeling the fine-grain AA5083 at 450°C.
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