Numerical Quantification Model and Experiment of External Force on Roller Hemming of Curved Edge Aluminium Alloy with Adhesive

Abstract Accurate quantification of external force is the key to improve the high-precision hemming of autobody closure panels. However, the mechanism of external force on forming quality of complex contour sheet metal with adhesive is not clear subjected to geometric curvature and materials. In the present study, taking the curved edge aluminum sheet as the research object, SPH (smooth particle hydrodynamics) is introduced to simulate the viscous adhesive, and the SPH-FEM (Finite element method) coupling model of adhesive and panels considering the viscosity-pressure effect is established. The numerical simulation of the roller hemming process is carried out, then the validity and reliability of the proposed method are verified by measuring the external force in real time using triaxial force sensor. The multi-step forming process and the effect of external force on the roll in/out, surface wave and plastic strain of aluminum alloy sheet under the viscosity-pressure effect are studied, and the relationship between process parameters and external force is discussed. Results show that the coupling SPH-FEM model can well reflect the hemming process of curved edge structure. The normal force is about 2–3 times of the tangential force in the pre and final hemming process. Compared with the case without adhesive, the surface wave of flange part of the hemming with adhesive is slightly larger. The normal force and the tangential force increase about 90 N and 30 N respectively, when the height increases by 1 mm. It provides an important basis for the accurate control of hemming trajectory and the improvement of manufacturing quality of autobody closure panels.