Theoretical Analysis of Laser Shock Bulging Forming

Laser shock forming (LSF) is a novel plastic forming process which utilizes high-pressure plasma to deform thin metals to 3D configurations. The plastic response of a circular plate in laser shock bulging forming was theoretically studied. A simplified shock pressure model was established and then an analytical model was proposed to calculate the deflection. The results show that the deflection increases with increasing pulse energy and the deformation profiles calculated by the analytical model agree well with those of experiment.