The need for lighter, stronger and more rigid structures will increasingly require the complex shape of hydroformed structural tubes. Hydroforming of tubes can produce parts of high accuracy and strength and also lead to cost and weight savings. The hydroforming process is highly non‐linear in nature and due to the complexity of the process, theoretical studies to date have produced only a limited understanding of the mechanics of hydroforming. FE simulation has the capability to provide a greater understanding and a better control of the process. Recent advances in the capability of FE solvers have allowed for the simulation of more complex hydroforming processes.
Depending upon application, a typical hydroforming process involves a controlled application of internal hydroforming pressure and axial feed of tube material from the tube ends. Excessive pressure will lead to bursting defects, while excessive axial feed will cause wrinkles or buckling. In this work an intelligent load control algorithm was developed to control the rate of axial feed and internal pressure during a FE simulation of the hydroforming process. By using the developed algorithm a feasible load path for the hydroforming process can be obtained. The algorithm is first used to obtain feasible load paths for the manufacture of simple shapes (X‐branch and T‐branch) and the results are validated against experimental data. Once the algorithm has been validated it is used to determine the load path for a complex asymmetric component.
