Advances in laser forming of metal foam: mechanism, prediction and comparison

Abstract

Laser forming is a well-studied process that has successfully been used to form sheet metal. More recently, attempts have been made to use laser forming to bend metal foams. While several studies reported that forming of metal foams is possible, it was found that the process window is fundamentally different, and many well-established concepts from sheet metal laser forming do not apply or require modification. This paper reviews the advances in metal foam laser forming and compares the acquired knowledge with the well-established knowledge of sheet metal laser forming. Differences in the bending mechanism are discussed, and the process windows are analysed in detail. Additionally, key differences in the numerical approaches are discussed, namely the impact of the model geometry and the incorporation of density-dependent material data. Finally, subjects requiring further investigation are reviewed.