Recent Advances in the Laser Forming Process: A Review

Abstract

Laser forming is an emerging manufacturing process capable of producing either uncomplicated and complicated shapes by employing a concentrated heating source. The heat source movement creates local softening, and a plastic strain will be induced during the rise of temperature and the subsequent cooling. This contactless forming process may be used for the simple bending of sheets and tubes or fabrication of doubly-curved parts. Different studies have been carried out over recent years to understand the mechanism of forming and predicting the bending angle. The analysis of process parameters and search for optimized manufacturing conditions are among the most discussed topics. This review describes the main recent findings in the laser forming of single and multilayer sheets, composite and fiber-metal laminate plates, force assisted laser bending, tube bending by laser beam, the optimization technique implemented for process parameters selection and control, doubly-curved parts, and the analytical solutions in laser bending. The main focus is set to the researches published since 2015.

Numerical and Experimental Advances in Innovative Manufacturing Processes

“…Hahn and Tekkaya [7] addressed both the numerics and experiments regarding the use of Vaporizing Foil Actuators (VFA) as an innovative and extremely fast sheet-metal forming methodology. Laser forming technology received attention from Safari et al in the works [8] and [9], the former as a state-of-art review in the field. The hydroforming process for the manufacture of complex shapes, such as metallic bellows, was performed by Safari et al [10].…”

Laser-Assisted Robotic Roller Forming of Ultrahigh-Strength Steel QP1180 with High Precision

“…Xiao et al [ 10 ] proposed an electrically assisted electromagnetic-forming process and improved the forming limit of 7075 aluminum alloy by nearly 40% compared to the conventional electromagnetic-forming method. As a high efficiency and flexibility heating source, the laser has gained more attention in the field of forming, as well as in many other fields [ 11 ]. Laser-assisted forming processes possess a superior ability to overcome the bottleneck of low-formability materials, reducing the load capacity of forming facilities, as well as realizing property-controlled forming.…”

Temperature-affected nano-deformation behavior of nanometals in ultrahigh-strain-rate formation processes

“…13,17 The laser shock forming, based on a thermal-mechanical conversion process, have been demonstrated to be a high-throughput and flexible technique for nanostructure fabrication. [18][19][20] This noncontact and ultrahigh-strain-rate forming technology provides a promising production route for the direct and controllable formation of nanostructures. 5,21 Due to the combined performance of complex factors including ultrahigh strain rates, ultra-short time scale, size effect, and dynamic stress transfer, the high-speed forming process of nano-metals tends to generate different plastic mechanisms, mechanical responses and defect evolution behaviors compared to their bulk counterparts.…”