Effect of tool temperature on the reduction of the springback of aluminum sheets

The effect of tool temperature on the reduction of springback amount of aluminum 1050 sheet has been investigated in this study. As the springback phenomenon is caused by elastic recovery of deformed sheet, the control of elastic recovery is important in decreasing the amount of springback. Therefore, any combination of tool temperature that can reduce elastic recovery can be effective in reducing the amount of springback. The experimental verification of U-bent aluminum 1050 sheet shows that the combination of hot die and cold punch can reduce the amount of springback up to 20% when compared to conventional room temperature bending test. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.