Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A chain link mandrel for rotary draw bending: experimental and finite element study of operation

  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Published:
The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Rotary draw bending is one of the methods used for bending of thin wall tubes. In this process, the mandrel is positioned inside the tube, and the bend die, clamp die, pressure die, and wiper die surround the tube. The bending is conducted around the bend die. Conventional mandrels are mostly ball link type whose manufacture needs high precision and cost. Links of ball link mandrels are exposed to failure in necking areas due to particular form of the links. In this paper, a new mandrel type called “chain link mandrel” is presented, manufactured, and tested. The main difference of this mandrel with conventional mandrels is in the degrees of freedom of the mandrel’s ball segments. Finite element simulation of the bending process, using proposed mandrel and ball link mandrel, has been conducted in ABAQUS software, and some parameters, including required bending moment for tube bending, tube’s ovality, the variations in tube wall’s thickness, and spring back have been measured and compared between two types of mandrels. The clearance between external surface of the mandrel and internal wall of the tube and other influential process parameters has been set equal in both simulations. The simulation results showed that the amounts of thinning in outer wall of the bend, thickening in inner wall of the bend, tube’s ovality, and spring back are equal for both of mandrels. This fact proves the proposed mandrel’s effectiveness, despite its lower cost and simplicity compared to ball link mandrels. Experimental tests are also carried out, and the findings are compared with those obtained in the finite element simulations. There is good agreement between the simulation and experimental results. Practical operation of the proposed chain link mandrel shows that it has good performance for bending thin wall tubes. This mandrel is less expensive and stronger than the conventional ball link types, and the quality of the tubes bent by using this mandrel is acceptable.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Wang J, Agarwal R (2006) Tube bending under axial force and internal pressure. J Manuf Sci Eng 128(2):598–605

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Maier DE, Evergreen, Nelson FA, Littleton, Hofman EV, Englewood, Van Stelle R, Denver, Cwik JA (1968) Tube bending mandrel. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

  3. Roberts CH (1969) Tube bending mandrel. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

  4. Hill EW (1984) Multi-flex tube bending mandrel. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

  5. Hill EW, Maier DE, Humphrey MR (1978) Mandrel for bending tubes. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

  6. Spates HM (1965) Tube bending mandrel. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

  7. Tingley WQ, Bradley DR, Tingley WQ (2011) Apparatus and method of manufacturing a split link for use in a flexible tube-bending mandrel. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

  8. Trana K (2002) Finite element simulation of the tube hydroforming process—bending, preforming and hydroforming. J Mater Process Technol 127(3):401–408

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Heng L, He Y, Mei Z, Zhichao S, Ruijie G (2007) Role of mandrel in NC precision bending process of thin-walled tube. Int J Mach Tool Manuf 47:1164–1175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Gu RJ, Yang H, Zhan M, Li H, Li HW (2008) Research on the springback of thin-walled tube NC bending based on the numerical simulation of the whole process. Comput Mater Sci 42(4):537–549

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. He Y, Jing Y, Mei Z, Heng L, Yongle K (2009) 3D numerical study on wrinkling characteristics in NC bending of aluminum alloy thin-walled tubes with large diameters under multi-die constraints. Comput Mater Sci 45(4):1052–1067

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Li H, Yang H, Yan J, Zhan M (2009) Numerical study on deformation behaviors of thin-walled tube NC bending with large diameter and small bending radius. Comput Mater Sci 45(4):921–934

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Zhao GY, Liu YL, Yang H, Lu CH, Gu RJ (2009) Three-dimensional finite-elements modeling and simulation of rotary-draw bending process for thin-walled rectangular tube. Mater Sci Eng A 499(1–2):257–261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Kim J, Chung K-H, Lee W, Kong J, Ryu H, Kim D, Kim C, Wenner M, Chung K (2009) Optimization of boost condition and axial feeding on tube bending and hydro-forming process considering formability and spring-back. Met Mater Int 15(5):863–876. doi:10.1007/s12540-009-0863-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. D-x E, H-h H, X-y L, R-x N (2009) Spring-back deformation in tube bending. Int J Miner Metall Mater 16(2):177–183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Jiang ZQ, Yang H, Zhan M, Xu XD, Li GJ (2010) Coupling effects of material properties and the bending angle on the springback angle of a titanium alloy tube during numerically controlled bending. Mater Des 31(4):2001–2010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Al-Qureshi HA (1999) Elastic–plastic analysis of tube bending. Int J Mach Tool Manuf 39(1):87–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Al-Qureshi HA, Russo A (2002) Spring-back and residual stresses in bending of thin-walled aluminium tubes. Mater Des 23(2):217–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Ahmadi F, Farzin M (2008) Prediction of spring back of tube induction bending process by the FE method and comparison with analytical results. Paper presented at the Metal Forming Conference

  20. Farzin M, Salem M (2012) Mandrel assembly for tube bending. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

  21. Sohankar M (2007) Thin wall tubes forming analysis and the relevant technology. Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan

    Google Scholar 

  22. Getting started with ABAQUS (ABAQUS Inc., 2009) version 6.9

  23. Miller GG (2003) Tube forming processes: a comprehensive guide. Society of Manufacturing Engineers

  24. Ahmadi F, Farzin M (2008) Prediction of springback of tube induction bending process by the FE method and comparison with analytical results. Met Form 1:201–208

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84156, Iran

    Mohammad Salem, Mahmoud Farzin & Mahmoud Kadkhodaei

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad Branch, Najafabad, Iran

    Mohsen Nakhaei

Authors
  1. Mohammad Salem
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mahmoud Farzin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mahmoud Kadkhodaei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mohsen Nakhaei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammad Salem.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Salem, M., Farzin, M., Kadkhodaei, M. et al. A chain link mandrel for rotary draw bending: experimental and finite element study of operation. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 79, 1071–1080 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-015-6910-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-015-6910-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation