Modeling Effects of Process Parameters on Vacuum Hot Bulge Forming of Rotor Cans

A 2-D axisymmetric finite element model of vacuum hot bulge forming of rotor cans was established. With the aid of user subroutine of non-linear finite element software MSC.Marc, the creep constitutive model of Hastelloy C-276 was coupled with the FEM model to simulate the vacuum hot bulge forming process of the rotor can. The transient temperature field and the radius-direction displacement field of the rotor can and the die during vacuum hot bulge forming process were calculated. The bulging dimension of the rotor can was predicted. The effects of process parameters such as die thickness, holding time and holding temperature on the bulging dimension of the rotor can were studied on the basis of the developed model. The vacuum hot bulge forming experiment was conducted. The simulated results are in good agreement with the experimental ones.