Experimental Studies on Flexible Forming of Sheet Metals Assisted by Magnetic Force Transfer Medium

To improve the thickness uniformity and increase the forming limit of sheets to enhance their overall quality, a magnetorheological fluid (MRF) was injected into the punch cavity to act as the force transfer medium and fulfill the function of flexible pressing during the sheet bulging process. The rheological properties of the MRF were changed under the influence of a magnetic field produced by loading different currents, which allowed variation of stress states and deformation modes in the 0.75-mm-thick 304 stainless steel sheets. With increasing current (up to 3.5 A), the sheet-forming limit increased by 16.13% at most, and the fracture morphology experienced a certain change. Additionally, both the bulge height and the wall thickness distribution had obvious changes with a punch stroke of 10 mm. According to the experimental analysis, the MRF can be used successfully as a pressure-carrying medium in the sheet forming process.