Disruptive advancements in Superplastic Forming using Oscillation Technology, allows for significant increases in formability far beyond conventional SPF processes for Aluminum, Magnesium, and Titanium Alloy sheets

AEM Power Systems is developing innovative and disruptive gas oscillation forming technology for Oscillation Enhanced Superplastic Forming (OESPF) process that has the potential to significantly improve formability of Aluminium, Magnesium, and Titanium alloy sheets into geometrically complex shaped panels. Macrodyne Technologies, North America’s largest Hydraulic Press Manufacturer and AEM are collaborating to integrate gas oscillation forming technology into Macrodyne’s superplastic forming press. OESPF process utilizes gas oscillation forming technology as a system which is engineered to generate and transfer minor gas oscillations of various frequencies and amplitudes into a pressurized chamber of a superplastic blow forming tool. Minor gas oscillations subject the forming material to undergo partial stress relief during each oscillation cycle. Experimental research and development program has revealed that the application of a minor superimposing oscillating load onto a monotonically increasing tensile load leads to a significant improvement in the formability of Aluminum, Magnesium, and Titanium Alloys. Application of minor oscillating load at specific amplitudes and frequencies can significantly improve Aluminium A5083, Magnesium AZ31B, and Titanium Ti-6AI-4V alloy elongation, thickness uniformity, and forming speed. These results were experimentally confirmed for a range of strain rates 0.001-0.500 per second and will be discussed during the presentation. FEA simulation of AA5083 Aluminum sheet with SPF and OESPF process for selected part geometry will be presented for comparison purposes.