Elongation of rectangular tube in continuous roll forming

In order to reduce the longitudinal extension of rectangular tube in the roll forming process, a three-dimensional elastic-plastic nonlinear Finite Element Model (FEM) of the roll forming is established with the actual factory production process. The metal flow law in the roll forming of rectangular tube and the distribution of the longitudinal elongation rate are obtained by analyzing the simulation results. The obtained results are consistent with the field measurements. The effects of the roller speed, the thickness of the tube wall and the location of the roll diameter on the elongation are analyzed using the proposed FEM. Then these processing parameters are optimized, which improve the continuous rolling performance of rectangular tubes. This research may help to predict the final dimensional accuracy and determine the processing parameters of the roll forming. ©, 2015, Editorial Board of Jilin University. All right reserved.