M. Rajaee - Department of Mechanics, Faculty of Neyshabour, Khorasan Razavi Branch, Technical and Vocational University, Neyshabour, Iran
S.J. Hosseinipour - Department of Materials Eng., Faculty of Materials and Industrial Eng., Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Babol, Iran.
H. Jamshidi Aval - Department of Materials Eng, Faculty of Materials and Industrial Eng, Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Babol, Iran.

In this paper, the loading path was optimized in hot metal gas forming (HMGF) process for making AA۶۰۶۳ cylindrical stepped tubes. For this purpose, the response surface method (RSM) and finite element method (FEM) were applied using Design-Expert and ABAQUS softwares, respectively. The parameters of internal pressure, pressure rate, axial feeding, and punch speed were examined based on the central-composite design in the three levels. The maximum die filling and the minimum tube thinning percentages were selected as the objective functions. The analysis of variance showed that the axial feeding, internal pressure, and their interaction were the most significant parameter in the die filling and tube thinning. The optimum loading path at the temperature of ۵۵۰ oC was obtained at pressure of about ۷ bars, pressure rate of ۰.۰۱ bar/s, axial feeding of ۷ mm from each side and punch speed of ۰.۰۲ mm/s. Experimental tests were performed for the specified process parameters. The numerical results were validated by experimental testing.

AA۶۰۶۳ Alloy Tube, Hot Metal Gas Forming, Response Surface Methodology, Finite Elements Analysis, optimization