2002 Volume 43 Issue 11 Pages 2908-2912
Uniform deformation of tempered copper alloy sheets is small, and their bend formability depends largely on the amount of non-uniform deformation, which is complicatedly influenced by other factors in addition to the work-hardening exponent n. In this study, it has been shown that post-uniform elongation in the tensile test can be represented by two parameters, (ef−eu) and f. The symbol ef is the nominal strain at the breakage point, eu the uniform elongation and f the parameter giving the degree of strain localization along the tensile axis. Good correlation between those parameters and bend formability was ascertained by experimental studies on C51900 and some other Cu alloy sheets. The experimental results showed that the introduced two parameters were not independent variables but mutually related. In addition, the nucleation and growth processes of surface wrinkles in bending, which finally led to cracking, were studied metallographically. A lot of micro necks first arose in the vicinity of grain boundaries, and part of them developed into the groove of wrinkles. Spacing between grooves appeared to correspond with the size and distribution of cube-oriented grains.
