MECH 3660 9660 - MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING

TUTORIAL METAL FORMING SHEET METAL / WELDING

Week 8
Part 1 Thin Sheet Metal Forming
The aim of this tutorial is to give you some practical experience in the area of sheet metal forming, riveting
and spot welding. You are strongly encouraged to read the course notes and the additional notes entitled,
Aircraft Fittings Information supplied with this tutorial.

Figure 1.0 Lotus Type 26 Elan Cutaway Drawings Courtesy of Autocar

Download the relevant drawing from the Week 8 Monday folder
Drawing Number
26.01
26.02
26.03

Last Digit of SID

If the last digit of your SID is 0, 1, 2 or 3
If the last digit of your SID is 4, 5 or 6
If the last digit of your SID is 7, 8 or 9

Carefully examine the drawing and make sure that you understand what each view on the drawing
represents.
The material thickness is typically specified as 1.6mm thick with a minimum internal radius of 1.6mm.
The yield strength of the steel is 275MPa, Youngs Modulus is 200GPa and the Ultimate Tensile
Strength (UTS) is 400Mpa.
Ignore the reduction in sheet thickness during bending.
1. Calculate the radius of the sheet after springback and the corresponding springback ratio.
Calculate the bending force required on any major section greater than 200mm in length.
2. Calculate the shear punch force required to shear out the major circular and square cut outs in
your assigned part. Why do each of the cutouts have a small flange i.e. why are they lipped?

Part 2 Riveting / Spot Welding

Refer to drawing No. 26.101. and your relevant drawing,
1. Considering the available space, how many 3/16 (4.8mm) rivets (in single shear) are
needed in order to secure the assembly defined by drawing No. 26.101?

2. If we were to use a 5mm electrode on the typical sheet thicknesses of 1.6mm, how many
spot welds can be performed in the space available to secure the assembly defined by
drawing No. 26.101?

3. If the rivets chosen are manufactured from steel (not aluminium) and the efficiency of each
spot weld is between 50-80% the strength of the parent material (i.e. the process is highly
variable in final strength),
Which method is preferable for maximum shear strength?
Which method is preferable for speed of assembly?

Hint: Assume that the strength of the steel rivets is three times that of the weakest
aluminium rivets defined in the document Aircraft Fittings Information.