Electromagnetic forming

It can be defined as moving the work piece at high speeds and converting the kinetic energy into plastic deformation .

Principle of operation
In this process, electrical energy is converted to mechanical energy with the use of a magnetic field. When an electrical current is rapidly introduced through a conductor (wire), a magnetic field is created around the wire. The sudden introduction of a magnetic field creates eddy currents that flow in opposite direction in any conductor nearby. The eddy currents develop their own magnetic field and cause a repelling force.

 The repelling force is then used as a means of forming sheet metal into different shapes

Magnetic forming can be accomplished in any of the following three ways, depending upon the requirements. Coil surrounding work piece. When a tube like part x is to fit over another part y, coil is designed to surround x so that when energized, would force the material of x tightly around y to obtain necessary fit.

 Coil inside work piece. Consider fixing of a collar on a tube like part. The magnetic coil is placed inside the tube like part, so that when energized would expand the material of the part into the collar.

Coil on flat surface. Flat coil having spiral shaped winding can also be designed to be placed either above or below a flat work piece .These coils are used in conjunction with a die to form, emboss, blank, or dimple the work piece

Accuracy - therefore the primary factor is the dimensional accuracy of the die. The forming process is most often used to shrink or expand cylindrical tubing, but it can also form sheet metal by repelling the work piece onto a shaped die at a high velocity. High-quality joints can be formed, either by electromagnetic pulse crimping

Advantages i. Significant improvement in formability. ii. Very close tolerances are possible as springback can be made minimal or even completely eliminated. iii. Reproduction of surface details is excellent iv. Since there is no mechanical contact with the workpiece (as compared to the use of a punch in conventional processes), surface finish can be given to the workpiece before forming v. It is an environmentally clean process as no lubricants are necessary

vi. Simplicity of the technological equipment. Only one die or plunger is used Disadvantages i. Only conducting materials can be formed directly. If non-conductors are to be formed, a conducting driver plate must to be used. ii. Safety considerations are high due to the high voltages and currents involved. iii. very large sheet metal components cannot be formed, mainly due to problems in design of very large coils. Is the technology advanced for use today ? Electromagnetic forming is already used extensively for assembly operations. For operations where relatively small amounts of energy are to be used , systems can be designed fairly easily Some of the areas that need development are:

 Coil design and durability There is relatively little experience with the kinds of relatively flat coils that might be used in dies. Best construction practices and durability as a function of use parameters need to be established. Material Behavior flow behavior of materials under the kinds of conditions seen in electromagnetic forming are poorly understood. Process design We need to develop a framework regarding how to decide how to form a part using electromagnetically augmented stamping. Summary The electromagnetic pulse technology (EMPT) is based on the contact-less deformation of electrically conductive materials using strong magnetic fields. It can be used for joining, welding, forming and cutting of sheet metals and tubes.